Moishe Mana
Moishe Mana | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956 Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, real estate developer |
| Known for | Founder of Moishe's Moving Systems, GRM Document Management, Milk Studios, Mana Contemporary |
Moishe Mana (; born in 1956) is an American billionaire and a prominent figure in the real estate development sector. Originally from Israel, Mana immigrated to the United States in 1983 and established Moishe's Moving Systems. His business ventures later grew to encompass companies such as GRM Document Management, which ranks as the third largest document storage provider in the US; Milk Studios, a diversified media and entertainment conglomerate; and Mana Contemporary, a multidisciplinary art center.
Early life
Raised in the Hatikva neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Moishe was the second child among five siblings in a family with modest means. His parents, immigrants from Iraq, were engaged in several enterprises including real estate. Following his service as an intelligence officer in the IDF, he briefly pursued legal studies at Tel Aviv University before deciding to focus on business opportunities.
New York
Arriving in New York City in 1983 with minimal financial resources, Moishe began working as a dishwasher in Greenwich Village. He later transitioned into construction, where an employer compensated him by allowing use of a company van during off-hours instead of paying wages. Accumulating enough savings to purchase his own vehicle, he initiated a moving enterprise by employing fellow Israeli immigrants and offering prices below competitors. Within six years, his firm became one of the leading residential moving companies in the city, eventually evolving into Moishe's Moving Logistics.
Moishe's Moving Logistics
By the late 1980s, Moishe's Moving Logistics had grown to become the largest moving company serving the tri-state area. Diversifying into warehousing and storage, Mana acquired over 1.5 million square feet of commercial property by 1998. Presently, he controls a portfolio of fifteen enterprises, including Moishe's Guarantee Asset Management, Mana Fine Arts, Moishe's Guarantee Wine Storage, GRM Information Management, Moishe's Self Storage, and MANA Common facilities located in New Jersey, Chicago, Wynwood, and Downtown Miami.
GRM Information Management
Founded by Mana in 1986, GRM Information Management stands as the third largest document and digital storage company across the United States, with operations extending to China and Latin America. It was a pioneer in implementing barcode technology within its warehouse systems. In 2011, Avner Schneur—formerly CEO of Emptoris—was appointed as GRM’s chief executive officer.
MILK Studios
In 1995, Mana focused on revitalizing New York City’s Meatpacking District, which was then largely undeveloped. Encouraged by fashion entrepreneur Mazdack Rassi to transform a mini storage unit into event and office space, he established MILK Studios.
MILK has since expanded to Los Angeles and now encompasses MILK Agency (specializing in brand development), Velem (post production services), Milk Makeup, and House Casting. The original New York location also houses MILK Gallery, an art exhibition venue.
MANA Contemporary
By the end of the 2000s, Mana redirected his attention toward collecting contemporary art and reevaluated conventional methods of art storage. In 2009, together with business associate Eugene Lemay, he purchased more than two million square feet of warehouse space in Jersey City with the intention of revolutionizing the art storage industry.
These facilities were converted into MANA Contemporary, an all-encompassing arts hub that provides artist studios, residential units, creative workspaces, exhibition areas, and storage solutions. This center caters to a diverse group including artists, collectors, curators, performers, students, and local residents.
MANA Contemporary Chicago
In Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, Mana established an artistic community. MANA Contemporary Chicago includes numerous artist studios, galleries, educational rooms, a central café, and a library. The cultural center occupies a 450,000-square-foot building and has additional land earmarked for residential and commercial projects.
MANA Wynwood
Starting in 2009, Moishe Mana initiated efforts to transform Miami from primarily a tourist locale into a multifaceted center for art, fashion, technology, and international commerce linking South America, the Far East, and North America. He acquired large warehouse spaces and vacant parcels in Wynwood—including a former free trade zone—to develop MANA Wynwood.
This venue supports expansive productions such as movies, television series, events, trade shows, conventions, concerts, art exhibitions, and fashion presentations. It also serves as a venue for the well-known Wynwood Art Walk. Mana’s investments played a key role in igniting an artistic revival in Wynwood, evolving it into a dynamic neighborhood celebrated for its street murals and boutique enterprises.
Mana obtained municipal approval to construct a 10 million-square-foot China-Latin America Trade Hub intended to enhance international commerce and support creative sectors like fashion, technology, and entertainment. The project will feature over three million square feet of showroom space along with future headquarters for global corporations. It is also designed to accommodate banking, agriculture, manufacturing industries, and other sectors enabled by digital platforms. Mana envisions positioning Miami as a "mini Hong Kong," capitalizing on its strategic location and global appeal.
This development is projected to create around 14,850 construction jobs and generate over 19,400 permanent direct and indirect employment opportunities once completed.
MANA Common Project - Flagler District
Moishe Mana is advancing the MANA Common Project within Miami’s recently designated Flagler District in Downtown Miami. This venture encompasses more than 45 properties spanning four streets that have been acquired since 2013, covering upwards of 4.5 acres.
Utilizing Miami’s zoning regulations—which allow owners controlling nine contiguous acres to request special zoning districts—Mana intends to refurbish existing buildings and establish a mixed-use neighborhood featuring over 5,000 micro-units alongside shared workspaces. This approach reflects his emphasis on investing in talent and innovation rather than conventional landlord activities while fostering startup growth across various sectors.
The development aims to alleviate Miami’s acute mid-market housing shortage by providing affordable housing options targeted at middle-income residents within a walkable environment. It promotes an integrated live-work-play model designed to enhance community interaction and stimulate economic growth in the Flagler District.
MANA Contemporary Miami
Situated within the historic 777 International Mall in Downtown Miami, MANA Contemporary Miami is a growing arts hub that combines artist workspaces, exhibition areas, and curated programming to encourage collaboration among creatives. Established in 2017, the center prioritizes partnerships with Miami-based artists and cultural organizations to generate fresh opportunities and maintain active involvement in the local arts ecosystem. Recently, it has provided temporary studios and pop-up venues for regional artists.
Political activism and philanthropy
Mana has been a vocal opponent of Donald Trump. During Trump's presidential bid, Mana pledged up to two million dollars to a charity chosen by Trump if he disclosed his tax returns. In the lead-up to the 2016 election, a provocative nude statue of Trump was displayed atop one of Mana's Wynwood offices; it was stolen but later returned with damage. Additionally, Mana commissioned a notable mural portraying Trump as The Joker, which was subsequently modified after the election to remove Trump's likeness.
In terms of charitable contributions, Mana gifted $10 million to Florida International University's CARTA (College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts) program. This donation included $2.5 million in cash alongside an in-kind contribution of 15,000 square feet of studio and classroom facilities at MANA Wynwood, aiding FIU's growth within the arts domain.