Donald J. Trump

A schoolboy’s dream…a competitor’s challenge. Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story, continually setting the standards of excellence while expanding his interests in real estate, gaming, sports, and entertainment. He is the archetypal businessman – a deal maker without peer and an ardent philanthropist.

Mr. Trump started his business career in an office he shared with his father in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. He worked with his father for five years, where they were busy making deals together. Mr. Trump has been quoted as saying, “My father was my mentor, and I learned a tremendous amount about every aspect of the construction industry from him.” Likewise, Fred C. Trump often stated that “some of my best deals were made by my son, Donald...everything he touches seems to turn to gold.” Mr. Trump then entered the very different world of Manhattan real estate.

In New York City, the Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious of addresses. Among them are the world-renowned Fifth Avenue skyscraper, Trump Tower, and the luxury residential buildings, Trump Parc, Trump Palace, Trump Plaza, 610 Park Avenue, The Trump World Tower (the tallest building on the East Side of Manhattan), and Trump Park Avenue. Mr. Trump was also responsible for the designation and construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center on land controlled by him, known as the West 34th Street Railroad Yards, and the total exterior restoration of the Grand Central Terminal as part of his conversion of the neighboring Commodore Hotel into the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Over the years, Mr. Trump has owned and sold many great buildings in New York including the Plaza Hotel (which he renovated and brought back to its original grandeur), the St. Moritz Hotel (three times…and now called the Ritz Carlton on Central Park South) and recently, the land under the Empire State Building (which allowed the land and lease to be merged together for the first time in over 50 years). Additionally, the NikeTown store is owned by Mr. Trump, on East 57th Street and adjacent to Tiffany’s.

In 1997, the Trump International Hotel & Tower opened its doors to the world. This 52 story mixed–use super luxury hotel and residential building is located on the crossroads of Manhattan’s West Side, on Central Park West at Columbus Circle. It was designed by the world-famous architect, Philip Johnson, and has achieved the highest sales prices and rentals in the United States. As one of only three hotels in the nation to have received a double Mobil Five-Star rating for both the hotel and its restaurant, Jean-Georges, it has also received the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, and was voted the number one business hotel in New York City by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine has named it the number one hotel in the US, and its innovative concept has been copied worldwide.

Mr. Trump is also the developer of the largest parcel of land in New York City, the former West Side Rail Yards. On this 100 acre property, fronting along the Hudson River from 59th Street to 72nd Street, the largest development ever approved by the New York City Planning Commission is being built. When completed, this $5 billion project will have 5,700 residential units and more than 5 million square feet of commercial space. There will be a total of 18 buildings on the site, and Mr. Trump has donated a 25 acre park to the city of New York.

Other acquisitions in New York City include The Trump Building at 40 Wall Street, the landmark 1.3 million square foot, 72-story building located in Manhattan’s Financial District, directly across from the New York Stock Exchange and the tallest building in downtown Manhattan. This purchase, which took place at the depths of the New York City real estate market, is said to be one of the best real estate deals made in the last twenty-five years. The building was totally vacant when purchased and is now 100% leased to tenants such as American Express, Bear Stearns and CNA Insurance. In addition, Mr. Trump built 610 Park Avenue (at 64th Street), formerly known as the Mayfair Regent Hotel, which was very successfully converted into super-luxury condominium apartments achieving, at that time, the highest prices on Park Avenue. Further east, adjacent to the United Nations, sits the spectacular Trump World Tower, a 90-story luxury residential building … the tallest residential tower in the world. The Trump World Tower has received rave reviews from the architectural critics with Herbert Muschamp of the New York Times, calling it “a handsome hunk of a glass tower.” Likewise, Trump World Tower is considered one of the most successful condominium towers ever built in the United States.

In 2001, Mr. Trump announced plans for his first foray into Chicago, where he planned to build the Trump International Hotel & Tower/Chicago. The 2.7 million square foot, 92-story mixed-use tower is located on the banks of the Chicago River, directly west of Michigan Avenue (the most prominent site in Chicago), and will be one of the tallest in the city. The architect is Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Chicago, and the tower will also include four levels of retail shops. The hotel is slated to open in December 2007, with the entire building being finished by spring of 2009.

In 2002, Mr. Trump purchased the fabled Delmonico Hotel, located at 59th Street and Park Avenue. It has been developed into a state-of-the-art luxury 35 story condominium named Trump Park Avenue. It was Mr. Trump’s desire to make this one of the most luxurious buildings ever built in New York City, which has been achieved. The square foot prices of these apartments are setting new records.

Another of Mr. Trump’s new ventures in 2002 included the $600 million Trump Grande Ocean Resort and Residences in Miami Beach, Florida, in partnership with a large local development company, and a super-luxury 60 story hotel condominium tower on the Las Vegas strip to be called Trump International Hotel & Tower, Las Vegas. The first tower sold out so quickly that a second tower is currently in development. Mr. Trump is also developing the super-luxurious Trump International Hotel & Tower Fort Lauderdale, located directly on the Atlantic Ocean and designed by the famed architect, Michael Graves.

In the gaming arena, The Trump Organization is one of the world’s largest operators of hotels and casinos. The Tump name stands proudly on three worldclass casino hotels in Atlantic City, New Jersey. They are also the only five star, five diamond rated hotels in Atlantic City: The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino on the Boardwalk, the Trump Marina Casino Resort in the Marina District and The Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, home of one of the world’s largest casinos and one of the most luxurious casino-hotels ever built.

Mr. Trump’s portfolio of holdings also includes Trump National Golf Club in Westchester, NY, a signature Fazio golf course and residential development, and a 250 acre estate known as the Mansion at Seven Springs, the former home of Katharine Graham (of The Washington Post and Rockefeller University), which will be developed into a world class luxury housing development with homes that will sell for upwards of $20 million dollars each. Mr. Trump also purchased one of the largest parcels of land in California which fronts, for two and a half miles, along the Pacific Ocean. A Donald J. Trump championship golf course, called Trump National Golf Club/Los Angeles, has been built on this site, and it has been voted the number one golf course in California. Seventy-five luxury estates will follow. In addition, the Tom Fazio designed Trump National Golf Club has been built in Lamington Farms in Bedminster, New Jersey, on the 525 acre Cowperthwaite, Estate considered to be the best in the state. In 2006, Mr. Trump announced he will be developing Trump International Golf Links, a golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland, with over three miles of spectacular oceanfront.

In Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. Trump has converted the famous and historic estate owned by Marjorie Merriweather Post and E.F. Hutton, Mar-a-Lago, into the private, ultra-luxury Mar-a-Lago Club. It has received the award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences as the “Best Club Anywhere in the World.” Also in Palm Beach and located 7 minutes from Mar-a-Lago is the Trump International Golf Club. Designed by the famed golf course architect Jim Fazio, this $40 million golf course has magnificent tropical landscaping, water features and streams and elevations of 100 feet (unprecedented in all of Florida). Opened in October 1999, this course has been acclaimed as one of the best in the United States. In 2002, Mr. Trump purchased an additional 60 acres adjacent to Trump International and is in the process of creating a nine hole addition to the course, also designed by Jim Fazio.

In 2005, Mr. Trump put the magnificent estate at 515 South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach on the market, for a record $125 million.

In a departure from his real estate acquisitions, Mr. Trump and the NBC Television Network are partners in the ownership and broadcast rights for the three largest beauty competitions in the world: the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA Pageants. A recent Miss Universe pageant substantially beat the NBA Playoff Game it opposed in ratings, and a new five-year television contract was just signed with NBC. Trump Model Management, which was founded in 1999, has become one of the leading modeling agencies in New York City.

Mr. Trump rebuilt the Wollman Skating Rink (currently managed by The Trump Organization) in Central Park. This project was particularly special to Mr. Trump. The city had been trying for seven years to rebuild and restore the Rink, whereupon Mr. Trump interceded and did so in three months and at only 10% of the City’s $20,000,000 cost. In addition, Mr. Trump is given credit, as stated by everyone in the know and as Mark J. Penn’s book Microtrends reports, for having made a major and very favorable impact on the economy of the city by creating the condominium boom, versus the co-ops that were more prevalent in the past.

An accomplished author, Mr. Trump’s first autobiography, The Art of the Deal, became one of the most successful business best-sellers of all time, having sold in excess of three million copies, and being a New York Times number one best-seller for many weeks. The sequel, Surviving at the Top, was on The New York Times bestseller list and was also a number one best-seller as was his third book, The Art of the Comeback. Mr. Trump’s fourth book, The America We Deserve, is a departure from his past literary efforts. This book deals with issues most important to the American people today and focuses on the views regarding American political, economic and social problems. His fifth book, How To Get Rich: Big Deals from the Star of The Apprentice, became an immediate bestseller on all lists, as did Trump: The Way to the Top and Trump: Think Like a Billionaire which was released in October of 2004. His most recent book, Trump: The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received was published in April 2005, to be followed by Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received in 2006. He has also teamed up with Robert Kiyosaki to make publishing history with their book, Why We Want You To Be Rich: Two Men, One Message, which in October of 2006 made the #1 spot on the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestseller lists. Trump 101: The Way To Success debuted in late 2006 along with Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received. In October of 2007 Mr. Trump’s book with Bill Zanker Think Big & Kick Ass in Business and Life was launched and met with great success.

A native of New York City, Mr. Trump is a graduate of The Wharton School of Finance. Involved in numerous civic and charitable organizations, he is a member of the Board of Directors for the Police Athletic League and United Cerebral Palsy. Mr. Trump also serves as a Chairman of the Donald J. Trump Foundation as well as Co-Chairman and builder of the New York Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Fund. In 1995, he served as the Grand Marshal of the largest parade ever held in New York, The Nation’s Parade, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Mr. Trump is a founding member of both the Committee to Complete Construction of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and The Wharton School Real Estate Center. Mr. Trump was also a committee member of the Celebration of Nations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations and UNICEF. More recently, Mr. Trump was designated “The Developer of the Year” by the Construction Management Association of America and Master Builder by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreational & Historic Preservation. In June 2000, he received his greatest honor of all, the Hotel and Real Estate Visionary of the Century, given by the UJA Federation, and in 2003 was named to the Benefactors Board of Directors by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

By January of 2004, Mr. Trump had joined forces with Mark Burnett Productions and NBC to produce and star in the television reality show, The Apprentice. This quickly became the number one show on television, making ratings history and receiving rave reviews. Few shows have garnered the worldwide attention that The Apprentice has achieved, and it received three Emmy nominations for excellence. Mr. Trump has signed to continue in this role for the 2007-2008 television season. Moreover, Mr. Trump is producing additional network and cable television programming via his Los Angeles based production company, Trump Productions LLC. Pageant Place, produced by Trump Productions, began its first season in the fall of 2007. His radio program with Clear Channel Radio, parent company of Premiere Radio Networks, beginning in the summer of 2004, broke all syndication records. Trump Magazine, Mr. Trump’s new luxury magazine, was successfully launched in the fall of 2004, followed by the launch and great success of the Donald J. Trump Signature Collection, which includes business suits and suit separates, dress shirts, neckwear, cufflinks, watches, eyewear, small leather goods, belts, and luggage. The neckwear collection became the number one selling brand at Macy’s Herald Square, New York, highlighting the demand by consumers to emulate Mr. Trump’s sense of fashion.

In May of 2005, Trump University Online was introduced and in June 2007, Trump Financial LLC made its debut. In the fall of 2006, Trump Vodka was successfully launched, and in the spring of 2007, Trump Home was introduced, which includes a comprehensive collection of furniture, floor fashion, lighting and fine art.

In late 2005, Mr. Trump announced plans for his first project in Dubai, UAE, to be called The Palm Trump International Hotel & Tower. This luxurious 50 story hotel will be located at the gateway to the Palm Jumeirah Island, and is being developed in conjunction with Nakheel, one of the largest developers in Dubai. Current and future developments include towers in Honolulu, New Orleans, Philadelphia, SoHo/New York, Hollywood/Florida, Stamford/CT, Jersey City/NJ, Westchester/NY, the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower in Panama, Trump Island Villas and golf course on Canouan Island in the Grenadines, as well as developments in Seoul/Korea, Sao Paulo/Brazil, Istanbul/ Turkey, Punta Bandera/Mexico, Cap Cana/Dominican Republic, Tel Aviv/Israel, and Toronto/Canada, round out his portfolio of international holdings. In total, the Trump Organization has 33 real estate projects in development around the globe.

In the August 21-28 2006 issue of BusinessWeek magazine, Mr. Trump was voted, by their readers, as “the world’s most competitive businessperson” and voted by the staff and writers of BusinessWeek as one of the Top 10 most competitive businesspeople on the planet. The ongoing business success of the Trump Organization was recognized by the Crain’s New York Business List 2006, with a ranking of Number 1 for the largest privately held company in the New York area. Also renowned for his celebrity status, Forbes ranked Mr. Trump number 12 in the world on their top 100 celebrity list in 2006.

Mr. Trump is the highest paid speaker in the world, and he draws the largest crowds in the Learning Annex’ history, often in excess of 50,000 people.

In January of 2007, Mr. Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.