Fortress Investment Group Co-founder, Wesley Robert Edens, who is also the Principal as well as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the group, has assumed various other positions as well. Having founded the group in 1998, he has been involved in the management of the company since its inception and he also oversees the investment businesses, including alternative investments which are publicly traded and also private equity business of the group.
Popularly referred to as Wes in the financial circles, Wesley Edens has also served in high level positions across top financial and investment firms. Having earlier served in the positions of Managing Director as well as Partner in top firms such as BlackRock and Lehmann Brothers, he has also been involved in top level management positions in UBS, Impac Commercial Holdings, Eurocastle Investment, Whistler Blackcomb Holdings, RIC Co-investment Fund, Capstead Mortgage and Union Bank of Switzerland, only to name a few.
Currently, Edens also serves as Chairman of the following organizations:
- SpringLeaf Holdings
- New Residential Investment
- Newcastle Investment
- New Media Investment Group
- Nationstar Mortgage Holdings
- Seacastle
- Mapeley
- Local Media Group
- Florida East Coast Holdings
In addition to these, Edens is also a director at New Senior Investment Group, Intrawest Resorts Holdings and GAGFAF and is also an independent director at Gaming and Leisure Properties.
Earlier, Edens had also served on the Boards of Brookdale Living Communities, Aircastle, FRIT PINN and Crown Castle International.
An incredibly high power investor, Edens also co-owns a team in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks, and is actively involved with media groups such as Gatehouse Media.
Education and family
He completed his BS from Oregon State University in Finance. He is married to Lynn Edens, who is a notable philanthropist.
Philanthropy
While Edens may be considered to be a giant and a genius in the financial circles, he has also been actively involved in philanthropic work. Taking active interest in global health issues, Edens has supported a number of initiatives, often involving the co-support of his wife Lynn. Edens has set up a trust known as Chinook Charitable Trust, which looks to support medical causes. Edens has helped a number of organizations and institutions by offering his genius insight and also monetary help to fight global health problems.
Lynn Edens herself is actively involved in philanthropy and owns Hoof Beat Charitable Trust and Little Creek. Actively supporting global medical issues and equity initiatives through the trusts, Lynn also is a Board member across children’s organizations, including Trevor Day School and Children’s Rights.
Along with his wife Lynn, Edens has also supported Partners in Health over the years and they have established a global health professorship in Macalester College worth $2 million.
Edens is a well-respected individual in the world of investment and finance and is considered to be an industry heavyweight. However, he has also offered a lot of philanthropic help to the world and has been very active against global health issues. An incredibly successful person, Edens’ philanthropic efforts have also taken off well. Edens has definitely offered enough to be remembered for a long time to come.
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