Age, Biography and Wiki

Sam Zell (Shmuel Zielonka) was born on 28 September, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., is an American businessman (1941–2023). Discover Sam Zell's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 81 years old?

Popular As Shmuel Zielonka
Occupation Businessman, philanthropist, lawyer
Age 81 years old
Zodiac Sign Libra
Born 28 September 1941
Birthday 28 September
Birthplace Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Date of death 18 May, 2023
Died Place N/A
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 28 September. He is a member of famous businessman with the age 81 years old group.

Sam Zell Height, Weight & Measurements

At 81 years old, Sam Zell height not available right now. We will update Sam Zell's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Sam Zell's Wife?

His wife is Helen Herzog Fadim Zell (3rd wife)

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Helen Herzog Fadim Zell (3rd wife)
Sibling Not Available
Children 3

Sam Zell Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Sam Zell worth at the age of 81 years old? Sam Zell’s income source is mostly from being a successful businessman. He is from United States. We have estimated Sam Zell's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income businessman

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Timeline

1941

Samuel Zell (born Shmuel Zielonka; September 28, 1941 – May 18, 2023) was an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist primarily engaged in real estate investment.

Companies founded by or controlled by Zell include Equity Residential, Equity International, EQ Office, Covanta, Tribune Media, and Anixter.

Zell was born on September 28, 1941, in Chicago.

His parents, Ruchla, later Rochelle, and Berek, later Bernard, Zielonka, were Jews who immigrated from Poland four months before his birth to escape the Invasion of Poland by the Nazis.

In Poland, his father was a grain trader.

They immigrated to the United States with their young daughter, Leah, via Russia and Tokyo, pretending to be tourists at the Bolshoi Ballet so as not to stand out.

They then moved from Seattle to Albany Park, Chicago, where his father became a wholesale jeweler who also made successful investments in real estate and the stock market.

In eighth grade, Zell took pictures at his prom and sold them.

He later bought Playboy magazines in downtown Chicago and resold them to his classmates in Hebrew school for a 200% markup.

When he was twelve, the family moved to Highland Park, Illinois, where he graduated from Highland Park High School.

1963

In 1963, Zell graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, where he was also a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

While in school, Zell managed a 15-unit apartment building in return for free room and board.

By the time of his graduation, he was managing several properties and was netting $150,000.

Joined by his fraternity brother Robert H. Lurie, he won a contract with a large apartment development owner in Ann Arbor.

1966

In 1966, he graduated with a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

By that time, he and Lurie were managing over 4,000 apartments and owned 100–200 units outright.

After school, he sold his interest in the management company to Lurie and moved to Chicago.

After graduation, Zell worked as a lawyer for one week before deciding that the legal profession was not for him.

With funding from one of the senior partners, Zell purchased a 99-unit apartment building in Toledo.

1967

In 1967, he purchased a profitable apartment complex in Reno, Nevada, later spending a lot of time in Reno, calling it a "hidden gem" from a real estate investment perspective.

1968

In 1968, Zell founded the predecessor of Equity Residential and was joined a year later by his former partner, Robert H. Lurie.

1969

In 1969, he was introduced to Jay Pritzker, who provided him with funding.

He acquired Arlington Towers, then the tallest building in Reno, for $9 million.

To convince the owners to sell, Zell's brother-in-law conceived offshore transactions, the legality of which was described as "murky", to shield the sellers from tax liability; Zell reached a deal with the Internal Revenue Service to avoid prosecution in exchange for his testimony while Zell's brother-in-law served 2 years of jail time.

1973

During the 1973–1975 recession, Zell was able to acquire many bankrupt properties for almost nothing as lenders did not want to foreclose and Zell provided financial plans that would enable the lenders to be repaid.

1976

In 1976, Zell founded the predecessor to EQ Office to invest in office buildings.

1984

In 1984, Zell founded Equity Lifestyle Properties.

It owns more than 400 trailer parks or mobile home parks.

1985

In 1985, Zell acquired Itel Corporation, a diversified transportation and logistics company, shortly after it emerged from bankruptcy.

1986

In 1986, he acquired Anixter, remaining in charge until it was sold in 2020.

1988

In 1988, he co-founded the first of four Zell/Merrill Lynch Real Estate Opportunity Partners Funds; these were consolidated into EQ Office in 1997.

1990

Lurie died of cancer in 1990 at age 48.

During the early 1990s recession, Zell had personally guaranteed $600 million in loans and was working 80 hour weeks to resolve them.

He then pursued taking in more investors to spread the risk.

1991

In 1991, in partnership with Chilmark Partners, Zell co-founded Zell/Chilmark, a $1 billion investment fund, to invest in distressed securities.

1993

In August 1993, after acquiring a large portfolio from Barry Sternlicht in exchange for a 20% stake in the company, the company became a public company via an initial public offering.

At that time, the company owned 22,000 apartments.

1995

That year, it acquired $550 million in junk bonds and vendor claims against Carter Hawley stores, the parent of Broadway Stores, eventually taking control; it was sold to Federated Stores (now Macy's, Inc.) in 1995.

2004

In 2004, he acquired Covanta via a 363 bankruptcy sale process.

2006

In 2006, The Blackstone Group acquired the company for $36 billion in the largest leveraged buyout in history at the time, then selling off the portfolio in pieces; both Zell and Blackstone had impeccable timing, selling just before the 2007–2008 financial crisis.