In 2001, William and Phyllis Mack established the Mack Center through a generous gift. The Macks also funded the Center’s transition to the Mack Institute for Innovation Management in 2013.
William L. Mack (W’61) is the Chairman Emeritus of the real estate investment firm, the Mack Real Estate Group. Founded by Mr. Mack and his two sons, Richard and Stephen, the Mack Real Estate Group specializes in domestic and international real estate development opportunities and the property management of the company’s commercial assets and is a primary lender for commercial real estate mortgage debt. Prior to launching the Mack Real Estate Group, Mr. Mack was the Founder and Chairman of AREA Property Partners (formerly Apollo Real Estate Advisors). The AREA Funds collectively invested in more than $60 billion of diversified real estate ventures in 25 countries throughout the world. The investments include office and retail facilities, hotels, multi-family residential housing, mortgage securities, housing companies, land investments, and public and private real estate operating companies. He is President and CEO of the Mack Organization, a national owner, investor and developer of warehouse and retail facilities.
Mr. Mack is the former Chairman of the Board of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (worldwide museums). He is the Vice Chairman of Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System) where he serves on its Board of Trustees and Board of Overseers, and serves as a Trustee and Member of the Western Regional Executive Council of Lenox Hill Hospital. He is also a Director of the Palm Beach Civic Association.
Mr. Mack is the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, a publicly traded REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of Class A office buildings located in the northeast United States. Mr. Mack is the Chair Emeritus of the Board of Overseers of the Wharton School, where he received the Dean’s Medal, the school’s highest honor; a former Vice Chair of the University of Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees; a Trustee Emeritus; and a former Vice Chair of the Wharton Real Estate Center Advisory Board.
Mr. Mack is a former Director of Florida Community Bank (now Synovus Financial Corporation) and a Director of Hudson’s Bay Company. He is a past Director of Retail Opportunity Investments Corporation; Wyndham International, Inc.; the Bear Stearns Companies, Inc.; Vail Resorts, Inc.; and the Empire State Development Corporation. Mr. Mack is a former Member of the Regional Advisory Board of JP Morgan Chase. Mr. Mack is a past Chairman of the Long Island Power Authority, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Development Corporation of New York, and the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation.
Mr. Mack attended Brooklyn Technical High School, the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School of Business and Finance, and the School of Business of New York University.