Early Life
Antony P. Ressler was born on October 12, 1960, in Washington, D.C., to a Jewish family. He is one of five children of Dorothy and Ira Ressler. His father was an attorney and a World War II veteran. Ressler earned a BSFS from Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Rise to Success
Ressler began his career at Drexel Burnham Lambert in the 1980s, rising to senior vice president in the high-yield bond department. After Drexel's collapse, he co-founded Apollo Global Management in 1990. In 1997, Ressler co-founded Ares Management. He served as CEO of Ares Management until December 2017, and then became the Executive Chairman. In 2015, Ressler led a group to acquire the Atlanta Hawks NBA team.
Key Business Strategies
Ressler's success stems from his ability to identify undervalued assets and execute strategic investments. His firms, Apollo and Ares, focused on acquiring and turning around undervalued or distressed companies. Ressler's leadership has been instrumental in growing Ares Management into a leading global alternative asset manager.
Philanthropy
Ressler is actively involved in philanthropy, serving on the boards of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and Georgetown University. He is also a founder and former chairman of the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools. He and his wife, Jami Gertz, are known for their charitable activities, including the Gertz-Ressler High Academy.
