The Journey from a Carpenter to America's Richest Real Estate Tycoon

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 spent his youth at Beverly Hills High School, where he and his brother worked as carpenters for his father's real estate development company every summer. 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 value that you can demonstrate," he told 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 skiing. Donald Bren was considered a stylish athlete and was selected for the 1956 Olympic team, but 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 officer, a time that helped him hone his character and discipline.

Billionaire Donald Bren (Photo: IT).

Started a business with borrowed capital at the age of 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 the 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 was in recession, Bren bought his company back 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 is aiming for the largest project in the area, Irvine Ranch. This land area is 37,637 hectares, accounting for 20% of the entire county, 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—purchased Irvine Company, the owner of Irvine Ranch, for $337.4 million. Donald Bren initially owned a 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 buy out the remaining equity.

For more than two decades, Bren has overseen the development of Irvine Ranch, creating one of the most livable communities in the country with his “live-work-play” development philosophy. The city is fully integrated with residential areas, shopping centers, parks, top schools and offices for more than 1/3 of the 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 the most copied urban developers in America."

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 many valuable real estate properties from hundreds of office buildings, shopping centers, 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 philanthropic activities. His total charitable contributions as of 2021 exceeded $1.3 billion.

He has been a frequent supporter of K-12 schools and the University of California, as well as research, arts, and conservation. According to its official website, the Donald Bren Foundation has donated $200 million to education.

Compared to other real estate billionaires in the world, what makes Bren stand out is not only the size of his assets but also the stability and sustainability in the way he develops and manages his assets. While many other real estate corporations are subject to great fluctuations due to the market or financial leverage, Irvine Company under Bren's leadership has maintained its balance and grown steadily 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