Portrait of Leonard Stern

Rank #431

Leonard Stern

Net worth $8.3B

Real estate · United States

Born
Mar 28, 1938
Age
88
Source
Real estate
Residence
New York, New York
Citizenship
United States
Marital status
Married
Children
3
Education
Master of Business Administration, Leonard N. Stern School of Business; Bachelor of Arts/Science, New York University

Net worth over time

Biography

  • Leonard Stern joined his father Max's pet supply business in 1959. Seven years later he expanded into real estate, acquiring a New Jersey warehouse.
  • His Hartz Mountain firm owns more than 260 real estate properties, mostly in the New Jersey area.
  • Most of Hartz's portfolio is in warehouses, including properties in New Jersey, Atlanta, Baltimore and Charlotte, N.C.
  • Stern sold the pet business for $350 million in 2000. He has also ventured into publishing, energy, capital management and carpet cleaning.
  • Many know his name thanks to his $30 million donation 30 years ago to New York University's business school, renamed in his honor.
  • Leonard's father Max Stern arrived in New York from Germany in 1926 with 5,000 canaries -- a friend's way to repay a loan.
  • In 2015, Stern's son Eddie was named Hartz's president and chief operating officer. He will eventually succeed his father as chairman and CEO.