Sam Zell Obituary, Death Cause – Sam Zell, our one-of-a-kind and extraordinarily unique friend of the past 33 years, passed away early on the morning of May 18 at the age of 81. His generosity and kindness left an impression on me, as it did on a great number of people working in this industry. At the time, I held the dual role of being his student and his professor. We have made a lot of good memories together over the course of these many years. He was extraordinarily gifted in the areas of both assisting other people and getting things done. Everyone who knew him came out ahead because of their association with him.
The quality of our friendship will always be held in the greatest regard by me. It is difficult to overstate his impact on business, particularly on the real estate industry. His contributions cannot be overstated. He was the definition of the phrase “entrepreneur” in every sense of the word. He was an early innovator in the movement to bring real estate investments to Wall Street, and he formed the very first real estate private equity business that had ever been established. As a direct consequence of his unwavering support for ethical standards in corporate governance and transparent interaction with shareholders, his influence is prevalent across the board in this industry.
He left a mark on the lives of a significant number of students located in a variety of countries all over the world. Another major institution in this regard is the Zell-Lurie Real Estate Centre, which may be found at Wharton. These students are going to ensure that his legacy lives on long after he is gone. In addition, the husky tone of his voice, the arid quality of his humour, and the acute insights he made will be seared into my brain for all time. Many people will think of him kindly in the years to come. I pray that God will grant you the serenity that your soul needs.
