Irving F. "Bud" Lyons III, who played rugby for the Golden Bears from 1968-71, ending with the team's legendary tour Down Under in the summer of 1971 under coach Miles "Doc" Hudson, has accepted the chairmanship of the California Rugby Advisory Board.

I'm excited to take on this role as chairman of the California Rugby Advisory Board," said Lyons, who is also a trustee of The University of California at Berkeley Foundation. "It's an honor to be involved in shaping the immediate and long-term future of Cal rugby."

Lyons received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University followed by a Masters in Business Administration from Stanford.

His rugby career continued after Cal with a year on the XOs of San Francisco in 1971 and the following two years at Stanford as a graduate student. In 1974 through 1976 he played for the Old Blues.

Lyons is also a trustee on the board of Prologis, a leading global provider of distribution facilities, where he also served as chief investment officer, president and managing director.

Lyons joined ProLogis after King & Lyons, a San Francisco based industrial real estate development and management company in which he was a principal, was acquired by ProLogis in 1993. He had been the Managing General Partner in that firm since 1979.

Lyons, who also manages the private investment firm Lyons Asset Management, also serves as chairman of the board for BRE Properties, an apartment real estate investment trust, and serves on the board of Equinix, Inc., a provider of global data center services.

"We have been relying on Bud's advice for some time," said head coach Jack Clark. "But it is important to have him officially in this chairmanship as we launch our initiatives for what we are terming 'The Next Hundred Years of Cal Rugby.'"

Cal rugby is in its 130 year, over which time the Bears, a non-scholarship team, have earned international honors under the stewardship of six head coaches throughout its history. The Rugby Bears have produced many of the finest players the sport has to offer, including 121 All-Americans, 42 players who have made 547 combined appearances on the United States National Team, six Olympians and five players who have earned their Varsity Blues at Oxford.

Cal's 2012 rugby season kicks off in January.