George Peel Chandler, Jr.

A man whose career included working as a NASA engineer for some of our country’s most historic space missions and also working locally as a champion of small business development, George was well-known throughout San Diego for his civic involvement, his persistent support for causes he believed in and his ability to motivate others.

“George brought level-headedness, fairness, a willingness to listen and to talk, to our board,” said Mary Walshok, chairwoman of the foundation board. “He set a standard that we all admired. He was a very sophisticated, mature and effective board member.”

Born in Knoxville, TN, George was a gentleman in the truest Southern tradition. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee, graduating with honors. He then served in Europe as an officer in the US Air Force responsible for a Nike missile site. Remaining in Europe after discharge, George accepted a position as engineering executive with International Telephone & Telegraph Company.

After returning to the United States, George attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, earning a master’s degree in management.  He spent the next 21 years working at the National Aeronautics & Space Agency (NASA).

During his tenure at NASA, George took on increasingly important tasks, including serving as the NASA mission engineer for Apollo 4, 10, 11 (first manned lunar landing) and 13. From 1976 to 1981, he was director of NASA’s Scientific and Technical Information Program in Washington, DC where he established one of the world’s largest, most sophisticated data bases with two million titles, 60,000 acquisitions and world-wide on-line search capability. At one time, he worked directly with the renowned rocketry genius Dr. Werner Von Braun.

In 1981, George decided to return to his roots as a small business entrepreneur following in the footsteps of his father who owned the largest printing company in East Tennessee. His extensive federal career, however, led him to believe that he could best champion the ideals of small business ownership by becoming director of the San Diego District Office of the US Small Business Administration (SBA).

From 1981 until 2005, George served as SBA’s local director, and through his leadership the office increased annual financing obtained by small businesses from $20 million to $400 million, and the total loan portfolio from $200 million to $3 billion. During the same time government contracts awarded to small businesses were increased from $10 million to $110 million. For several years running, the San Diego district office was named the best performing SBA office in the country.

Much of George’s success resulted from his ability to think “outside the box” and motivate other influential citizens to share his vision for a thriving small business environment.  During his tenure with SBA, he also took time to help establish the MIT Enterprise Forum, a very successful business analysis forum, as well as a unique small business advisory board to the San Diego Mayor and city council. George Chamberlin, a well known business columnist, recently stated that “In a group of 1000 individuals George Chandler was the one person that [Chamberlin] would cross the room to greet”.  Ruben Garcia, George’s successor as SBA Director, described George as being “a mentor, an inspiration, and a friend”.

In addition to his leadership role with SBA, George also served in several key committee roles with the San Diego Chamber of Commerce and served as a member of the City of San Diego’s Economic Development Task Force. 

With the International Community Foundation, George served as the foundation’s secretary and as a member of its Investment Committee.

 “He was really the kind of person you want to have involved and guiding that kind of committee,” said board member Alan Rubin, who was acting-Chairman at the time of George’s appointment to the Investment Committee. “He was a steady hand and very knowledgeable. “

Rubin said one of his most vivid memories of George involved George’s quiet, but persistent attempts to see a major performing arts center built on San Diego’s waterfront. George’s vision was to create a performing arts center akin to that of world famous Sydney Opera House in Australia or The Kennedy Center.

“This was the thing he talked about most,” Rubin recalled. “He had developed a proposal and a budget and a plan for this performing arts center that was so detailed it was like a Harvard Business School case…It was overwhelming.”

Rubin said George quietly visited everyone he could in San Diego about the proposal, including Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs, the San Diego Mayor and the San Diego City Council.

“My guess is that George never gave up on it. I think he realized it wasn’t going to happen quickly, but he just felt San Diego needed to have, and deserved to have, a major performing arts center,” Rubin said. “

George is survived by his wife, Irene Chandler of La Jolla, brother, John Chandler of Ocala, Fla. and sister, Carol Evans Chandler of South Carolina.

A Memorial Service was held for George on March 17 followed by an internment at El Camino Cemetery. George’s family has asked that donations be sent to in his memory to Mainly Mozart, the International Community Foundation and/or the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Donations in George’s honor may be made online or sent to the following address:

The International Community Foundation
2505 N Avenue, National City, CA 91950

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