Dr. William M Lyles, DHL, an engineer, businessman, longtime assemblage philanthropist and ardent protagonist of Fresno State, passed distant connected March 26. He was 91.
“Bill Lyles and his household person been pillars of our community, embodying the existent tone of generosity, enactment and dedication,” said Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “Bill’s entrepreneurial imaginativeness and his committedness to empowering aboriginal generations person near an indelible people connected our assemblage and the full Central Valley. His bequest volition proceed to animate and usher us, reminding america of the powerfulness of compassion, assemblage and the pursuit of excellence. We are profoundly grateful for the privilege of being portion of Bill’s lasting impact, 1 that exemplifies the precise champion of humanity.”
Bill Lyles
As the person of the Lyles Group for much than 5 decades, Dr. Lyles lived by the mantra, “joy is successful the building.” His passionateness for operation was rooted successful his enactment with the household business, W. M. Lyles Co., which was founded successful 1945 by his parents, Bill Sr. and Elizabeth Lyles, successful Avenal. Dr. Lyles, a Purdue University civilian engineering postgraduate and U.S. Navy officer, rejoined the household concern aft serving abroad.
In 1965, aft the decease of his father, the third-generation technologist assumed enactment of W. M. Lyles Co. Under his visionary direction, and with the enactment of his member Gerald Lyles and a dedicated squad of employees and partners, the institution grew and evolved into Lyles Diversified Inc. His companies person been progressive successful construction, existent estate, development, underground pipeline and inferior construction, and dense factual and mechanical construction.
Dr. Lyles’ interaction extended acold beyond the concern world. He was profoundly committed to improving the economical vitality of the Fresno community, dedicating decades of work to a assortment of nonprofit organizations.
Dr. Lyles was a longtime strategical advisor and benefactor to Fresno State, assisting with galore projects astatine the university. Emulating the epitome of philanthropy, helium served connected the Craig School Business Advisory Council, the Maddy Institute Board of Directors, the Board of Governors for the California State University, Fresno Foundation and was a long-time subordinate of the university’s President’s Circle. In designation of his service, advocacy and contributions, Dr. Lyles was awarded the California State University, Fresno Foundation Service Award successful 1999 meritorious services oregon contributions made to California State University, Fresno, and the Fresno assemblage and, successful 2001, was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by the California State University trustees.
“Bill Lyles was a thoughtful and gracious philanthropist, visionary person and a antheral of large integrity —his interaction connected Fresno State and the broader Central Valley volition beryllium felt for generations,” said Vinci Ricchiuti, seat of the Fresno State Foundation Board of Governors. “Bill’s contributions to Fresno State and the values helium championed — excellence, collaboration and assemblage — volition proceed to animate and signifier our region, State, and Nation. We are profoundly grateful for his enduring bequest and his unwavering content successful the committedness and powerfulness of education.”
In 2003, Lyles partnered with Fresno State successful creating the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. A generous acquisition from the Lyles Family Foundation funded the imagination of a marque caller facility, which opened successful April 2006. The Lyles Center is simply a nationally-ranked entrepreneurship halfway with a palmy way grounds of inspiring students, faculty, alumni and assemblage leaders to enactment connected ideas that physique a prosperous future.
Another transformative publication was his enactment of the Lyles College of Engineering astatine Fresno State. In 2008, Fresno State took a large measurement guardant successful educating much students successful the Central Valley for careers successful engineering and operation absorption acknowledgment to a generous acquisition from the Lyles family.
In 2017, Dr. Lyles was awarded the Fresno State Alumni Association’s Arthur Safstrom Service Award which honors an alumna oregon alumnus, faculty, unit oregon person of Fresno State who has made important interaction connected the assemblage done dedication of time, endowment oregon treasure.
“Bill had an bonzer passionateness for pupil success. He often spoke astir the powerfulness of upward societal mobility and profoundly valued the opportunities disposable to students successful the Lyles College of Engineering,” said Dr. Ram Nunna, dean of the Lyles College. “In his meetings with students, helium would stock stories from his ain beingness journey, expressing genuine admiration for their resilience and achievements — often moved to tears by their determination and dreams. The faculty, unit and students of the Lyles College of Engineering are everlastingly grateful to Bill Lyles and the full Lyles household for the lasting and transformational interaction they person made connected our assemblage and community.”
A solemnisation of beingness volition beryllium held connected May 13, which volition beryllium announced soon. Jiménez-Sandoval has ordered that Fresno State flags beryllium posted astatine half-staff that aforesaid time successful grant of Dr. Lyles.
