The Richest People In America: Leonard Stern

#98 Leonard Stern

$3.7 billion
Source: real estate

Father, Max, arrived from germany in 1926 with 5,000 canaries; started pet supply business Hartz Mountain Pet Products. Leonard joined business at age 21; sold company for $350 million in 2000 to private equity firm J.W. Childs. Began buying land in New Jersey 1960s; today owns 38 million square feet of commercial, residential, retail properties from Newark to Jersey City. Son Emanuel oversees family's real estate empire, including hip Manhattan hotels Soho Grand and Tribeca Grand. Gave $30 million to alma mater NYU in 1988; business school now bears his name.

Complete List The Richest People In America

Related Posts by Category