Larry Lawrence

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Maurice Larry Lawrence (1926-1996) was a United States Ambassador to Switzerland.

In 1991, Forbes magazine named Lawrence among the 400 richest Americans and estimated his fortune at $315 million. Lawrence purchased luxury resort Hotel Del Coronado in 1963. The family sold the hotel shortly after his death in 1996 [1].

Lawrence was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1994 as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland [2]. His opponents had raised the issue of excessive contributions to Democratic Party campaigns; In 1994, the Federal Election Commission said Lawrence exceeded a $25,000 limit on the amount an individual can give to help finance an election campaign in one year; He was fined $7,179, the amount of his excess contributions. [3]

Lawrence was a licensed general contractor, real estate broker, insurance broker and agent, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer or partner of numerous companies. Among them were China Basin Properties, Ltd., Del Coronado Travel & Properties, and the Lawrence Investment Group, plus many others. [4]

Lawrence was a long time resident of Coronado, California, living at Crown Manor. He has been credited by former Democratic Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin as one of the key business leaders who became major advocates for building the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

Lawrence died at age 69 in Switzerland on January 10, 1996. He had suffered from leukemia and dyscrasia, a blood disorder that may have suppressed his immune system and made him susceptible to infections.[5] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery but later disinterred and brought to California after congressional investigators searched military records and found no evidence that Lawrence was ever in the Merchant Marine.[6]