About Sam Zell
In 1968, Sam Zell started Equity Group Investments, which today invests in industries like energy, logistics and healthcare.
The forefather of modern real estate investment trusts, Zell chairs five public companies, including one of the nation's largest residential REITs.
His $39 billion sale of office REIT Equity Office to Blackstone just before the market crashed in 2007 was among the largest real estate deals ever.
Around the same time, he led an $8.2 billion buyout of newspaper owner Tribune Company, which quickly went bankrupt.
As a college student Zell managed a 15-unit student apartment building in exchange for a free room. His enterprise was netting $150,000 by graduation.
Personal stats
Citizenship
United States of AmericaSource of wealth
Real estate, private equityBirth date
09/28/41Number of children
3Education
Bachelor of Arts/Science, University of Michigan; Doctor of Jurisprudence, University of MichiganSelf-made
self-madeSam Zell’s fortune is worth
87K
troy ounces of gold
81K
median U.S. household
52K
median U.S. income
0.105%
U.S. credit card volume
0.021%
GDP of the United States
0.015%
United States debt
Net worth history
Annual ranking
Did you know?
His nickname, The Grave Dancer, dates to 1975 when Zell wrote that his success came from reviving 'corpses' left behind by the last real estate crash.
Net worth over time
Real-time ranking
Financial assets
SAO PAULO | ALPK3-BR
Allpark Empreendimentos Participacoes e ServicosUS OTC | ELLH-US
Elah HoldingsNYSE | EQC-US
Equity CommonwealthNYSE | EQD-US
Equity Distribution Acquisition Corpundefined | undefined
Equity Distribution Acquisition Corp WarrantsNYSE | ELS-US
Equity Lifestyle Properties Inc.NYSE | ELS-US
Equity Lifestyle Properties Inc.NYSE | EQR-US
Equity Residential PropertiesNYSE | EXTN-US
ExterranNYSE | PARR-US
Par PetroleumUS OTC | RELYQ-US
Real Industry, Inc.NYSE | WCC-US
Wesco InternationalImages © Forbes.com. All rights reserved.