Guilford Glazer
Encyclopedia
Guilford Glazer is an American
real estate developer and philanthropist
.
Glazer was born in and grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee
, one of the seven children of a welder
. He grew up in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood and attended Knoxville High School
, graduating in 1938. He enrolled at George Washington University
with the intention of becoming an engineer, but after the United States entered World War II
, he left college
to join the Navy
. In the Navy he engaged in ship construction.
After the war ended, he returned to East Tennessee
and took over the family-owned welding shop. Under his management, the business grew to become a major steel
fabrication business, the Glazer Steel Corporation. With production facilities in Knoxville and New Orleans, Glazer Steel fabricated bridges and other structures for Kaiser Aluminum
, the government of France
, and other customers around the world.
The first building that Glazer developed was Shelbourne Towers near the University of Tennessee
campus in Knoxville, described as Knoxville's "first high-rise apartment building". His entry into the real estate
development business occurred in 1951, when the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission selected a company headed by Glazer to build a shopping center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
. A shortage of steel resulting from the Korean War
delayed construction, but the center opened in 1955.
In 1960, Glazer moved to the Los Angeles
metropolitan area, where in the 1970s he developed the Del Amo Fashion Center
, which was at one time the world's largest shopping mall. His company was involved in shopping center development throughout the United States, allowing Glazer to amass a considerable fortune. His name appeared regularly on the Forbes
magazine "List of 400 Richest Americans
"; in 2005 his net worth
was estimated at $900 million.
Now retired from real estate, Glazer has sold off most of his real estate holdings. The Del Amo Fashion Center was sold to the Mills Corporation
in 2003.
Glazer lives in Beverly Hills, California
, with his second wife, Diane Pregerson Glazer. Formerly an attorney, Diane Glazer has hosted an interview program on a local television station in the Los Angeles area. Glazer is the father of two children. His first marriage ended in divorce.
In recent years, Glazer has focused on philanthropic causes, particularly in support of Israel
. The business school
of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
, established in 1995 and now named the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, was named for him in 2007 following a major donation. In 2008, Pepperdine University
opened the Diane and Guilford Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies, funded by donations from the Glazers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
real estate developer and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Glazer was born in and grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, one of the seven children of a welder
Welder
A welder is a tradesman who specializes in welding materials together. The materials to be joined can be metals or varieties of plastic or polymer...
. He grew up in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood and attended Knoxville High School
Knoxville High School (Tennessee)
Knoxville High School was a public high school in Knoxville, Tennessee, that operated from 1910 to 1951, enrolling grades 10 to 12. Its building is a contributing property in the Emory Place Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
, graduating in 1938. He enrolled at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
with the intention of becoming an engineer, but after the United States entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he left college
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
to join the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. In the Navy he engaged in ship construction.
After the war ended, he returned to East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
and took over the family-owned welding shop. Under his management, the business grew to become a major steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
fabrication business, the Glazer Steel Corporation. With production facilities in Knoxville and New Orleans, Glazer Steel fabricated bridges and other structures for Kaiser Aluminum
Kaiser Aluminum
Kaiser Aluminum is an American aluminum producer. The company was founded in 1946 by American industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. Kaiser entered the aluminum business by leasing, then purchasing three government-owned aluminum facilities in Washington state. These were the primary reduction plants at...
, the government of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and other customers around the world.
The first building that Glazer developed was Shelbourne Towers near the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
campus in Knoxville, described as Knoxville's "first high-rise apartment building". His entry into the real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
development business occurred in 1951, when the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission selected a company headed by Glazer to build a shopping center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
. A shortage of steel resulting from the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
delayed construction, but the center opened in 1955.
In 1960, Glazer moved to the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
metropolitan area, where in the 1970s he developed the Del Amo Fashion Center
Del Amo Fashion Center
Del Amo Fashion Center is a two-level regional shopping mall in Torrance, California, USA. It is currently managed and co-owned by Simon Property Group....
, which was at one time the world's largest shopping mall. His company was involved in shopping center development throughout the United States, allowing Glazer to amass a considerable fortune. His name appeared regularly on the Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine "List of 400 Richest Americans
Forbes 400
The Forbes 400 or 400 Richest Americans is a list published by Forbes Magazine magazine of the wealthiest 400 Americans, ranked by net worth. The list is published annually in September, and 2010 marks the 29th issue. The 400 was started by Malcom Forbes in 1982 and treats those in the list like...
"; in 2005 his net worth
Net worth
In business, net worth is the total assets minus total outside liabilities of an individual or a company. For a company, this is called shareholders' preference and may be referred to as book value. Net worth is stated as at a particular year in time...
was estimated at $900 million.
Now retired from real estate, Glazer has sold off most of his real estate holdings. The Del Amo Fashion Center was sold to the Mills Corporation
Mills Corporation
The Mills Corporation was a publicly traded real estate investment trust headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States, acquired on April 3, 2007 by an investment group composed of Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management. The company developed, owned, and operated major...
in 2003.
Glazer lives in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, with his second wife, Diane Pregerson Glazer. Formerly an attorney, Diane Glazer has hosted an interview program on a local television station in the Los Angeles area. Glazer is the father of two children. His first marriage ended in divorce.
In recent years, Glazer has focused on philanthropic causes, particularly in support of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The business school
Business school
A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in Business Administration. It teaches topics such as accounting, administration, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, marketing, organizational behavior, public relations, strategy, human resource...
of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is a university in Beersheba, Israel, established in 1969. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has a current enrollment of 17,400 students, and is one of Israel's fastest growing universities....
, established in 1995 and now named the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, was named for him in 2007 following a major donation. In 2008, Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
opened the Diane and Guilford Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies, funded by donations from the Glazers.
Sources
- James Bennett, A blueprint for Palestine 'the day after peace', International Herald TribuneInternational Herald TribuneThe International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
, May 21, 2005. - Rob Eshman, Is It Good for Them?, Jewish Journal, 2005-04-29.