Vincent P. Barabba

Civic Leader/Businessman

California State University, Northridge​

Vincent P. Barabba has been a preeminent civic leader, business executive and loyal alumnus for 50 years since graduating from San Fernando Valley State College in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in marketing.

In 1969, Mr. Barabba founded a Los Angeles-based market research company to provide electoral information to political campaigns from city hall to the presidency. In 1973, President Richard Nixon appointed him Director of the U.S. Bureau of the Census. After a brief hiatus, President Jimmy Carter reappointed him to this role in 1979, making him the only person receiving this honor from presidents of different political parties. Then in 1983, Mr. Barabba received his third presidential appointment when President Ronald Reagan made him the United States Representative on the Population Commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. In 2010, Mr. Barabba became Chair of the California Citizens' Redistricting Commission. He also leads the Board of Governors of the prominent, nonpartisan organization, The State of the United States, which is dedicated to assisting the American people to assess the nation's progress based upon unbiased data, fairly presented.

As a business leader, Mr. Barabba has guided the marketing strategies of many of America's most recognizable brands, including Xerox, Eastman Kodak and General Motors, where he introduced the life-saving On-Star service. He has led or helped to lead numerous nationally distinguished professional and academic organizations, including the American Statistical Association, the Marketing Science Institute, the National Opinion Research Center of the University of Chicago, the American Institutes for Research and the American Marketing Association. He is a distinguished author with books published by the Oxford University Press and Harvard Business School Press. Mr. Barabba has received many awards, including recognition as a Distinguished Alumnus of California State University, Northridge in 2003.

Mr. Barabba's commitment to California State University, Northridge began when he arrived on campus. As a student he served as student body president and yearbook editor. He is on the Board of Directors of the California State University, Northridge Foundation and the University's Ad Hoc Committee on Athletics Engagement. He co-chaired the 2010 Founders' Day celebrations of the University's Valley State years.

In recognition of his professional and civic accomplishments and his longstanding leadership for his alma mater, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Northridge are proud to confer upon Vincent P. Barabba the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.