Notable Nu’s · Business & Philanthropy
EP 721 · UCLA Class of 1969
Born
1946, Oregon
High School
Madera High School, Madera, CA
Pledged EP
1965
UCLA
Class of 1969
Larry Canarelli grew up in riverside tents with no running water, spent time in an orphanage, and went on to build 18,000 homes, have a middle school named after him, and be named one of the Ten Legends of National Housing. The lessons he carries strongest? The ones he learned at 601 Gayley.
During his early childhood in Oregon, Larry Canarelli and his family lived in riverside tents and small shacks, often with no running water or bathroom facilities. When Larry was five years old, his father abandoned the family. He was voluntarily placed into an orphanage, only to later be reunited with his mother and four sisters as the family relocated to Central California, where he would spend the rest of his childhood.
Enterprising even at a young age and bright in school, Larry earned admission to UCLA and pledged Sigma Nu in 1965. He served as House Manager, Rush Chairman, and Pledge Trainer — and helped lead the house to five consecutive All-University Intramural Championships from 1965 to 1969.
The day before the third quarter of their senior year, Larry met Heidi at a cocktail party at the Sigma Nu house. Both described it as love at first sight. They married ten months later, just before Larry received his Army draft notice. It was, by any measure, a Sigma Nu love story.
Following graduate school, Larry worked with President Nixon’s commission for the redevelopment of inner cities before joining Metropolitan Homes in Southern California, where he rose quickly to Executive Vice President. In 1981 he became President of the Las Vegas division, and in 1984 he launched his own company: American West Homes.
Driven by a genuine passion for helping families afford quality homes, American West Homes went on to build more than 18,000 single-family homes in Las Vegas. In 2014, Larry was named one of the “10 Legends of National Housing” by the National Association of Homebuilders.
“My life has revolved around home building. I wanted to do it when I was young, and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve never lost my enthusiasm for continuing to do what I love.”
— Larry Canarelli, on his donation to the 2018 UCLA Sigma Nu Capital Campaign
Larry and Heidi have been fixtures in the Las Vegas community for decades, supporting The Smith Center for Performing Arts, Opportunity Village, Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas, UNLV Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America, and numerous schools throughout the Las Vegas Valley — providing computer labs, band uniforms, athletic fields, and scholarships.
In recognition of their lifetime dedication to public education, the Clark County School District named the Lawrence and Heidi Canarelli Middle School in Coronado Ranch in their honor. Together they have raised four children and welcomed eleven grandchildren.
As a lead donor for the 2018 UCLA Sigma Nu Capital Campaign, Larry’s investment in the house renovation was born out of a conviction that has never dimmed: to recruit those who will walk in the way of honor, you need the best physical plant you can practically put together.
Notable Nu’s is a series celebrating distinguished members of the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Sigma Nu at UCLA.
Love · Honor · Truth