Jerry Speyer
Jerry I. Speyer | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 23, 1940 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation | Real estate entrepreneur |
| Known for | Co-founder of Tishman Speyer |
Jerry I. Speyer (born June 23, 1940) is a prominent American real estate entrepreneur and co-founder of Tishman Speyer, a New York-based company known for managing high-profile properties such as Rockefeller Center. In 2021, he was listed among the Forbes 400 wealthiest individuals.
Early life and education
Jerry Speyer was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to parents Germaine M. and Ernst A. Speyer. Raised in a German-Jewish family on Riverside Drive in New York, his father, a shoe manufacturer, fled Nazi Germany in 1939, initially establishing his business in Milwaukee before moving to New York. Speyer completed his secondary education at the Horace Mann School. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in German literature from Columbia College in 1962 and went on to receive an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1964. During his university years, he became a member of the Jewish fraternity Zeta Beta Tau and developed friendships with notable individuals including Art Garfunkel and Michael Mukasey.
Career
Speyer's professional journey began in 1964 when he took on the role of Assistant to the Vice President at Madison Square Garden. Since co-founding Tishman Speyer with his father-in-law Robert Tishman in 1978, he has held the position of President and CEO.
His leadership experience extends to serving as chairman of both the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Museum of Modern Art, as well as vice chair on the Board of Trustees at the Rand Corporation. Additionally, Speyer is chair emeritus of Columbia University and the Real Estate Board of New York, and has previously been president of the Board of Trustees at the Dalton School.
On various boards, he collaborates with figures such as Sanford Weill, former chairman of Citigroup, including service on the board of Carnegie Hall. Other board memberships have included roles with Siemens AG, the Real Estate Roundtable, as well as past involvement with Yankee Global Enterprises and the Urban Land Institute. He is affiliated with the Economic Club of New York and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Speyer also holds the title of chair emeritus for the Partnership for New York City, an organization founded by David Rockefeller. Since 2000, he has been a member of the Board of Trustees at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, ascending to its presidency in 2019—a tenure that included leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal life
In 1964, Speyer married Lynn Tishman, a descendant of Julius Tishman, founder of Tishman Realty and Construction, from which Tishman Speyer originated. The couple divorced in 1987. Together they had three children:
- Valerie Hope Speyer Peltier (b. 1967), who works within Tishman Speyer’s Acquisitions and Development division; she married Jeffrey Richard Peltier in 1993.
- Rob Speyer (b. 1969), who transitioned from journalism at The New York Daily News to become CEO and president of Tishman Speyer; he married Anne-Cecilie Engell in 2008.
- Holly Ann Speyer Lipton (b. 1973), a television producer who wed Jonathan Lipton in 1999.
Speyer remarried in 1991 to Katherine G. Farley, whom he had recruited in 1984 to lead international development efforts. They have one daughter, Laura (born 1992). Farley earned degrees from Brown University and Harvard Graduate School of Design. She serves as senior managing director at Tishman Speyer, overseeing real estate operations across Latin America and emerging markets. Additionally, she chairs the Compensation Committee and participates on Management, Investment, and Executive Committees. Beyond her corporate role, Farley leads Lincoln Center’s redevelopment project and is active in organizations including the International Rescue Committee, Women in Need, the Brearley School, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation. She has also contributed to boards such as Lincoln Center Theater and the New York Philharmonic.
Recognition
- Awarded the Golden Plate by the American Academy of Achievement in 1997
- Inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2014
- Honored in Crain's New York Hall of Fame in 2020
External links
- Official biography on Tishman Speyer's website
- Megadeal: Inside a Real Estate Coup, New York Times, December 31, 2006 – A detailed profile of Tishman Speyer and the acquisition of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan by Jerry and Rob Speyer.
- New York's Cultural Power Brokers – New York Times feature highlighting Jerry Speyer of Tishman Speyer Properties and his affiliations with Sanford Weill of Citigroup and David Rockefeller via the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center.