Sam Zell

Mr. Zell died Thursday May 18 2023 at home due to complications from a recent illness, said Equity Group Investments, where he was chairman. He was 81. He was born Shmuel Zielonka in Chicago on Sept. 28, 1941, about four months after his parents landed in the United States from Poland, having escaped Nazi persecution of the Jews. His parents, Bernard and Rochelle Zielonka, shortened the family name to Zell. Director since 1984, and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 1985 of the Company. Chairman of Equity Group Investments, L.L.C., a private investment company, since 1999 and its President since 2006. Mr. Zell has been Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Tribune Company, a diversified media company, since December 2007 and has been a Director since May 2007. Mr. Zell was a trustee and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Equity Office Properties Trust, an equity real estate investment trust primarily focused on office buildings, from October 1996 until its sale in February, 2007, its Chief Executive Officer from April 2002 to April 2003, and its President from April 2002 until November 2002. Mr. Zell has been Chairman of the Board of Covanta Holding Corporation (previously known as Danielson Holding Corporation), a waste-to-energy and specialty insurance services company, since September 2005, served as its President, Chairman and CEO July 2002 until December 2004, and was a Director from 1999 until 2004. For more than the past five years, Mr. Zell has been Chairman of the Board of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (previously known as Manufactured Home Communities, Inc.), an equity real estate investment trust primarily engaged in the ownership and operation of manufactured home resort communities; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Equity Residential, an equity real estate investment trust that owns and operates multi-family residential properties; and Chairman of the Board of Capital Trust, Inc., a specialized finance company. Mr. Zell is the father of Matthew Zell. Mr. Zell is survived by his third wife, Helen. She is executive director of the family foundation, which is active in arts and education. Survivors also include three children, two sisters and nine grandchildren.