George Pepperdine was born on June 20, 1886, on a farm in Mound Valley, Kansas, to a family of English heritage.
In 1909, at the age of 23, he started Western Auto Supply Company in Kansas City, Missouri, with an initial investment of five dollars.
With the increasing usage of the automobile, Pepperdine's business thrived, providing high-quality automotive products and services through many retail stores.
In February 1937, during the Great Depression, he founded Pepperdine University as a Christian liberal arts college in Los Angeles California.
Pepperdine voiced his twofold objective for the college that bore his name, "First, we want to provide first-class, fully accredited academic training in the liberal arts ... Secondly, we are especially dedicated to a greater goal—that of building in the student a Christ-like life, a love for the church, and a passion for the souls of mankind.