09/23/2026
To kick off our 150th Anniversary Speaker Series, we welcomed Edward St. John ’55, Founder and Chairman of St. John Properties, to speak to members of the Business Club. Ed shared the story of how he grew his commercial real estate firm from just a few small buildings to more than 25 million square feet of office, warehouse, retail, and flex space across 14 states.
His hard work, drive, and ultimate success allowed him to establish the Edward St. John Foundation, which has donated and pledged more than $75 million toward supporting educational programs and institutions. He was accompanied by Sharon Akers, President of the Edward St. John Foundation. Ed left the students with the message, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”