Unique Business Men
Sharon Edel, Jill Brown, Kirsten Hazzard, Nicole Cajza, Jessica Rosenberg


Introduction:
One of the characteristics of the Motivation 3.0 workplace today is designating self exploration time for employees to pursue an individual passion related to their business organization. Google credits many of its most successful products (Google Maps, Google calendar, Google Earth) resulting from employee exploration time. Post It notes resulted similarly. We applied this self exploration concept to the course by researching “uncommon knowledge” of the lives of significant people in business. The three business people we will be focusing on are Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Ted Rosenberg.

Donald Trump
Background:
Donald Trump was born in 1946 in Queens, New York.  He was one of five children of Frederick C. and Mary Macleod Trump.  Like most children, Donal Trump was energetic at a young age,  but he was also assertive.  Donald attended the New York Military Academy when he was thirteen years old.  He graduated from Fordham University and later moved on to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania where he continued his pursuit of achieving a degree in economics.  Donald decided to follow in his father’s footsteps by getting involved in the real estate business.  During the summers, he worked at the Trump Organization while attending college.  After Donald’s move to Manhattan in 1971, he began acquainting himself with New York’s most influential people.  After Donald realized how profitable building and developing large scale properties in New York could be, he decided to get in on the action.  Later, Trump would be known for his lavish rental buildings in New York and his eye catching casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.  Throughout the years Donald has experienced several financial successes, but 1990 proved to be a tough year for the real estate business, and his net worth dropped from $1.7 billion to $500 million.  By 1997, Donald rebounded and his net worth was reported to be approximately $2 billion.

Business Life:
“Born into a business-minded New York family, Donald Trump had to learn a tough lesson in discipline before he could get his feet wet in the business world. Due to an overabundance of energy, his parents removed him from The Kew-Forest School at the age of 13 and placed him instead at the New York Military Academy” ("Donald Trump Sports Biography"). At this school Trump excelled both in his studies and at sports, he was the star athlete on the baseball, soccer and football team. When he graduated in 1964 he considered an education in film and entertainment. Instead he went with real estate and went to Fordham University and then the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to major in economics  and finance.

“During his time at Wharton, Donald Trump got a head start on the real estate business by working with his father at the Trump Organization, the family's real estate company. Besides overseeing projects in New York City neighborhoods like Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn, Trump was instrumental in revamping Swifton Village in Cincinnati. After filling the village with tenants and flipping the property, Trump and his father netted a cool profit of $6 million and the younger Trump decided to take his newfound confidence to Manhattan in 1971 -- this time to conquer real estate in the heart of the Big Apple” ("Donald Trump Sports Biography").

“In 1974 Trump obtained an option on one of the Penn Central's hotels, the Commodore, which was unprofitable but in an excellent location adjacent to Grand Central Station. The next year he signed a partnership agreement with the Hyatt Hotel Corporation, which did not have a large downtown hotel. Trump then worked out a complex deal with the city to win a 40-year tax abatement, arranged financing, and then completely renovated the building, constructing a striking new facade of reflective glass designed by architect Der Scutt. When the hotel, renamed the Grand Hyatt, opened in 1980, it was popular and an economic success, making Donald Trump the city's best known and most controversial developer” (“ Donald Trump Biography”).

In 1982 he opened up Harrah’s at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Later, in 1990 Trump opened up the largest hotel-casino in the world the Taj Mahal. Everything was going well for Trump until the real estate market declined that year. Trump’s net worth went from an estimated $1.7 billion to $500 million and Trump and his organization had to require massive loans to keep the company from collapsing. Trump climbed back and was reported to be worth close to $2 billion in 1997.

Family Life:
Donald Trump is known throughout the world as being one of the most powerful and successful business men of his time, which could have led to his rocky love life.  In 1977 Donald married a New York fashion model known as Ivana Zelnickova Winklmayr.  The couple had three children together and Ivana would become professionally involved in her husband’s business being named the vice president of design in the Trump Organization.  Unfortunately, Ivana and Donald did end up getting divorced and Donald’s public image suffered for a short while.  I remember gossip columnists having a field day with their break up.  Later, Donald would marry an actress named Marla Maples that he fathered a child with prior to their marriage taking place, but once again Donald found himself filing for divorce in 1997.  Marla walked away with $2 million as per their prenuptial agreement.

Unique Facts:
  • Former owner of the New Jersey Generals football club of the United States Football League (USFL) (1984-1985).
  • Was voted the class "Ladies Man" by classmates on New York Military Academy's class of 1964 at Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY.
  • Has a net worth of $2.5 billion, according to Forbes Magazine.
  • Unlike most business executives, he doesn't carry a briefcase and possesses a morbid fear of shaking hands.
  • In 1999, Donald Trump showed some interest in running for the position of the President of the United Stated of America on a ticket from the Reform Party for the elections in the year 2000. He didn’t.
  • Though he owns labels that market it, he doesn't drink alcohol.
  • Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007.
  • Donald Trump is considering running as a republican candidate for the next presidential election.
  • Donald Trump has a television show called “The Apprentice” where ordinary people and sometimes celebrities prove their business skills in order to win prizes like being hired to work on Trump’s staff.

Where they are today:
Despite recent world-wide economic struggle, according to Forbes magazine Donald Trump is worth approximately $2.5 billion.  He is still married to the model Melania Knauss and they are expecting their first child together.  “The Apprentice” is still a hit show on the NBC network, and although many believe Donald is using the next presidential election as a marketing scheme, Trump still contends that he is serious about running on the republican ticket in 2012.  

Bill Gates

Background:
William Henry Gates III is chairman of the Microsoft Corporation. It is the worldwide leader in software, services, and solutions that help individuals and businesses reach their full potential. Bill Gates was born on October 28, 1955 and grew up Seattle, Washington. He entered a family with a big history in business, politics, and community service. Gates’ father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney. His late mother, Mary Gates, was a school teacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International. Gates has two sisters; Kristi, his older sister, is his tax accountant and Libby, his younger sister, resides in Seattle raising her two children. Gates attended a public elementary school, however, his parents enrolled him into Lakeside private school after they saw all of his potential. Gates entered Harvard University in 1973, where he developed the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer. He left Harvard in his junior year to devote his time to a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. That company was Microsoft.

Business Life:
Microsoft was built on the belief that personal computing was going to be a valuable tool in every office and home. Their mission has been to advance and improve software technology, make it easier, more cost-effective, and more enjoyable for people to sue computers. Gates developed the Microsoft Disk Operating System. By the early 1990’s Microsoft had sold more than one hundred million copies. Gates received the Howard Vollum Award in 1984 from Reed College in Portland, Oregon for his achievements in science and technology. In 1998, Microsoft was hit with an antitrust lawsuit saying the company had an illegal stronghold on the software industry. After the ruling that Microsoft was a monopoly, Gates broke up Microsoft. Steve Ballmer became CEO as well as president. Gates is still chairman and gained the title of chief software architect. The final ruling will decide the future of the computer industry.

Gates wrote two books, “Business @ the Speed of Thought,” and “The Road Ahead,” all proceeds were donated to non-profit organizations that support the use of technology in education and skills development. Gates founded Corbis, which is developing one of the largest resources of visual information. Along side his wife, Gates founded The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that supports philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and learning. This foundation was developed in 2000 to help reduce in equities in the U.S. and around the world. Their hope for the21st century is for all people to have advances available to them.

Family Life:
Despite the business success, Bill Gates also has shown his importance to his family life.  Bill Gates was married to Melinda French in 1994, and they have three children together whose names are Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.  Their family home is located overlooking Lake Washington in Media secluded on a side of a hill with a worth of about 125 million.  Gates actually sold some of his Microsoft stock to create the Bill and Melinda Foundation in 1994 where him and his wife combined three different family foundations which is one of the largest charitable foundation.  He felt that he could put his wealth to good use, and based his foundation off the work of Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.

Unique Facts:
  • Gates began programming computers at the age of 13.
  • He was first introduced to computers at Lakeside private school.
  • He was born shortly after 9:00 p.m.
  • Gates met Paul Allen, his business partner, at Lakeside private school.
  • Many Microsoft programmers were fellow Gates’ fellow peers at Lakeside.
  • Gates and Allen founded a firm called “Traf-O-Data,” while still in high school.
  • While at Harvard University, Gates lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, now Microsoft’s chief executive officer.
  • In six years, he took a total of two weeks vacation.
  • In 1997, Bill Gates was worth approximately $37 billion, making him the richest man in America.
  • Gates was number one on the Forbes 400 list from 1993 through to 2007 and number one on Forbes list ofThe World’s Richest People from the years 1995 to 2007 and also 2009.
  • Gates has several investments outside Microsoft, for example, in 2006 paid him a salary of $616,667, and $350,000 bonus totalling $966,667.
  • Spoke at the National Conference of State Legislatures held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in 2009 about how the U.S. needs better ways to measure student and teacher performance to improve its schools.
Where they are today:
Approximately two years ago, Bill Gates decided to go down to part-time with Microsoft and put more of a focus towards the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.   Though not soon after that he stopped working for the company completely and had his positions of CEO and chief software architect filled.   More recently in January 2011, he has been working with the March of Dimes dealing with the disease polio.   Gates is very passionate about helping others and is determined to wipe out the disease.  He says, "Clearly, I'm betting money, reputation, energy, everything we have to help polio eradication this year" (USA Today).  Their foundation has annually contributed about $200 million dollars.

Ted Rosenberg

Background:
Ted Rosenberg is the owner of Foreclosure Cure LLC. His company works with multiple clients who are on the brink of loosing their houses. Ted Rosenberg and his co-workers work with several banks to figure out a plan for his clients to be able to stay in their houses. Ted Rosenberg was born on October 12, 1955 and was raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Ted Rosenberg’s late father was an attorney of his own law firm in Pittsburgh. Rosenberg had three brothers and one sister. Rosenberg attended Indiana University and graduated with a degree in Business. Rosenberg’s brother’s graduated from Michigan University with degrees in Medicine, Computers, and Law. His only sister graduated and is currently a professor at Wisconsin University and she is also an actuary. Once Rosenberg finished his degree at Indiana, he got his first job at Ge Capital working in the Mortgages department. From there Rosenberg’s career path expanded into the business world.

Business Life
When Rosenberg started at GE Capital, he was very low on the scale. He started just as an employee calling clients discussing their mortgages. Throughout his career at GE Capital he moved up and before leaving he became Vice President of the Mortgages department. As Vice President Rosenberg traveled very often to meet with potential clients for the company. When he left GE Capital, he moved to California where he worked for Access, which is another Mortgage Company. At Access he was in charge of the entire Mortgages department. Rosenberg’s career wasn’t long, due to Access going out of business. From there however, Rosenberg’s career really started to take off. He accepted a job in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as Vice President of Bank One. As Vice President he oversaw, the daily operations of the corporation. Rosenberg had many responsibilities, working with Mortgages at a very successful bank is not the easy. Ted Rosenberg had a dream to live in California, he wasn’t much of the cold weather type. Once he accepted the job in San Diego California at yet again another Mortgage company, Bear Sterns, he resigned from Bank One. Once Rosenberg was settled in Southern California, he begin the next step in his career. At Bear Sterns he was Vice President once again, but Bear Sterns was a lot smaller of a company than Bank One. At Bear Sterns he worked with Mortgages and also foreclosures . While he worked with foreclosures, he began to think about his dream of owning his own business. After several years, he finally decided that he was going to put his dream in motion. He continued to work at Bear Sterns while his business was created. In 2009, Rosenberg’s dream finally came true, Foreclosure Cure LLC, was born. Not only did Rosenberg help the families in California, he went nationwide. He traveled to Arizona, Texas and even Philadelphia to talk to banks to help his clients. Rosenberg’s background with banks, has helped him in his quest to make his business a success.

Family Life:
As a business man, Ted Rosenberg, was traveling quite often. Rosenberg married early in his career and had two daughter's. His position at GE Capital landed him in New Jersey where his daughters were raised. Even though he lived in New Jersey, it was more like he lived in hotels all over the country. Ted Rosenberg was not home very often. Being that he was not home very often, it put a strain on his marriage, leading to a divorce. After the divorce Rosenberg, moved several times to his various jobs. His daughters would see him if he came to New Jersey on the weekends, or two weeks in the summer, the day after Christmas through New years, and then for half of their spring break. Rosenberg, would talk to his children several times throughout the week to hear how they were doing. As his daughters grew, they wanted to visit him more. Currently, Rosenberg has a girlfriend, who has helped his business grow even more, using her Spanish Speaking skills to help the clients who do not speak English.

Unique Facts:
    • Ted Rosenberg is the middle child
    • He was the only child to attend Indiana University
    • His company has a website, created by Ted and his brother Larry.
    • Foreclosure Cure LLC, is located in Southern California, but has clients in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • Foreclosure Cure LLC, has a radio broadcast daily, in English and Spanish
    • While running Foreclosure Cure LLC, Rosenberg travels weekly to Dallas, Texas to work as Foreclosure Representative.
    • Ted Rosenberg has learned to speak Spanish
    • Volunteers at numerous events in Southern California, such as providing water to runners, giving and providing food at local charities, and coaching young children’s softball and hockey.

Where they are today:
Today, Ted Rosenberg lives in San Diego California still providing people with assistance trying to avoid foreclosures on their homes. Along with running his company, Ted Rosenberg travels to Dallas,Texas each and every week to work at a company providing his knowledge to help that company gain more clients and provide more assistance in foreclosures and mortgages.


Works Cited

"Donald Trump Biography." Biography, 2011. Web. April 27 2011. <http://wwwaskmen.com/celebs/men/business_politics/38_donald_trump.html>.


Sternberg, Steve. “Bill Gates sets Goal of Wiping Polio”. USA Today.  30 Jan 2011. http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/story/2011/01/Bill-Gates-sets-goal-of-wiping-out-polio/43099368/1


Gates, Bill. "Bill Gates: Chairman." Microsoft News Center. June 2008. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/>.


"Bill Gates Biography - Life, Family, Childhood, Children, Parents, Name, Story, History, Wife, School." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://www.notablebiographies.com/Fi-Gi/Gates-Bill.html>..biography.com/articles/Donald-Trump-9511238?part=0>.

"Donald Trump." Donald Trump-Biography. The Internet Movie Database, 2011. Web. 30 April 2011. <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0874339/bio>.

"Donald Trump." Donald Trump Sports Biography. Ask Men, 2007. Web. 28 April 2011. <http://www.

Mirick, John. "Bill Gates: Before Microsoft." CS Dept. NSF-Supported Education Infrastructure Project / Ei.cs.vt.edu. Web. 01 May 2011. <http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Gates.Mirick.html>.