Jeff Greene
Jeff Greene | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 10, 1954 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Real estate entrepreneur, politician |
| Known for | Real estate development, 2010 Florida Senate Democratic primary candidate, 2018 Florida gubernatorial candidate |
| Spouse | Mei Sze Chan (m. 2007) |
| Children | 3 |
Jeff Greene (born December 10, 1954) is an American real estate entrepreneur and a member of the United States Democratic Party. He participated in the 2010 Florida Senate Democratic primaries and ran in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election, where he placed fourth before endorsing the eventual nominee, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.
Early life
Greene was born in 1954 in Worcester, Massachusetts into a working-class Jewish household. He graduated from Doherty Memorial High School. After his father’s business failed, the family relocated to Florida in 1970. During his final school years, Greene lived with his great-aunt. His parents held modest jobs—his father serviced vending machines while his mother worked as a waitress.
To support himself through college, Greene earned a B.A. in economics and sociology from Johns Hopkins University within three years. He later completed an MBA at Harvard Business School in 1977.
Career
Over a four-decade span, Jeff Greene built a real estate portfolio exceeding 100 properties, including both buildings and custom residences. Financing his education involved scholarships, loans, part-time employment, and teaching Hebrew. While attending Harvard Business School in 1977, he acquired his first property—a triplex that he renovated and rented out by room. By the time he graduated, Greene owned eighteen properties.
In 1980, Greene relocated to Los Angeles and initiated his first new construction project in 1984: a 27,654-square-foot office building at 11022 Santa Monica Blvd in West Los Angeles. He also purchased and refurbished two neighboring buildings at 11040 and 11050 Santa Monica Blvd. Throughout the late 1980s, Greene developed condominium projects in Palms and West Los Angeles as well as a custom home in Brentwood.
More recently, Greene completed a six-story apartment complex with 118 units at 1825 North Las Palmas in Hollywood, situated near an earthquake fault line. In Manhattan, he developed 100 Vandam—a luxury tower rising 25 stories in West Soho—which preserved the original six-story historic building (New York City’s first power plant) while adding nineteen floors above it.
In mid-2006, anticipating a downturn in the real estate market, Greene partnered with investor John Paulson to implement a strategy involving credit default swaps. This unconventional approach safeguarded Greene’s business interests and earned him a spot on the Forbes 400 list.
After moving to Florida in 2007, Greene developed Cameron Estates—a rental complex comprising 548 units that he continues to own and manage. He also completed a 300,000-square-foot industrial facility in West Palm Beach. Presently, Greene’s focus is on One West Palm: an iconic project spanning 1.2 million square feet featuring two towers of 30 stories each—one residential and the other combining hotel and office spaces—making them the tallest structures in Palm Beach County.
While advancing development projects in Florida, Greene has simultaneously addressed pressing housing needs in Los Angeles.
Philanthropy
Jeff Greene and his wife Mei Sze Chan have pledged their commitment to philanthropy through the Giving Pledge, an initiative launched by Bill and Melinda Gates alongside Warren Buffett that encourages billionaires to dedicate the majority of their wealth to charitable endeavors. Their commitment demonstrates a focus on tackling social and global issues by supporting programs related to education, healthcare, poverty reduction, environmental protection, and other vital causes. By leveraging their resources, they aim to create substantial impact and motivate others to engage deeply in philanthropic efforts.
2010 US Senate campaign
On April 30, 2010, Greene declared his intention to run as a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate seat occupied by George LeMieux. He positioned himself as a non-establishment contender with practical business achievements rather than a traditional politician. Greene committed to rejecting special interest funding and capping individual contributions at $100, centering his campaign on economic restructuring and job growth initiatives.
He launched his bid with a one-minute video and earned an endorsement from the Tallahassee Democrat editorial board, which highlighted his vigor and resilience. Despite this backing, Greene was defeated in the Democratic primary by Representative Kendrick Meek, who later lost to Republican Marco Rubio in the general election.
Personal life
Greene married Mei Sze Chan, a Chinese Australian real estate professional, in 2007; she is two decades younger than him. Chan is originally a Chinese refugee from Malaysia who emigrated first to Australia and then moved to New York City after completing her college education. The couple has three sons and lives in Palm Beach, Florida. Greene has remarked that he wishes he had met Chan twenty years earlier.
External links
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- 1954 births
- American billionaires
- American businesspeople in real estate
- Florida Democrats
- 21st-century American philanthropists
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Jewish American people in Florida politics
- Johns Hopkins University alumni
- Living people
- People from Palm Beach, Florida
- Businesspeople from Worcester, Massachusetts
- Candidates in the 1982 United States elections
- Candidates in the 2010 United States elections
- Candidates in the 2018 United States elections
- 21st-century American Jews
- Doherty Memorial High School alumni