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Mr. Donald R. Diamond is Chairman of Diamond Ventures, Inc. His business interests include a variety of real estate investments and development projects in the southwestern United States and Mexico.Born in New York City in 1928, Mr. Diamond attended elementary and junior high school in Arizona. After serving in the Army, he returned to Arizona and attended the University of Arizona from 1947-49. From 1950-65, Mr. Diamond enjoyed a successful career in the commodities business as vice president of ACLI International in New York City. He returned to Tucson full-time in 1965.Mr. Diamond's successful career in land development began in the mid 1960's with the acquisition of the 450-acre Pima Canyon Estates custom home site community in the Catalina Foothills. Later, he acquired the 5,000-acre Rocking "K" Ranch, one of Tucson's largest master-planned developments; more than 12,000 acres from the Howard Hughes Estate; and The Canyons, a 160-acre, premiere luxury home site community in the Catalina Foothills. More recently, Mr. Diamond's company acquired a 5,200-acre parcel in Peoria, Arizona, and a 1,600-acre parcel in Casa Grande, Arizona.Previously, Mr. Diamond was an owner and president of NBC-affiliate KVOA-TV (1971- 82) in Tucson; a partner in Arizona Mail Order (1975-98), one of the largest national mail order firms in women's ready-to-wear apparel; a founder, vice president and one of the principal owners of the Phoenix Suns (1968-87); owned an interest in the Arizona Diamondbacks; and a board member of the United Bank of Arizona and its holding company, United Bancorp (1975-88).For four decades, Mr. Diamond has played a major role in supporting Tucson's community, national and international health, as well as education and charitable service organizations. He spearheaded the building of the current Jewish Community Center in Tucson and serves as a member of several boards including the National Board of Advisors for the University of Arizona's Eller College of Business and Public Administration, board of directors of the Rincon Institute and the Sunstone Cancer Support Foundation of Southern Arizona.He was named an honorary life member of the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade for his efforts to foster U.S. business with Mexico, and was presented with an honorary degree of doctor of humane letters from the University of Arizona for his continued support of this institution. In 1973 he served as chairman of the United Way and ran their general campaign, and in 1995 he was the first chairman of the United Way's Tucson Alexis de Tocqueville Society. | 