| Larry A. Mizel | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 14, 1942 |
| Residence | Denver, Colorado |
| Education | B.A., JD |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma, University of Denver College of Law |
| Occupation | Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. |
Larry A. Mizel (born 1942)[1] is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc.
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Larry A. Mizel graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1964,[2] and with a JD from the University of Denver College of Law in 1967.[3]
With little more than $50,000 and a dream, Mizel founded the Mizel Development Corporation in 1972, a home-building company which later became M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., parent company to Richmond American Homes.[4] In March 1996, Mizel was elected President of the company, a position he held until July 1999.[5] Mizel currently serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of M.D.C. Holdings, and under Mizel's tenure, MDC realized revenues of nearly $5 billion in 2005 and over the past decade, has consistently maintained one of the strongest financial positions in the industry.[6]
Mizel was a founder, and until 1996, was Chairman of the Board of Asset Investors Corporation (AIC), a New York Stock Exchange-listed real estate investment trust, and of Commercial Assets Inc. (CAX), a real estate investment trust, that traded on the American Stock Exchange. In addition, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Omnibank, a multibank holding company, until its sale to KeyCorp in 1995.[7]
Mizel has been actively involved in many charitable, religious and community causes.[8]
He is a life member of The Council on Foreign Relations, an independent, nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to helping people better understand the world and foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.[9]
As one of the founders of the Simon Wiesenthal Center,[3] Mizel has served as the International Chairman of the Board of Trustees since 2003.[5] Based in Los Angeles, the Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international human rights organization that promotes tolerance and combats racism and anti-Semitism around the world.[10] Its educational arm, the Museum of Tolerance, a recipient of the 2004 Tolerance Award given at the United Nations, is a world-class human rights laboratory and learning center dedicated to challenging visitors to confront important contemporary issues.[11] The Simon Wiesenthal Center is accredited as a non-governmental organization (NGO) at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament.
Mizel is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, (AIPAC),[12] which works to help make Israel more secure by ensuring that American support remains strong.
In 1986, Mizel founded and served as the inaugural chairman of Colorado Concern, an organization committed to promoting sustainable business growth and advancing the economic well-being of Colorado.[13]
In 1982, Mizel and his wife, Carol, founded the Mizel Museum.[14] Mizel also founded, as a part of the Mizel Museum and its larger umbrella organization, the Mizel Institute, The Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (The CELL) in 2004. The CELL is a non-profit institution dedicated to addressing the most important global issue of our time - terrorism.[15] Located in Denver, The CELL opened its state-of-the-art facility in 2008 with the purpose of educating citizens on the realities of today's global terrorism threats, seeking to empower individuals and organizations with the knowledge and tools to help them proactively affect positive change. It is the only exhibit of its kind in the world.[16]
The Mizel Center for Arts and Culture is also named for Mizel, but is a separate organization located in Denver at the Jewish Community Center. The MACC illuminates the human experience through creative and cultural programs in the performing, visual, and literary arts for the Jewish Community and the community at large.[17]
As a founding member of The Denver Rustlers, Mizel works with other Colorado business leaders to support youth in the community.[18] From raising scholarship money, to supporting participants at the Junior Livestock Sale at the annual Colorado State Fair, to opening the Denver Rustlers Kids Cafe in 1994 to combat childhood hunger, this organization strives to make a difference in children's lives.[19]
Over the years, Mizel has been the recipient of recognition by various organizations.[20] In 1987, he received the National Humanitarian Award from National Jewish Health, a global leader in the research and treatment of respiratory, immune and related diseases. In 1996, he was named Honorary Dean of the University of Denver's Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management. In 2001, he was one of the recipients of the distinguished Ellis Island Medal of Honor which pays tribute to the immigrant experience and individual achievement. Honorees are listed in the Congressional Record. In 2002, he was awarded the title Honorary Irishman by the Ancient Order of Hiberians, a Catholic-Irish-American Fraternal Organization founded in 1836, for his work in supporting the Hero's of 9-11. In 2003, he was made an Honorary Colonel of the 88th Regiment of the Army for his creation of the Victims of Terror Fund. In 2005, Mizel received the Defenders of Freedom award from the National Homeland Defense Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to securing freedom in the fields of homeland defense and security. In 2010, Mizel was awarded the Ben S. Wendelken Special Trustees Award by Colorado's El Pomar Foundation for embodying the spirit of service and giving through his life's work. And in 2011, he received the Steve Ross Lifetime Achievement Award from the Milken Insitute and was named a Colorado State Patrol Honorary Colonel.
Mizel and his wife, Carol Mizel, have a grown son and daughter and five grandchildren.