Russell W. Galbut
| Russell W. Galbut | |
|---|---|
| Born |
c. 1954 Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Residence | South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Alma mater |
Cornell University University of Miami School of Law |
| Occupation | Lawyer, real estate developer, philanthropist |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Parent(s) |
Hyman P. Galbut Bessie Galbut |
| Relatives |
Bruce Menin (cousin) Julie Menin (cousin-in-law) Jared Galbut (nephew)[1] |
Russell W. Galbut (born c. 1954) is an American lawyer, real estate developer and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Crescent Heights, a real estate development company.
Early life
Russell W. Galbut was born in Miami Beach, Florida circa 1954.[2][3] His paternal grandparents, Abraham and Bessie Galbut, settled in Miami Beach in 1931.[4] His father, Hyman P. Galbut, who served as a captain in the United States Navy, was a lawyer.[5] His mother, Bessie Galbut, was a philanthropist; the Bessie M. Galbut Daughters of Israel Mikvah Center in Miami Beach is named in her honor.[5] Galbut has three brothers: Dr. Robert Galbut, Dr. David Galbut and Abraham Galbut.[5]
Galbut graduated from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in 1974.[2] He received a JD from the University of Miami School of Law in 1980.[3]
Career
Galbut started his career at Laventhol and Horwath, an accounting firm which went bankrupt in 1990.[2] Meanwhile, he became a real estate developer in Miami where he built apartment buildings and shopping malls.[2] He later built a chain of retirement facilities in South Florida.[2] In 1983, he acquired The Shelborne, a hotel in Miami.[2]
With his cousin Bruce Menin and business partner Sonny Kahn, Galbut co-founded Crescent Heights, a real estate development company, in 1989.[2][4] In Miami Beach, they built "the Alexander, the Decoplage, Carriage Club, and the Casablanca".[4] They also built "35,000 residential units" across the United States.[4] In 1991, he argued that Miami Beach should have topless beaches to attract European tourists.[6]
Galbut serves on the board of directors of Norwegian Cruise Line.[7]
Philanthropy
Galbut serves as the chairman of Colel Chabad, a non-profit organization which runs soup kitchens in Israel.[2] Additionally, he serves on the Board of Trustees of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, California.[8]
Galbut serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Real Estate and Finance in the School of Hotel Administration at his alma mater, Cornell University.[2]
Personal life
Galbut resides in South Beach, a neighborhood of Miami Beach, Florida.[9]
References
- ↑ "Jared Galbut". Menin Hospitality. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Russell Galbut '74". School of Hotel Administration. Cornell University. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- 1 2 "Company Overview of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.: Russell W. Galbut". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Warech, Jon (May 1, 2015). "The Secrets to the Galbut Family's Success". Ocean Drive Magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Cohen, Howard (February 6, 2015). "Bessie Galbut, matriarch of pioneering Miami Beach family, dies at 92". Miami Herald. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ↑ "Topless beaches proposed in Florida". Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana). March 18, 1991. p. 43. Retrieved February 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. (registration required (help)).
- ↑ "Board of Directors". Norwegian Cruise Line. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- ↑ "SWC Board of Trustees". Simon Wiesenthal Center. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
- ↑ McCoy, Terrence (February 14, 2014). "MILLIONAIRE RUSSELL GALBUT BUILDING INSANE MANSION ATOP SOBE PARKING GARAGE". Miami New Times. Retrieved February 23, 2016.