Edward DeBartolo
CEO and Founder, DeBartolo Holdings
Tampa, FL 33624
Phone (813) 908-8400
Property Types
Hospitality
Markets
Atlanta, Tampa/St Petersburg
Languages
English
Bio
Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. is a successful businessman, real estate investor and developer, Pro Football Hall of Fame owner and passionate supporter of philanthropic causes related to education, healthcare, poverty, animals, sports and religious institutions.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Mr. DeBartolo makes his home in Tampa Bay, where local charities and organizations have benefited from the impact of his numerous donations of both time and resources. He has offered his counsel and expertise to many boards of non-profit organizations, including the Tampa Bay American Cancer Society, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and currently, the Moffitt Cancer Center, which holds a special place in his heart as beloved wife, Candy, is a cancer survivor.
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Mr. DeBartolo joined the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation in 1971. After years of overseeing one of the nation’s largest mall development and management firms, in 1994, Mr. DeBartolo became Chairman of the Board of the DeBartolo Realty Corporation, a public REIT. Two years later, the Corporation merged with Simon Property Group to create Simon DeBartolo Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG), uniting two of the founding families of the regional mall business and creating the largest public real estate company in North America with a total market capitalization of $7.5 billion. The DeBartolo/Simon portfolio included 111 regional shopping centers, 66 community shopping centers and six specialty retail centers in 32 states.
Throughout his diverse career, Mr. DeBartolo has proven his ability not only to succeed, but also to reinvent the industries within which he operates. He is best known as the legendary owner of the San Francisco 49ers during the winningest two decades in football history. During his 23-year ownership and management of the team, the 49ers won 12 division titles and a then NFL-record five Super Bowl Championships. Affectionately called “Mr. D” by his players, he is widely regarded as one of the more successful and compassionate owners in NFL history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, the ultimate honor for an NFL owner.
Currently, Mr. DeBartolo is the chief executive officer of DeBartolo Holdings, LLC, which he founded in March 2002. DeBartolo Holdings manages and optimizes the diverse businesses and strategic investments of the DeBartolo family, including DeBartolo Development and the DeBartolo Family Foundation. Continuing the work ethic and innovative spirit of his father, Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., who founded the shopping mall concept, Mr. DeBartolo provides a hands-on level of enthusiasm and guidance that extends throughout the organization.
In every stage of his multifaceted career, Mr. DeBartolo has made community service a priority. His charitable efforts have transformed the lives of countless students, families, athletes, animals and disabled citizens across the country. For his generous donations and service to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the Heart Fund, Cancer Crusade and United Way, he received the 1982 Salvation Army Citation of Merit – the youngest person to ever win the award. In 1989, the DeBartolo family donated $33 million to Notre Dame – one of the largest single contributions to higher education in U.S history. In 2001, the family founded the DeBartolo Family Foundation, which supports Tampa Bay grassroots organizations, and has donated more than $17 million to the community. In 2007, Mr. DeBartolo partnered with Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro linebacker Derrick Brooks and co-founded Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School, a high-performing, “A”-rated charter high school in Hillsborough County.
Mr. DeBartolo resides in Tampa, Fla., with his wife Candy. They have three daughters, Lisa Marie, Tiffanie Lynne, and Nicole Anne, and three grandsons, Asher, Milo and Jasper.
Education
