American business executive, entrepreneur, television personality and author
"I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big." - Donald Trump
Full name: Donald John Trump Famous for: Being a famous New York real estate developer billionaire, starring on the hit reality show The Apprentice, and the term "You're fired!" Trump details:Born - USA June 14, 1946 Live - USA
Donald Trump is a rich property tycoon who achieved notoriety for his flamboyant style in the 1980s.
Born Donald John Trump on June 14th, 1946 in New York City. Trump was the third generation of a business family. The young Trump assisted his father, Fred Trump, in ventures to build affordable housing. His father was a successful property developer that helped form Trump's business sense. Trump acknowledged his father's influence by stating that "My father was my mentor, and I learned a tremendous amount about every aspect of the construction industry from him.".
Education and Career
He had a good eye for business and after school Trump went to study finance at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Finance. When he left his chief resolve was 'to do' real estate on a larger scale than his father.
Trump began his career in his family's real estate business after studying at the Wharton Business School. He worked with his father for five years and was extremely successful in making profitable deals. His father commented on his son's business success by stating that "everything he seems to touch turns to gold".
Trump Takes Manhattan
To do this Trump needed connections. After gaining the necessary business skills in real estate from his father, Trump moved into the Manhattan real estate scene and charmed his way past the members' committee of an exclusive club - on the condition that he kept his hands off the wives of other members. With these New York contacts came the access to power and money, and Trump made the rich and famous his niche market. He understood their psychology well and, while other developers fought to cut corners and lower prices, Trump raised his.
He became one of the most powerful landlords of the 1980s and went on to acquire some of the most exclusive properties in the city. Trump Casino, Trump International Hotel, Trump Marina Hotel and Casino, Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort and Trump Tower are among his prestigious portfolio of real estate properties.
He has also had a hand in the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center; high profile restoration projects including the Plaza Hotel and Grand Central Terminal; and in one particular public relations coup reopened a delapidated ice skating rink in Central Park months shorter and millions lower than city budget estimates.
Today, Trump's name is almost synonymous with the city in which he was born where he brands his properties with the Trump name displayed prominently. They all have the Trump name in their titles and often have large "T" symbols placed all over the important areas of the building. Through his properties and business dealings he has developed a celebrity personality and often appears in gossip columns, television programs and magazines.
Bankruptcy and Comeback
Despite his knack for making deals and recognizing a good investment when he saw one, Trump's billion-dollar empire crumbled in 1990, when he was forced into bankruptcy for over $2 billion bank loans that he couldn't pay.
Although he handed over most of his holdings to the creditor banks, he remarkably managed to bounce back by the end of the 1990s. He shared his story in the book, The Art of the Comeback, and has done more work in the publishing world as he has co-authored several books about none other than himself,
including Trump: The Art of the Deal, and Trump: The Art of the Comeback as well as Trumph: The Art of Survival, among others. His most recent book, How To Get Rich: Big Deals from the Star of The Apprentice also made the bestseller lists.
In 1999 Trump announced he was considering running for President as the Reform Party candidate in 2000. It did not work out though and in his book The Art of the Comeback he revealed that he wouldn't have made a good President: he has trouble shaking others' hands as he is a germophobe, and worst of all, he is honest.
Trump is a self confident and extravagant businessman that has made himself instantly recognizable wherever he goes. His interests include real estate, entertainment, gaming, and sports. Trump also owns part of the three largest beauty competitions in the world, consisting of Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.
In 2005 Donald Trump started the Trump University that teaches business students online. The courses available are focused on real estate investing, being a successful entrepreneur, business management, and career success.
On a Personal Note
Honest or not, one thing's for sure: Trump is known as a womanizer. His personal life, as well as his public life, has been documented in the press since Trump first burst upon the scene during the 1980's building boom. His high profile marriage to Ivana Trump (which ended in 1990) was followed by his marriage and subsequent divorce from Marla Maples. He has 4 children: 2 sons and daughter Ivanka, with Ivana, anda daughter, Tiffany, with Marla.
In 2005, Trump married girlfriend, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, in a lavish wedding on January 22 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach - as Trump's children Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany watched their father say "I do" for the third time.
That same year, he was also the subject of ABC Television's dramatization, Trump Unauthorized.
In spring of 2006, the couple announced arrival of a baby boy born March 20, 2006. The child is the fifth for Trump, and the first for Knauss.
The Apprentice
Thanks to the hit reality series The Apprentice, in which 16 contestants vie for a position at one of Trump's corporations, "The Donald" can add another success to his Trump report card. The program was watched by millions of viewers each week and was wildly successful. Each participant to be eliminated was given the now famous "you're fired" sentence. The series was a hit and has gone on to be one of the more popular reality programs each year.
In January 2007, for his services to the entertainment industry with the success of his reality program, The Apprentice, Donald Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Single or not, the father, mogul, and flamboyant figure has proved that whether you're on your way up or down, it pays to think big.
