Early Life
Donald Samuel Tokowitz, later known as Donald Sterling, was born on April 26, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. At the age of two, his family moved to Los Angeles, California, where he grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he was active in the gymnastics team and served as class president, graduating in 1952. He pursued higher education at California State University, Los Angeles, and later earned a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in 1960.
Rise to Success
Sterling began his professional career in 1961 as a divorce and personal injury attorney. However, his interest soon shifted to real estate. He purchased a 26-unit apartment building in Beverly Hills, which marked the beginning of his significant real estate ventures. Over the years, Sterling acquired numerous properties across Los Angeles, including the Sterling Towers and Sterling Plaza. He built his wealth by buying apartment buildings.
Key Business Strategies
Sterling's business strategy centered on acquiring and managing real estate properties, particularly apartment buildings. He was known for buying properties in the Los Angeles area. He later owned over 160 apartment buildings in the city. He was known for acquiring properties and later selling them for a profit.
Philanthropy
There is no significant information on Sterling's philanthropy, however, it is known that UCLA rejected his $3 million pledge to support basic kidney research at the school's division of nephrology after his racist remarks.
