John J. Cali

John J. Cali (August 8, 1918 – February 1, 2014) was an American real estate developer, philanthropist, and musician.^[1]

Biography[]

Cali was born in Tercio, Colorado in Las Animas County, a coal mining town^[2] and raised in Passaic, New Jersey,^[3] the son of an Italian^[4] immigrant miner.^[1] He graduated from Clifton High School.^[1] He worked his way through college by playing saxophone and clarinet in jazz and swing bands eventually graduating from Indiana University with a B.A. in sociology and psychology.^[1] After school he worked for the Western Electric Company and in 1949, he co-founded Cali Associates with his brother, Angelo R. Cali and a friend, Edward Leshowitz.^[5][3] Cali initially focused on residential properties building over 5,500 housing units in New Jersey before expanding into the development of commercial buildings in 1969.^[5] In 1989, he built the International Financial Center in Jersey City.^[2] In 1994, the company went public as a real estate investment trust under the name Cali Realty Corporation, creating the first office REIT in New Jersey;^[4] he served as its chairman from 1994 until its 1997 merger with the Mack Company (founded by H. Bert Mack and then operated by his four sons Fredric H. Mack, David S. Mack, Earle I. Mack, and William L. Mack)^[5] creating Mack-Cali Realty Corporation, the largest office-property owner in New Jersey.^[4] He retired in 2000.^[5] Cali also was a co-founder of Cali Futures, which focuses on real estate investment projects in New Jersey.^[1]

Philanthropy & Awards[]

Cali contributed over the years to diverse humanitarian causes through a fund started by him and his wife Rose Cali.

Cali Associates received numerous awards over the years for the creativity of their building projects.

Cali also served as president of the Office Developers Association of New Jersey.

In 1996, Cali received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

The Cali family made a generous donation in 2006 to Montclair State University to fund the school of music and provide scholarships. The John J. Cali School of Music was named in his honor.

Personal life[]

John J. Cali was born to Sicilian immigrant parents in 1918, in Southern Colorado close to the New Mexico boarder. His father Vincenzo was born in Aidone Sicily in 1873 and immigrated to the United States around 1900. Vincenzo worked as a coal miner in Colorado, supporting his eight children and wife. John grew up in a rural mining town with his family until 1929 at 10 years old, when they were forced to move east to Passaic, NJ when the Great depression hit in order to avoid starvation in the mountains. In his teen-age years, John learned to play the tenor saxophone, and began to gig with Big Band ensembles in the "Borscht Belt" also known as the Catskills. Eventually John made enough money working to attend Indiana University, continuing his musical career as a player, incorporating music promotion while studying industrial psychology. After his graduation he found employment as an on-site industrial psychologist with Edison Electric. When WWII arrived, he was unable to serve due to a slight handicap which was a result of childhood polio which rendered one of his legs shorter than the other. While states-side, he started a training program for wounded military amputees, training them to fix saxophones. The program was very successful with 100% placement with the Selmer musical instruments company. After establishing a music school as his next business endeavor in the 1940s, he sold that venture and began building single family homes.

Cali Associates was the real estate company he started with his brother Angelo Cali and their friend Ed Leschowitz in the late 40's. Over the years, Cali Associates grew and became known for their integrity, transparency, creativity and environmental esthetic employed in many of their projects.

John J. Cali was a very well-respected community member residing in Montclair, New Jersey. He was exceptionally beloved by many members of his community (regardless of socio-economic status or race), and his family, for his wisdom, humanity, humor and council. He was an avid reader, with interests in world-history, physics, philosophy and the natural world. He has five children: Brant Cali, Jonna Cali, Christopher Cali, Michael Nevins, and Joshua Nevins.^[1]

References[]