NEWNEW YORKYORK The Faces Behind the Brand An Interview with Donald J. Trump - Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Offi cer; Donald Trump Jr. - Executive Vice President; Ivanka Trump - Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions; and Eric F. Trump - Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions, The Trump Organization EDITORS’ NOTE Donald Trump is the author of 15 best-selling books, including The Art of the Deal, The Art of the Comeback, How to Get Rich, Think Like a Billionaire, Never Give Up, Why We Want You To Be Rich, Think Like a Champion, Midas Touch, and Time To Get Tough. He serves on the board of the Police Athletic League and is Chairman of the Donald J. Trump Foundation. Trump is also the Co-Producer and star of The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice and, in January 2007, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is a graduate of the Wharton School of the Left to right: Donald Trump Jr.; Donald Trump; Ivanka Trump Kushner; Eric Trump University of Pennsylvania, and recently re- ceived the Statesman of the Year award from cities across the country. She graduated Cum and residential properties, and operates various the Sarasota GOP. Laude from the Wharton School of Finance at golf courses throughout the world. In addition, As an Executive Vice President at The Trump the University of Pennsylvania and received a the company operates restaurants, and model- Organization, Donald Trump Jr. works to bachelor of science degree in economics. Before ing agencies and pageants, as well as managing expand the company’s real estate, retail, com- joining The Trump Organization in 2005, public skating rinks, and is involved in the tele- mercial, hotel, and golf interests nationally and Ivanka worked at Forest City Enterprises as a vision production and entertainment business. internationally. Donald Jr. directs new project real estate project manager. Trump also provides apparel, home furnishings, acquisition and development for The Trump Eric Trump joined The Trump Organization jewelry and accessories, neckwear, books, choc- Organization throughout the world. He also ac- in 2006 after graduating with honors from olate bars, furniture, mattresses, lighting prod- tively oversees The Trump Organization’s ex- Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., ucts, bath textiles and accessories, bedding and tensive property portfolio. He is involved in all with a degree in Finance and Management home fragrance products, small leather goods, aspects of the company’s development. He joined and a minor in Psychology. Eric is responsible eyewear, crystal stemware, barware and gifts, the organization in 2001. Donald Jr. is also for all aspects of real estate development and and bottled spring water. responsible for all of the commercial leasing for deal fl ow, both nationally and internationally. The Trump Organization. Donald Jr. received Since joining The Trump Organization, Eric has Donald, you have said that the Trump brand his Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Real been instrumental in the expansion of Trump represents the gold standard around the Estate from the Wharton School of Finance at Golf, the company’s world-class portfolio of globe. What does this mean and how do you the University of Pennsylvania. golf courses. Over the past six years, The Eric describe what makes Trump so special? Ivanka Trump is charged with the domes- Trump Foundation has raised nearly $6 million The Trump brand is instantly recognizable tic and global expansion of the company’s real dollars for St. Jude and recently pledged an ad- now. We are known worldwide, and people estate interests. She actively participates in all ditional $20 million dollars for the construction know what to expect with anything that has aspects of both Trump® and Trump-branded of The Eric Trump Foundation Surgical and ICU the Trump name on it: the best. The Apprentice projects. She is involved in all decisions – large Center, opening at St. Jude in 2015. The founda- helped our name recognition tremendously, and small – from the acquisition phase to de- tion also sponsors a state-of-the-art Eric Trump but we were already acknowledged to guaran- termining the interior selections for residences Foundation Cancer Research Lab at St. Jude, tee upscale product in whatever we provided. and hotel suites. Since joining The Trump which was responsible for a critical leukemia Trump is special because it represents the high- Organization, one of Ivanka’s primary focuses breakthrough in 2012. est quality and it’s also personable – we are a has been to bring the Trump® Hotel Collection family, there is a legacy, and people know us. brand to global markets. Ivanka founded the COMPANY BRIEF The Trump Organization This has enhanced our appeal as well as our Trump Hotel Collection with her brothers in (trump.com) provides real estate develop- scope of business. We are the faces behind a 2007. She also spearheads the interior design de- ment, sales and marketing, and property man- brand and people seem to like that. cisions for the Trump Hotel Collection properties agement services for residential, office, and Trump is involved in many different and provides the creative vision for the brand retail properties in the United States and inter- businesses. Is the brand at its core still a as a whole. Ivanka is also actively involved in nationally. The company operates real estate real estate company? several mixed-use licensing projects. In October properties in regions including Manila, Seoul, Yes, it is still a real estate company. We 2012, she launched Trump International Realty, Toronto, Jersey City, Las Vegas, Rio Grande, have a signifi cant number of buildings, 17 golf a luxury brokerage business catering to the elite Waikiki, New York, and Florida, as well as ho- courses, and many hotels going up worldwide clientele in both Trump Buildings and beyond. tels in regions including Chicago, Panama City, with the Trump Hotel Collection. All the divi- Ivanka is also leading the charge for the expan- and Aberdeen. It also offers real estate broker- sions are doing tremendously well. If you con- sion of Trump International Realty to major age services to buy, sell, and lease commercial sider the amount of land we’ve acquired with 142 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 37, NUMBER 4 the golf courses alone, it makes it clear that our Thankfully, we represent the latter and that is due, The Trump Hotel Collection has con- core is still real estate. in part, to how well we work towards a common tinued to expand into new markets. What With so many opportunities to ex- goal both collectively and separately. In 2007, the are the key characteristics of a Trump hotel pand on the value and awareness of the three of us, along with our father, founded the and how large can the collection become? Trump brand, how do you ensure that you Trump Hotel Collection, which today is recog- The key characteristics are elite amenities do not spread yourselves too thin? nized as the fastest growing luxury hotel brand and service, superlative design, and great loca- We’re careful. We know the integrity of in the world. We are in the process of executing tions. The details will always be there, as we the brand must be maintained as well as safe- our highly aggressive expansion plan that will have a discerning clientele. We aim to please guarded. We have so many opportunities that lead to having 30 hotels operational by 2020. Most and our efforts never slack off, no matter how it’s sometimes hard to choose, but that’s an en- recently, my primary focus has been our $200-mil- acclaimed our hotels or our golf courses be- viable position to be in. Let’s just say we know lion dollar redevelopment of the iconic Old Post come, I always look for what would be required we have an abundance and we are vigilant Offi ce, soon to be renamed Trump International to please myself and that means everything about keeping it in line with our ultimate goals. Hotel, Washington, D.C. This hotel will host the has to be great; as close to perfection as pos- Would the three of you – Don, Ivanka, highest caliber of features and amenities, and sible. I think the collection can become large and Eric – touch on your roles within the serve as a mixed-use luxury hotel attracting both because the demand is there – and the Trump Trump Organization and how you focus business and leisure travelers in the center of the Organization can handle it. your efforts? nation’s capital. Would you highlight the developments Donald Jr.: We each have our strengths within your golf business and your plans and specifi c areas of the business that we are for expansion in this area? especially passionate about, which we all rec- We have acquired Turnberry in Scotland ognize. Most importantly, we all have the same and Doonbeg in Ireland – iconic golf resorts – fundamental principles when it comes to what and we will improve upon them. Dubai has an- it means to be great developers and to provide other golf course development that presents a a superior product. Over the past year, I’ve wonderful new challenge and we are looking been overseeing the development of Trump forward to working on that too. I now have International Hotel & Tower, Vancouver, an two golf resorts in Scotland. The fi rst, Trump incredible hotel and residential property stand- International Golf Links Scotland in Aberdeen, ing 63 stories above the city. The hotel will There are always has won great acclaim. It has been exciting and feature amenities like the fi rst-ever Mar-a-Lago I’m sure there will be a few more down the line.