John Catsimatidis
Encyclopedia
John Catsimatidis b. 1948, is the owner, president, chairman, and CEO of the Red Apple Group and Gristedes
Foods. He is also the chairman and CEO of the Red Apple Group subsidiary United Refining Company
.
The Red Apple Group also has holdings in aviation
and real estate
interests in New York
, Florida
, and the U.S Virgin Islands. He owns and operates the Hellenic Times newspaper. John Catsimatidis has also received an Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
, Greece
. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School
in 1966.
While pursuing a BS in electrical engineering at New York University
(NYU), Catsimatidis worked for an uncle in a small supermarket on 137th Street. Catsimatidis ultimately dropped out of college, and in 1971, convinced he could make money in the grocery business, he opened his first store on Manhattan
's Upper West Side at 99th Street and Broadway under the name "Seven Eleven" (which was not part of the similarly named franchise). Soon afterwards he opened a Red Apple supermarket on 87th street just west of Broadway.
In 1986 the Gristedes supermarket chain was acquired by the Red Apple Group. Gristedes was founded in 1888 by brothers Diedrich and Charles Gristede. There are over 50 stores in the chain operating throughout New York City, Westchester and a single store in Locust Valley, Long Island.
United Refining Company of Warren, PA., founded in 1902, currently employs over 3470 people and is a subsidiary of Red Apple Group. The refinery processes 70,000 barrels of oil a day providing fuel to 372 Kwik Fill/Red Apple food marts and Country Fair gas stations, as well as associated motels and truck stops, in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
In October, 2009, Forbes Magazine reported that United Refining Energy Corp., a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)
sponsored by United Refining, was purchasing "privately held Chaparral Energy in a deal worth roughly $1.6 billion." However, United Refining Energy Corp. shareholders did not approve the deal and it was terminated in December 2009.
As of October, 2010, the Red Apple Group ranked 78th on Forbes list of largest private companies with revenue of $3.95 billion and 7,500 employees. (This compares to its 2008 and 2009 rank, both at #100).
LP, a bankrupt oil, gas, and asphalt trading, storage and transportation company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. Catsimatidis gained control over a majority of the company's management committee, but his efforts were met by opposition from the company's existing management, who argued for selling off at least some of the company's assets, while Catsimatidis stated his intention to keep the company together. On February 11, 2009 Catsimatidis was sued by a group of SemGroup executives, seeking removal of Catsimatidis and his allies from the committee. In July Catsimatidis reached a settlement with SemGroup, pursuant to which he acquired a piece of SemGroup's asphalt business and dropped his competing plan for the company's proposed reorganization.
They have two children, Andrea and John Jr., Andrea, a student at New York University
married Christopher Cox
, on June 4 2011, grandson of Richard Nixon
. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/09/chris-cox-nixons-grandson_n_532003.html(2011/06/16/New York Times)
roots, such as the Hellenic Times Scholarship Foundation and the Greek Orthodox church where he served as President of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
. However, he is a large donor to the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research.
Catsimatidis has served on the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic League of New York City
since the 1980s, and on the Board of Directors of the Drum Major Institute
since 2002 He was the Vice-chairman of the Ellis Island Awards Foundation, of the National Ethnic Coalition Organization (NECO), and is co-founder of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation. This foundation has a $10 million endowment and the first foundation in the country established on behalf of a public school.
Mr. Catsimatidis is also involved with Juvenile Diabetes', Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research foundations. He and his wife, Margo, raised over $1,000,000 for the Diabetes and Alzheimer's Foundations. This year, Catsimatidis added the Interfaith Theological Center of New York and Outward Bound to his circle of charitable interests.
and Republican Party
campaigns, and helped run a fund-raiser in 2006 with New York City Mayor Bloomberg
for Joseph Lieberman
. This was for Lieberman's run as an Independent
after losing the Connecticut
Democratic Party primary
for the U.S. Senate.
Similarly, as per the magazine's list of "Richest in the United States" (Sept, 2011), Mr. Catsimatidis ranked/tied at #212 with a net worth of $2 billion.
as a Republican. He planned to self-fund his campaign.
In media interviews during the fall of 2007 and again during an interview with Steve Forbes in March 2009 he repeatedly confirmed his mayoral candidacy.
However, once NYC's incumbent successfully changed the "term limits" law to let him run for a third term, Mr. Catsimatidis quietly withdrew.
Gristedes
Gristede's is a New York City-based chain of small supermarkets. It serves a mostly urban customer base.-History:The first Gristede's [grih-STEE-deez] was founded by brothers Diedrich and Charles Gristede in 1888...
Foods. He is also the chairman and CEO of the Red Apple Group subsidiary United Refining Company
United Refining Company
The United Refining Company is an oil company in Warren, Pennsylvania. The company operates an oil refinery in Warren that can process 70,000 barrels of oil into gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum distillates per day. It distributes gasoline under the Kwik Fill, Citgo, and Keystone...
.
The Red Apple Group also has holdings in aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
and 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...
interests in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and the U.S Virgin Islands. He owns and operates the Hellenic Times newspaper. John Catsimatidis has also received an Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Early life
Catsimatidis grew up in New York, NY after coming to the United States as an infant with his parents from the island of NisyrosNisyros
Nisyros is a volcanic Greek island and municipality located in the Aegean Sea. It is part of the Dodecanese group of islands, situated between the islands of Kos and Tilos. Its shape is approximately round, with a diameter of about , and an area of . Several other islets are found in the direct...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School
Brooklyn Technical High School
Brooklyn Technical High School, commonly called Brooklyn Tech or just Tech, and also administratively as High School 430, is a New York City public high school that specializes in engineering, math and science and is the largest specialized high school for science, technology, engineering, and...
in 1966.
While pursuing a BS in electrical engineering at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU), Catsimatidis worked for an uncle in a small supermarket on 137th Street. Catsimatidis ultimately dropped out of college, and in 1971, convinced he could make money in the grocery business, he opened his first store on Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Upper West Side at 99th Street and Broadway under the name "Seven Eleven" (which was not part of the similarly named franchise). Soon afterwards he opened a Red Apple supermarket on 87th street just west of Broadway.
Aviation
A certified jet pilot, Catsimatidis has been involved in the airline industry since the early 70's. His holdings in the aviation industry have included a fleet of leased commercial aircraft operated as C&S Acquisition and Capitol Air Express. His corporate jet company, United Air Fleet, operated as many as forty corporate aircraft.Red Apple Group
United Refining Company of Warren, PA., founded in 1902, currently employs over 3470 people and is a subsidiary of Red Apple Group. The refinery processes 70,000 barrels of oil a day providing fuel to 372 Kwik Fill/Red Apple food marts and Country Fair gas stations, as well as associated motels and truck stops, in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
In October, 2009, Forbes Magazine reported that United Refining Energy Corp., a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)
Special purpose acquisition company
A special-purpose acquisition company is a collective investment scheme that allows public stock market investors to invest in private equity type transactions, particularly leveraged buyouts...
sponsored by United Refining, was purchasing "privately held Chaparral Energy in a deal worth roughly $1.6 billion." However, United Refining Energy Corp. shareholders did not approve the deal and it was terminated in December 2009.
As of October, 2010, the Red Apple Group ranked 78th on Forbes list of largest private companies with revenue of $3.95 billion and 7,500 employees. (This compares to its 2008 and 2009 rank, both at #100).
SemGroup
In 2008 Catsimatidis became engaged in efforts to take over SemGroupSemGroup
SemGroup is a company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma that is involved in the transport of oil and natural gas from refineries to end users as well as the manufacture and sale of asphalt. As of 2007, it was the 18th largest private company in the US, but filed for bankruptcy in 2008...
LP, a bankrupt oil, gas, and asphalt trading, storage and transportation company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. Catsimatidis gained control over a majority of the company's management committee, but his efforts were met by opposition from the company's existing management, who argued for selling off at least some of the company's assets, while Catsimatidis stated his intention to keep the company together. On February 11, 2009 Catsimatidis was sued by a group of SemGroup executives, seeking removal of Catsimatidis and his allies from the committee. In July Catsimatidis reached a settlement with SemGroup, pursuant to which he acquired a piece of SemGroup's asphalt business and dropped his competing plan for the company's proposed reorganization.
Family
On October 2, 1988, John A. Catsimatidis married his former secretary, Margo Vondersaar. This was his second marriage. Mrs. Catsimatidis works in the advertising industry as President of MCV advertising and is also co-publisher of The Hellenic Times.They have two children, Andrea and John Jr., Andrea, a student at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
married Christopher Cox
Christopher Nixon Cox
Christopher Nixon Cox is a politician in New York and is the grandson of Richard Nixon.-Early life:Christopher Nixon Cox was born and raised in New York, and currently lives in Manhattan....
, on June 4 2011, grandson of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/09/chris-cox-nixons-grandson_n_532003.html(2011/06/16/New York Times)
Charitable involvement
Catsimatidis' charitable interests are largely centered in his GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
roots, such as the Hellenic Times Scholarship Foundation and the Greek Orthodox church where he served as President of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Demetrios of America.-About the Archdiocese:...
. However, he is a large donor to the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research.
Catsimatidis has served on the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic League of New York City
Police Athletic League of New York City
The Police Athletic League, Inc. is an independent, non-profit youth development agency in New York City. PAL is funded by a combination of private donations and public funding sources and is a designated charity of the New York Police Department. Robert M. Morgenthau, retired District Attorney...
since the 1980s, and on the Board of Directors of the Drum Major Institute
Drum Major Institute
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-profit American progressive public policy institute founded during the Civil Rights Movement...
since 2002 He was the Vice-chairman of the Ellis Island Awards Foundation, of the National Ethnic Coalition Organization (NECO), and is co-founder of the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation. This foundation has a $10 million endowment and the first foundation in the country established on behalf of a public school.
Mr. Catsimatidis is also involved with Juvenile Diabetes', Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research foundations. He and his wife, Margo, raised over $1,000,000 for the Diabetes and Alzheimer's Foundations. This year, Catsimatidis added the Interfaith Theological Center of New York and Outward Bound to his circle of charitable interests.
Political affiliations
He has made donations to Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
campaigns, and helped run a fund-raiser in 2006 with New York City Mayor Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
for Joseph Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
. This was for Lieberman's run as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
after losing the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Democratic Party primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for the U.S. Senate.
Personal Finances
As per the Forbes' Magazine's list "The World's Billionaires", published in March, 2011, Mr. Catsimatidis ranked #692 with a net worth of $1.8 Billion.Similarly, as per the magazine's list of "Richest in the United States" (Sept, 2011), Mr. Catsimatidis ranked/tied at #212 with a net worth of $2 billion.
Potential Mayoral Run 2009
Previously a Democrat (during the Bill Clinton administration), John Catsimatidis was reportedly going to make a bid in the New York City mayoral election in 2009New York City mayoral election, 2009
The 2009 election for Mayor of New York City took place on Tuesday, November 3. The incumbent Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, an independent who left the Republican Party in 2008, won reelection on the Republican and Independence Party/Jobs & Education lines with 50.7% of the vote over the retiring City...
as a Republican. He planned to self-fund his campaign.
In media interviews during the fall of 2007 and again during an interview with Steve Forbes in March 2009 he repeatedly confirmed his mayoral candidacy.
However, once NYC's incumbent successfully changed the "term limits" law to let him run for a third term, Mr. Catsimatidis quietly withdrew.