The journey from a carpenter to the richest real estate tycoon in America

America's richest real estate billionaire

Donald Bren is the richest billionaire in the US real estate industry. Irvine Company is the largest private real estate group in the US, owning more than 1,022 hectares of commercial and residential real estate in California and New York.

Donald Bren was born in 1932 in Los Angeles, into a family that blended art and business. His father was a film producer, and his mother was a patron of the theater arts. When Bren was 10, his parents divorced. His father later remarried an actress, and his mother married a wealthy businessman.

Bren's early life was closely tied to Beverly Hills High School. Every summer, he and his brother worked as carpenters for their father's real estate development company. This hands-on experience instilled in him a long-term mindset. "When you hold real estate for the long term, you can create lasting value and have tangible assets that you can demonstrate," he shared with the Los Angeles Times in 2011.

Athletic talent was also an important part of Bren's youth. He received a partial scholarship to the University of Washington for his skiing. Donald Bren was considered a stylish athlete and was selected for the 1956 Olympic team. However, he was later unable to participate due to an ankle injury.

In 1955, Bren graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Economics . He then served three years in the Marine Corps as a reconnaissance squad leader, a time that helped him hone his character and discipline.

Hành trình từ anh thợ mộc đến ông trùm địa ốc giàu nhất nước Mỹ - 1 — Billionaire Donald Bren (Photo: IT).

Starting a business with borrowed capital at age 25.

In 1958, at the age of 25, Donald Bren took a risk and borrowed $10,000 to found Bren Company and build his first house on Lido Island, Newport Beach, California. From then on, he continued to build and resell houses, taking advantage of the real estate boom of the late 1960s.

From 1963 to 1967, he served as President of Mission Viejo Company, a large urban planning development company. This was the first step that showed his strategic planning ability.

In 1970, International Paper Co. bought Bren Company for $34 million. But just two years later, when the real estate market fell into recession, Bren bought back his company for just $22 million - a deal that showed the billionaire's vision and courage.

After nearly 20 years living and working in Orange County, Bren set his sights on the largest project in the area, Irvine Ranch. This land area is 37,637 hectares, accounting for 20% of the entire county area, stretching about 14.5 km of Pacific coastline.

In 1977, he and five other shareholders—including the great-granddaughter of real estate developer James Irvine—acquired Irvine Company, the owner of Irvine Ranch, for $337.4 million. Initially, Donald Bren owned one-third of the shares, but by 1983, he had increased his ownership to 86%. By 1996, he became the sole owner after spending at least $80 million to acquire the remaining shares.

For over two decades, Bren directly oversaw the development of Irvine Ranch, building one of America's most livable communities with his "live, work, play" philosophy. The city integrates residential areas, shopping centers, parks, top-tier schools, and offices for more than a third of Fortune 500 companies.

The Los Angeles Times once wrote: "Over the years, Donald Bren shaped the look of modern suburbia in California and became one of America's most copied urban developers."

Beyond urban development, Bren has also left his mark on sustainable development. The Irvine Company donated more than half of Irvine Ranch for permanent preservation, much of which was designated a National Natural Landmark in 2006.

Irvine Company currently owns a wide range of valuable real estate properties, including hundreds of office buildings, shopping malls, apartment complexes, hotels, marinas, and golf courses.

Despite being one of the world's largest real estate developers, Donald Bren keeps his personal life very private. He is also known for his charitable activities. His total charitable contributions as of 2021 exceeded $1.3 billion.

He regularly supports the K-12 school system and the University of California, as well as research, the arts, and conservation. According to its official website, the Donald Bren Foundation has contributed $200 million to education.

Compared to other real estate billionaires around the world, what makes Bren stand out is not only the scale of his wealth but also the stability and sustainability in how he develops and manages his assets. While many other real estate conglomerates suffer from significant market fluctuations or financial leverage, Irvine Company, under Bren's leadership, has maintained balance and steady growth for decades.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/hanh-trinh-tu-anh-tho-moc-den-ong-trum-dia-oc-giau-nhat-nuoc-my-20250409153507085.htm