Firm

Before co-founding Tishman Speyer in 1978, Mr. Tishman served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Tishman Realty & Construction Co., our predecessor company founded by his grandfather, Julius Tishman, in 1898.

In his nearly 40 years with Tishman Realty & Construction, Mr. Tishman led the company in its expansion around the United States, including Pittsburgh; Cleveland; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles and San Francisco. He also was responsible for the company’s move into the construction business, led by his cousin John Tishman, which resulted in the erection of buildings such as the John Hancock Tower in Chicago, the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Renaissance Center in Detroit.

Throughout his career, Mr. Tishman was credited with pioneering the implementation of cutting edge technology in properties he developed. He was among the first to incorporate high-speed elevators in Manhattan skyscrapers, and he installed one of New York City's first cogeneration power facilities at 11 West 42nd Street.

Mr. Tishman steadfastly held true to principles of professional integrity. He was a leading advocate in the real estate industry to adopt greater transparency for its practices and transactions, believing that it would lead to more equitable competition, excellence in service and professionalism, and favorable results for shareholders.

For all his great real estate achievements, however, Mr. Tishman was an unassuming and candid leader who lived by the straightforward axioms of his industry: succeeding in the real estate business, he said, required “building a better mousetrap”; in real estate, he mused, "the best buildings are the ones that were rented."

While Mr. Tishman’s business successes stemmed from his commitment to excellence, he extended that same dedication to philanthropy as well.

As past chairman, and then an honorary chairman, of Montefiore Medical Center, Mr. Tishman funded numerous technological advancements, including the hospital’s first fully integrated computer network. He established the Phyllis and Robert Tishman Family Fund, which has provided grants for technology in secondary schools and at Cornell University. He also served as an associate chairman and charter trustee of the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged and as a member of the Board of Directors of Boys Harbor, Inc.

Mr. Tishman was among New York City's most respected civic leaders. He chaired the Real Estate Board of New York, Inc. from 1972 to 1975 and served as governor of that organization from 1966 to 1979. He was a member of the Real Estate Advisory Committee of Cornell University, his alma mater; directed the Citizens Housing and Planning Council; was a trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission; and served as an honorary director of Grand Street Settlement.

Mr. Tishman served four years in World War II with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. He was discharged honorably as a lieutenant. A lifelong resident of New York City, he graduated from Cornell University in 1937 and attended Columbia Law School.