Anthony Lazzaro (January 31, 1921 – May 20, 2021) was an American academic administrator. He was vice president of the University of Southern California (USC) from 1988 until his retirement in 1991, having served the institution in a variety of administrative roles from 1948. He is credited with having expanded the campus infrastructure of USC from 11 permanent buildings to over 132 buildings, and for planning the construction of venues for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Early life and education Lazzaro was born in Utica, New York, on January 31, 1921. His parents immigrated to the United States from Italy. As a young man, he was employed by Western Union, but quit after declining to change his surname at the behest of his boss. Following the start of World War II and the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lazzaro was called to active U.S. Navy duty shortly after graduating from the New York Maritime College. He served in the Pacific theater aboard the attack transport USS DuPage (APA-41) and troop transport USS General John Pope (AP-110), eventually becoming chief engineer of his ship. While aboard the DuPage, he survived a kamikaze attack on January 10, 1945, that killed 35 men. He was subsequently discharged as a lieutenant and moved to Los Angeles, California, where he married Shirley Jones, his high school sweetheart. Using G.I. Bill funding, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, earning a degree in industrial engineering. Career University of Southern California Lazzaro began working for USC shortly after graduating in 1948. He had been recommended by the dean of engineering and hired by vice president Robert D. Fisher. After serving initially as assistant business manager and superintendent of buildings and grounds, Lazzaro was appointed associate business manager and director of campus development in 1960, associate vice president for business affairs in 1971, vice president in 1972, senior vice president for business affairs in January 1986, and finally university vice president and special adviser to the president in 1988. During his career, he helped guide the university during a period of rapid development that paralleled the increasing size and prominence of the surrounding City of Los Angeles. He retired in 1991, but continued to serve as an official adviser and consultant to the university's senior leadership until the 2010s. He was recognized by USC with the official title of senior vice president emeritus. At various times