Sam Zell, Former Anixter Chairman, Passes On

Sam Zell, the famed investor, entrepreneur and former chairman of Anixter International, passed away on May 18 at the age of 81. A press release from Equity family of the companies, where he was chairman, said during his 60-year-career he launched and grew hundreds of companies and that he was most widely recognized for his critical role in creating the modern real estate investment trust (REIT), which today is a more than $4 trillion industry.

The Equity press release said he served as chairman of Anixter International Inc., the global provider of wire and cable products, for 34 years and stewarded the sale of the company to WESCO in 2020 for $4.5 billion.

Click here for more details on Zell's fascinating business career.