Stephen M. Ross

Stephen M. Ross (born 1940 in Hamtramck, Michigan) is an American real estate developer. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of The Related Companies, L.P., a New York City-based real estate development company. It is jointly owned by his business partner, Jorge M. Perez. He owns 95% of the Miami Dolphins NFL football franchise and 95% of Sun Life Stadium. The University of Michigan renamed its business school Ross School of Business in his honor after receiving a $100 million endowment.

Early life
Ross graduated from Miami Beach Senior High and attended the University of Florida. Later he earned his degree in accounting in 1962 from the University of Michigan Business School, a Juris Doctor from the Wayne State School of Law in 1965. He earned an LL.M. degree in Taxation from the New York University School of Law (1966).

He began his career as a tax attorney at Coopers & Lybrand in Detroit, where he was born and raised as a child, and went on to become assistant vice president in the real estate subsidiary of Laird Inc. and in the corporate finance department of Bear Stearns, both in New York City.

The Related Companies
The Related Companies is best known for its Time Warner Center in Manhattan's Columbus Circle. It is jointly owned by his business partner, Jorge M. Perez.

As of 2011 his estimated net worth according to Forbes is $3.1 billion, down from previous years. Ross is said to be building a theme park across the street from Sun Life Stadium.

Sports Team Ownership
In February 2008, Ross bought 50 percent of the Miami Dolphin franchise, Dolphin Stadium and surrounding land from then-owner Wayne Huizenga for $550 million, with an agreement to later become the Dolphins' managing general partner. On January 20, 2009, in exchange for $1 billion more, Ross closed on the purchase of an additional 45 percent of the team from Wayne Huizenga. This means Ross is now the owner of 95% of both the franchise and the stadium. Ross announced his intention to keep Bill Parcells as the director of football operations. Parcells later stepped down from his position shortly before the 2010 NFL season. Since buying the Dolphins, Ross has brought in Gloria Estefan and Marc Anthony, along with Venus and Serena Willams, as minority owners of the team.

Philanthropy
Ross was co-chair of the University of Michigan's fund raising campaign, which was completed May 2007. He is currently serving on President Mary Sue Coleman's Advisory Group and the Director's Cabinet in the University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. In 2004, Ross made the single largest contribution to the University of Michigan by donating $100 million to the school. The University renamed its business school, Ross School of Business in his honor.

He was on the executive committee of NYC2012, New York’s initiative to bring the summer Olympic Games to New York City in 2012, which failed when London won instead. As a trustee of the Guggenheim Museum (NYC) Ross is involved in the planning for a major renovation of the Frank Lloyd Wright building and other new museums. He is a member of the executive committee and board of directors of the Real Estate Board of New York, a trustee of the National Building Museum and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Ross is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Centerline Capital Group, and is a trustee of the National Building Museum and the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and longtime supporter of the UJA Federation of New York.

Honors and awards
Ross received the Jack D. Weiler Award from the UJA of New York in 2003 and the New York Building Congress 80th Anniversary Leadership Award in 2001. He was named the 2001 honoree for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's annual Promise Ball, and earlier that year he received the Henry Pearce Award from the Jewish Association of Services for the Aged.

Ross was named Owner & Developer of the Year by New York Construction News in 2000. In 1999, he was honored by the Lincoln Center Real Estate and Construction Council and received the “What New York Needs” award presented by The Doe Fund. Ross received the "Tree of Life Award" in 1998 in recognition of outstanding community involvement and devotion to peace and the security of human life.

Family
Stephen Ross and his wife Kara, who is an entrepreneur and jewelry designer, reside in New York with her two daughters from a previous marriage, Avery and Drew. Stephen has two of his own children Jennifer and Kimberly from his first marriage. Stephen Ross' uncle Max M. Fisher was a financier and philanthropist from Detroit, Michigan.