Jerry Wolman: The World's Richest Man

Sixth and I Historic Synagogue





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Partner:: Sixth and I Historic Synagogue
Location:: Sixth and I Historic Synagogue
Washington, D.C.
Event Date:: 06.16.10
Speakers:: Joseph Bockol,; Steve Buckhantz,; Jerry Wolman
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Summary: Jerry Wolman: The World's Richest Man is the never-been-told true story of Jerry Wolman, who came from the coal mining region of Pennsylvania and made it big. He became known as "The Boy Wonder" of real estate as a storybook "rags to riches" builder in the Washington, D.C. area in the mid-1950s through the 1960s, amassing a personal financial empire.

Capturing national attention in 1963 when he purchased the Philadelphia Eagles, he became the youngest owner in the National Football League. Wolman's rapid success and legendary generosity made him an icon of his day. However, in attempting to build one of the world's tallest buildings, the John Hancock Center in Chicago, he ran into severe construction problems, causing his $100 million dollar empire to topple.

This book chronicles Wolman's meteoric rise and fall, and the thousands he touched along the way. Wolman, now 83, and author Joseph Bockol are interviewed by Steve Buckhantz, the television voice of the Wizards on Comcast SportsNet.

Bio

Joseph Bockol

Joseph Bockol is the author of Jerry Wolman: The World's Richest Man. In his work with the entertainment industry, he's developed TV shows for NBC and he's written sit-coms, screenplays and musicals.

Steve Buckhantz

With 35 years of broadcasting experience, including a quarter-century in the Nation's Capital, Steve Buckhantz is one of the longest tenured sportscasters in the Metropolitan area. A four-time Emmy award winner, including the honor for Wizards Play-by-play in 2008, Buckhantz is in his 13th season as the television voice of the Wizards on Comcast SportsNet.

Jerry Wolman

Starting with nothing in the mid-1950s, Jerry Wolman went on to become one of America's youngest and richest self-made entrepreneurs. Heralded as "The Boy Wonder" of real estate, he made his reputation and fortune building apartment buildings during the post-war era building boom. Wolman continued to build skyscrapers in D.C., and purchased the famed National Theatre and the Raleigh Hotel. Then in 1963, fulfilling the dream of his youth, Jerry Wolman took the sports world by storm when he purchased the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming the youngest owner in the NFL at age 36. He purchased Connie Mack Stadium, and later founded and co-owned the National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers. Wolman owned and developed the illustrious Spectrum arena in Philadelphia, as well as the world-famous John Hancock Center in Chicago; he also played an instrumental role in the launch of NFL Films.