Brian Greenspun, Chairman and CEO, The Greenspun Corporation
In the late 1940s, the rapidly-growing Greenspun family blended in very well with all of their hardworking, middle-class neighbors in young Las Vegas. Back then, the population was just 16,000. Today, the Greenspuns are among one of the community’s top business and philanthropic leaders.
"Now, we are at 1.6 million people. A one-hundredfold growth. This is the most remarkable story in the world," states Brian Greenspun, chairman and CEO of The Greenspun Corporation, the family’s management company, which represents a wide variety of business interests, from media to master-planned communities.
The seeds were planted in 1950, when legendary publisher Hank Greenspun and wife Barbara purchased, with $1,000 down, the fledging community newspaper. They renamed it The Las Vegas Sun and turned it into a daily community newspaper, which went head-to-head with the much larger Las Vegas Review-Journal.
"I will never forget the day JFK died. It was November 22, 1963," reflects Greenspun. "I was in class at Las Vegas High School. I just had to get to the newspaper. Two days earlier, The Sun had burned to the ground. For the JFK special edition we flew the paper to Los Angeles to be printed and got it back and made our deadline. Our Extra edition was a headline painted on the only remaining wall of the Sun building." This is just one example of the Greenspuns’ pioneering spirit.
"The Rat Pack," laughs Greenspun. "Believe it or not, when I was young, I used to hang out with Sammy Davis, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in the steam room at the Sands. My dad would take me with him to play golf. I even got to caddie for Frank Sinatra."
Over the years, the current generation of Greenspuns, Susan, Brian, Danny and Janie, took the wisdom they learned from their parents and through hard work and visionary planning took business and philanthropy to the next-highest level.
Brian is the editor and president of The Las Vegas Sun newspaper, where he shares his passion for writing. Brother Danny heads up Greenspun Media, which publishes Las Vegas Life, Vegas Magazine, Las Vegas Weekly, Showbiz, In Business Las Vegas, Vegas Golfer and the leading Las Vegas travel Web site, vegas.com.
Another family business is American Nevada Corporation, the developer of Nevada’s first and most successful planned community in Nevada, Green Valley. The family also has an interest in the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa and the Palms Hotel.
"My dad did a lot of things and had many great ideas. We just got in the middle of them and kind of took over. One project is the Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp. We just sent over 1,000 kids to summer camp last year.
"Unfortunately, my dad passed away from cancer and my mother survived a terrible bout with cancer. Then along comes Jim and Heather Murren to town. You couldn’t help but get infected with their dream for The Nevada Cancer Institute. Our family became founding contributors.
"You can never give up. If you do things the right way, the money will come as a result of good work. When you finally make it, you must also pass it on." And pass it on they have, as the Greenspun family continues to graciously give back to the Las Vegas community they helped build, and help make it the most exciting place to live and visit on the entire planet.
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In the late 1940s, the rapidly-growing Greenspun family blended in very well with all of their hardworking, middle-class neighbors in young Las Vegas. Back then, the population was just 16,000. Today, the Greenspuns are among one of the community’s top business and philanthropic leaders.
"I will never forget the day JFK died. It was November 22, 1963," reflects Greenspun. "I was in class at Las Vegas High School. I just had to get to the newspaper. Two days earlier, The Sun had burned to the ground. For the JFK special edition we flew the paper to Los Angeles to be printed and got it back and made our deadline. Our Extra edition was a headline painted on the only remaining wall of the Sun building." This is just one example of the Greenspuns’ pioneering spirit.
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