Over 140 years ago, Edward Payson Heald opened the first Heald College in San Francisco, California. Heald's mission was to prepare students for business careers by providing them with career education that focused on practical, hands-on learning. Heald has persevered since 1863 - weathering two major earthquakes and two World Wars - always remaining true to its original mission. As the needs of the workplace changed, the Heald College curriculum evolved from business courses to degrees in business, technology and healthcare, opening campuses across California, Hawaii, and Oregon.
As Heald College heads toward its 150th anniversary, we look back on a proud history as the first business college in the western United States. Alumni include accomplished individuals, such as A.P. Giannini, founder of Bank of America; "Trader Vic" Bergeron, famous restaurateur; M.H. de Young, museum founder; and Hiram Johnson, former California governor. They are among the hundreds of thousands of successful graduates who have assumed rewarding careers as a result of a Heald education.