Born in Chicago and raised in Wilmette, Ill.,
and Woodland Hills, Calif., Porter received his B.A. from UCLA
in 1974 and his J.D. from Southwestern Law School in 1977. “I
had no life before UCLA,” Porter said candidly. “I
started working here at the EXPO Center as a student in 1972.”
What is your motto?
“All mottoes are pretentious ... especially this one.”
(It’s on my family coat of arms.)
If you hadn’t chosen your current
occupation, what would you have chosen?
Philanthropist.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Men and women who risk their lives in the service of others.
What is your most treasured possession?
My UC 20-year service pin with whatever those little stones
are.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Sometimes, when a USC grad asks, “Do you want fries with
that?,” I’ll feel sorry for him and say, “Yes
... yes I do.”
