Cal State Fullerton finance alumnus Scott Coler ’85, president of Newport Beach-based Capital Pacific Real Estate Inc., and management grad Jose Lara ’02, president of SchoolsFirst Credit Union, are recipients of the 2024 Vision & Visionaries awards.  

The annual recognitions are the highest honors bestowed on Cal State Fullerton alumni each year.  

Coler is active in his alma mater as a mentor in the Executive-in-Residence program, the Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors, Dean’s Advisory Board, and Center for Real Estate.  

He has spent his career in residential homebuilding, overseeing the construction of more than 5,000 homes and about $1.5 billion in revenues. His ability to guide Capital Pacific through the ups and downs of the 2000s housing boom, the Great Recession and the COVID pandemic have testified to Coler’s versatility and leadership acumen.  

Lara has been with SchoolsFirst Credit Union, the largest credit union in Southern California, for more than 30 years. He has served as president since March 2022, ensuring that the Tustin-based financial firm serves the needs of California educators and others who utilize the firm’s services.  

“Both Scott Coler and Jose Lara speak of the successes that our alumni achieve and their desire to give back to their alma mater and the Southern California community,” says Dean Sri Sundaram. “More than 80% of our 77,000 alumni have stayed right here in Southern California, and the region’s economy would look so different if it weren’t for the dedication and ingenuity of Business Titans.”  

The 2024 Vision & Visionaries awards will be bestowed on Feb. 24, 2024.