David Simon, president, CEO and board chairman of Simon Property Group, died on March 22 after a long battle with cancer, according to a release from the company.
Simon was 64 and was with family at the time of his death.
“Our family is deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of love and support we have received from across the globe,” the family said in a statement. “Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother poured his heart and soul into building Simon Property Group… We ask for privacy as we grieve our great loss.”
He is survived by Jackie, his wife for over 40 years, five children and seven grandchildren.
Simon Property Group owns more than 250 properties globally for shopping, dining, entertainment, and mixed-use, according to its website. The company operates Roosevelt Field Mall in Uniondale, as well as the Smith Haven Mall and Walt Whitman Shops in Suffolk County.
In Syosset, the property group had a years-long battle over a property development with Taubman Company. The company proposed a mall, after which the property group launched a campaign against it, garnering public support.
Eventually, Simon Property Group bought the land, which is now an Amazon distribution center. The conflict ended when the group bought Taubman in a deal valued arounf $3.6 billion in 2020.
Simon became CEO in 1995, at age 33.
After working as an investment banker, Simon joined the company’s predecessor, Melvin Simon & Associates, and eventually orchestrated its public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, the company said.
At 31 years old, he raised nearly $1 billion in what at the time was the largest real estate public offering in history, according to the statement.
Eli Simon, David’s son, has been named CEO and president of the company by the board and will continue in his roles as COO and director, according to a release.
Larry Glasscock, director of the Sysco Corporation, was appointed by the board as non-executive chairman, the release said.
“There are no words adequate to express the depth of our sorrow or the magnitude of our gratitude. David Simon was, quite simply, the finest leader in the history of the retail real estate industry,” Glasscock said in a statement. “David’s legacy transcends financial performance. He was a leader of uncommon integrity, fierce loyalty, and deep personal conviction.”
