Edward J. DeBartolo Sr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | May 17, 1919 |
| Died | Nov. 17, 2004 |
Edward John DeBartolo Sr. (May 17, 1919 – December 19, 1994) was an American businessman who is best remembered as an early pioneer of the American shopping mall.
DeBartolo was born in Youngstown, Ohio, a center of steel production that was also a major destination for immigrants from Southeastern Europe. DeBartolo's parents, Anthony and Rose Paonessa, had immigrated to the United States from Italy. DeBartolo would never know his biological father, who died shortly before his birth. After Anthony Paonessa's death, Rose Paonessa married Michael DeBartolo, and Edward took his stepfather's family name. Michael DeBartolo was involved in Youngstown's construction industry, and Edward began working while still a teenager.
After graduating from high school, DeBartolo went on to earn a degree in civil engineering at the University of Notre Dame. With his engineering background, DeBartolo found himself serving in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. It was during the war, in 1944, that he married Maria Montani.
[edit] Adult life and career
After the war ended, DeBartolo briefly served as president of his stepfather's construction company. He soon decided, however, to establish his own company, and in 1948 he founded the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. DeBartolo was able to take advantage of the dramatic changes occurring across the United States after World War II. As more and more Americans moved into suburbs, there was a corresponding increase in demand for convenient access to stores. DeBartolo's company was one of the first companies in Ohio, as well as across the United States, to build shopping centers in suburban communities. At first, these shopping centers were built in long strips, but soon DeBartolo began developing enclosed shopping malls as well.
The DeBartolo Corporation became one of the most influential businesses in the shopping mall industry, owning almost one-tenth of all of the mall space in the United States. DeBartolo also branched out into other types of urban construction, such as hotels, office buildings, and condominiums. By the 1990s, DeBartolo was estimated to have more than $1.4 billion dollars in personal wealth. The corporation remained under the DeBartolo family's control, with DeBartolo's daughter, Marie Denise York, and son, Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr., heavily involved in the company's leadership.
DeBartolo became interested in department store chains in the 1980s. In 1988, he helped finance Robert Campeau's purchase of Federated Department Stores. He arranged to purchase the Dillard Department Stores, based in Cleveland, Ohio, that same year.
[edit] Sporting interest
The DeBartolo family has also been involved in professional sports. DeBartolo owned the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. They would go on to win the Stanley Cup championship in 1991 and 1992 under his leadership. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to purchase the Chicago White Sox in 1980. The baseball team owners voted against the purchase, fearing that he might have connections to organized crime. Although there had been some suspicion about DeBartolo's involvement in organized crime in the past, law enforcement had never found any evidence to support that theory.
DeBartolo purchased the San Francisco 49ers in 1977, giving the team to his son. DeBartolo Jr. devoted significant resources to the team, helping to make it the most successful NFL franchise in the 1980s. Under the leadership of quarterback Joe Montana, the 49ers won the Super Bowl in 1982, 1985, 1989, and 1990.
