Builder and Real Estate Developer
Samuel LeFrak was the long-time head of the Lefrak Organization, which under his leadership built more affordable housing in and around New York City in the post-World War ll era than any other firm. Among his notable building projects were Newport in Jersey City, New Jersey and the project which bears his name, Lefrak City in Corona, Queens.
LeFrak, whose roots in the real estate business go back to his great-grandfather Maurice, a developer in 19th-century France, attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and the University of Maryland, and later studied at Columbia and the Harvard Business School. He began working full time for the family business in 1940 and took over as its President in 1948, succeeding his father Harry. Mr. LeFrak also later involved the company in the gas and oil exploration and entertainment industries, although real estate remains its primary concern.
Mr. LeFrak was an art collector, and another of his other interests was underwater archaeology. Among the expeditions he helped finance was the one that located the Titanic. He was also well known for his philanthropy. He and his wife endowed buildings at cultural and educational institutions around the country, and Mr. LeFrak served on the board of many institutions as well. He served the United States as well as New York State and New York City in many official capacities, and he was honored for his work by organizations and governmants the world over.
Mr. LeFrak and his wife, Ethel, were married in 1941, and they had four children - Richard LeFrak, President of the Lefrak Organization since 1975, Denise LeFrak Calicchio, Francine LeFrak Friedberg, and Jacqueline LeFrak Kosinski.
Samuel LeFrak was the long-time head of the Lefrak Organization, which under his leadership built more affordable housing in and around New York City in the post-World War ll era than any other firm. Among his notable building projects were Newport in Jersey City, New Jersey and the project which bears his name, Lefrak City in Corona, Queens.
LeFrak, whose roots in the real estate business go back to his great-grandfather Maurice, a developer in 19th-century France, attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and the University of Maryland, and later studied at Columbia and the Harvard Business School. He began working full time for the family business in 1940 and took over as its President in 1948, succeeding his father Harry. Mr. LeFrak also later involved the company in the gas and oil exploration and entertainment industries, although real estate remains its primary concern.
Mr. LeFrak was an art collector, and another of his other interests was underwater archaeology. Among the expeditions he helped finance was the one that located the Titanic. He was also well known for his philanthropy. He and his wife endowed buildings at cultural and educational institutions around the country, and Mr. LeFrak served on the board of many institutions as well. He served the United States as well as New York State and New York City in many official capacities, and he was honored for his work by organizations and governmants the world over.
Mr. LeFrak and his wife, Ethel, were married in 1941, and they had four children - Richard LeFrak, President of the Lefrak Organization since 1975, Denise LeFrak Calicchio, Francine LeFrak Friedberg, and Jacqueline LeFrak Kosinski.
Builder and Real Estate Developer
Samuel LeFrak was the long-time head of the Lefrak Organization, which under his leadership built more affordable housing in and around New York City in the post-World War ll era than any other firm. Among his notable building projects were Newport in Jersey City, New Jersey and the project which bears his name, Lefrak City in Corona, Queens.
LeFrak, whose roots in the real estate business go back to his great-grandfather Maurice, a developer in 19th-century France, attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and the University of Maryland, and later studied at Columbia and the Harvard Business School. He began working full time for the family business in 1940 and took over as its President in 1948, succeeding his father Harry. Mr. LeFrak also later involved the company in the gas and oil exploration and entertainment industries, although real estate remains its primary concern.
Mr. LeFrak was an art collector, and another of his other interests was underwater archaeology. Among the expeditions he helped finance was the one that located the Titanic. He was also well known for his philanthropy. He and his wife endowed buildings at cultural and educational institutions around the country, and Mr. LeFrak served on the board of many institutions as well. He served the United States as well as New York State and New York City in many official capacities, and he was honored for his work by organizations and governmants the world over.
Mr. LeFrak and his wife, Ethel, were married in 1941, and they had four children - Richard LeFrak, President of the Lefrak Organization since 1975, Denise LeFrak Calicchio, Francine LeFrak Friedberg, and Jacqueline LeFrak Kosinski.
Samuel LeFrak was the long-time head of the Lefrak Organization, which under his leadership built more affordable housing in and around New York City in the post-World War ll era than any other firm. Among his notable building projects were Newport in Jersey City, New Jersey and the project which bears his name, Lefrak City in Corona, Queens.
LeFrak, whose roots in the real estate business go back to his great-grandfather Maurice, a developer in 19th-century France, attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and the University of Maryland, and later studied at Columbia and the Harvard Business School. He began working full time for the family business in 1940 and took over as its President in 1948, succeeding his father Harry. Mr. LeFrak also later involved the company in the gas and oil exploration and entertainment industries, although real estate remains its primary concern.
Mr. LeFrak was an art collector, and another of his other interests was underwater archaeology. Among the expeditions he helped finance was the one that located the Titanic. He was also well known for his philanthropy. He and his wife endowed buildings at cultural and educational institutions around the country, and Mr. LeFrak served on the board of many institutions as well. He served the United States as well as New York State and New York City in many official capacities, and he was honored for his work by organizations and governmants the world over.
Mr. LeFrak and his wife, Ethel, were married in 1941, and they had four children - Richard LeFrak, President of the Lefrak Organization since 1975, Denise LeFrak Calicchio, Francine LeFrak Friedberg, and Jacqueline LeFrak Kosinski.
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