Stephen M. Ross

Stephen M. Ross (born May 10, 1940) is an American billionaire real estate developer, philanthropist, and sports team owner, best known as the founder of Related Companies, a global firm he established in 1972 that manages over $60 billion in real estate assets, and as the founder of Related Ross. He stepped down as chairman of Related Companies in July 2024 to focus on new ventures, retaining a stake and non-executive role. Ross developed landmark projects including the Time Warner Center and Hudson Yards—the latter representing the largest private real estate development in U.S. history, encompassing mixed-use spaces with residential, office, retail, and cultural elements. As owner of the NFL's Miami Dolphins since 2009, he has invested in team facilities and operations, though his tenure has included controversies such as a 2022 NFL investigation resulting in a $1.5 million fine, a suspension, and forfeiture of a first-round draft pick for tampering violations involving inducements to coaches and players from other teams. A University of Michigan alumnus, Ross is its largest donor, having contributed nearly $500 million to endow the Ross School of Business, support athletics, and fund other initiatives, while pledging more than half his estate to philanthropy through the Giving Pledge. His net worth stands at approximately $17 billion as of October 2025, derived primarily from real estate holdings and related ventures.

Stephen Michael Ross was born on May 10, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan, to David Ross and Gail Ross. His father, David, worked as an inventor and held patents for several devices, while his mother, Gail, was the daughter of Jewish immigrants William (Velvil) Fisher and Mollie (Malka) Brody, who arrived in the United States from Eastern Europe in 1907 to escape persecution. The family resided in a northwest Detroit neighborhood, where Ross spent his early childhood in a middle-class environment amid the post-World War II economic recovery.

Ross has received multiple honors recognizing his achievements in real estate development, philanthropy, and sports ownership. In 2011, the University of Michigan conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in acknowledgment of his substantial contributions to the institution, including the naming of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. In August 2019, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation Leadership Hall of Fame for his leadership in business and athletics. Other recognitions include the National Building Museum Honor Award, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY)'s Harry B. Helmsley Distinguished New Yorker Award, and the Jack D. Weiler Award from the United Jewish Appeal (UJA). He also received the Jackie Robinson Foundation ROBIE Lifetime Achievement Award and, in 2023, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Southeast Florida Chapter's Lifetime Achievement Award for his impact on urban development.