As a graduate of San Diego State University, Papa Doug began his ties to local education, commerce, and development early in life. A prominent community and cause activist, he currently serves on The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute Board of Trustees and leads his own charity organization, The Manchester Charitable Foundation.

Papa Doug is a true industrialist with accomplishments on a national and international scale in telecommunications, radio broadcast, medical instrumentation, publishing, and real estate development. Papa Doug is considered father of the San Diego Convention Center after his generous contribution of the property for its development. The completion of the second largest Marriott and Hyatt hotels in the world anchored its success and gave birth to the vast downtown redevelopment still continuing today.

In addition to the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina and the Manchester Grand Hyatt, his investment and development projects include The Grand Del Mar Resort & Spa, Manchester Executive Center, Manchester Financial Building, and the Whitetail Lodge and Golf Club, and soon a convention center hotel in Austin, Texas. Papa Doug was the catalyst for the now famous Biotech cluster at Torrey Pines.

A graduate from San Diego State University, he is a former trustee of the University of San Diego and Wake Forest University and founder of the San Diego chapter of the Alexis de Toqueville Society. The Nice Guys organization recently named Papa Doug as “Nice Guy of the Year”.

The organization recognized Papa Doug for his history of charitable giving that stretches back four decades. In 1973 he joined YPO and co-founded its San Diego chapter, as well as the Idaho chapter, the Rio Platte chapter, and the Vietnam chapter. He has served as chairman of the San Diego chapter and was voted Man-of-the-Year. He joined CEO in 1992 and served as a member of the Board and chaired the Vatic an College.

Papa Doug has 8 children and 13 grandchildren. He enjoys golf, tennis, marathon running, heliskiing, travel, and “making positive memories.”