Donald Trump
Donald 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 Commodore Hotel into the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Over the years,
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 gotten the highest sales prices and rentals in the U.S. As one of only three hotels in the United States 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.
In the gaming arena, The Trump Organization is one of the world’s largest operators of hotels and casinos. The Trump name stands proudly on three world-class 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. Additionally, Buffington Harbor, Indiana, is the home of The Trump Casino. Located just outside of Chicago, it is the first casino riverboat among Mr. Trump’s holdings.
And, 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. The last 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.
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 best-seller 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 appeared 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.
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.
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 and has made history in ratings and has received rave reviews. Few shows have garnered the worldwide attention of The Apprentice. Mr. Trump has signed to continue in this role for the 2005-2006 television season.
In late 2005, Mr. Trump announced plans for his first project in Dubai, UAE, to be called The Palm Trump International Hotel & Tower. The luxurious 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.