Mark Wilf

Born to a Jewish family, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf, who were both Holocaust survivors from Nazi occupied Poland.{{Cite news| title = NFL owners approve Vikings sale to Wilf | url = http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/05/25_williamsb_vikingsale/ | first = Brandt | last = Williams | publisher = Minnesota Public Radio | date = 2005-05-25 | accessdate = 2007-02-19 }} Mark's father, Joseph Wilf (1925–2016), was the first North American Chair of the March of the Living, which dedicated the 2017 March of the Living to his memory.{{cite web|last1=Young|first1=Lindsey|title=2017 'March of the Living' Honors Memory of Joseph Wilf|url=http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/2017-March-of-the-Living-Honors-Memory-of-Joseph-Wilf/ad098770-3355-4a81-9cba-93e7b637a84f|website=Vikings.com|publisher=Minnesota Vikings|accessdate=26 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925181953/http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/2017-March-of-the-Living-Honors-Memory-of-Joseph-Wilf/ad098770-3355-4a81-9cba-93e7b637a84f|archive-date=25 September 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Chris|title=Joseph Wilf, father of Vikings owners, dies at age 91|url=http://www.startribune.com/joseph-wilf-father-of-vikings-owners-dies-at-age-91/389104121/|publisher=Star Tribune|date=3 August 2016}} Mark has one brother, Zygi Wilf.[http://observer.com/2014/09/the-broken-moral-compass-of-vikings-owners-mark-and-zygi-wilf/ The Observer: "The Broken Moral Compass of Vikings Owners Mark and Zygi Wilf - NJ developers 'cheated' their partners for two decades – now Minnesotans witness the brothers' shape-shifting principles" By Michael Craig] September 17, 2014 The Wilf family immigrated to the United States from Europe in the early 1950s and settled in Hillside, New Jersey. After a brief stint as used car salesmen, Joseph and his brother Harry Wilf began purchasing apartment buildings and renting units. Eventually, the brothers began building single-family homes and founded Garden Homes.{{cite web|url=http://www.gardenhomes.com|title=Garden Homes|work=gardenhomes.com}} A successful real estate developer, his two main family-run businesses, Garden Homes and Garden Commercial Properties, have constructed some 25,000 homes in 39 states across the country since their initial ventures; the two entities and their affiliates own and manage {{convert|25000000|sqft|m2}} in retail and business property.G.R. Anderson, Jr., [http://www.citypages.com/2007-01-03/news/eye-of-the-beholder/ Eye of the Beholder] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219062045/http://www.citypages.com/2007-01-03/news/eye-of-the-beholder/ |date=2010-12-19 }}, City Pages, January 3, 2007.

Wilf received a B.A. from Princeton University and then a J.D from the New York University School of Law.[http://docplayer.net/2070477-Minnesota-vikings-mission-statement.html MINNESOTA VIKINGS MISSION STATEMENT] retrieved September 19, 2015 After graduation, Wilf joined the family real estate business, Garden Homes. In 2005, Wilf and his brother Zygi Wilf, took control of the Minnesota Vikings with advisement on the deal coming from international law firm Greenberg Traurig and former Vikings COO Kevin Warren.{{Cite web| title = Kevin F. Warren: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1304664&privcapId=1276208 | publisher = Bloomberg Businessweek | accessdate = 2017-02-09 }}{{Cite web |title= NFL owners approve Vikings sale to Wilf |url= http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/04/30/In-Depth/Kevin-Warren.aspx |first= Erik |last= Spanberg |publisher= SportsBusiness Daily |date= 2012-04-30 |accessdate= 2017-02-09 }} Wilf was appointed president and his brother Zygi, CEO. As president, Wilf manages the day-to-day operations of the team and directs all its business departments.

Wilf is a major donor to the Jewish community including Yad Vashem and the Holocaust memorial museum in Israel. Wilf served as national campaign chairman for the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and was elected chair of their board of trustees in 2018. He was also appointed by the JFNA to lead a new initiative that addresses the needs of impoverished Holocaust survivors living in the United States. He serves as a Trustee of Yeshiva University.{{cite web|title=Yeshiva University Trustees|url=http://www.yu.edu/trustees/|publisher=Yeshiva University}} He also serves on the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt University.{{cite web|title=Board of Trust: Members|url=http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/members.php|website=Vanderbilt University|accessdate=August 15, 2016}} In July 2022, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israeli-news/article-711657|title = Jewish Agency's BOG approved Almog as chairman of the executive| date=10 July 2022 }}

In 1990, Wilf married Jane E. Frieder in a Jewish ceremony in Philadelphia;[https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/29/style/jane-e-frieder-weds-mark-wilf.html New York Times: "Jane E. Frieder Weds Mark Wilf"] October 29, 1990 they have four children.

In May 2016, they bought a $7 million house in Palm Beach, Florida from Peter W. May, using a Florida LLC company.{{cite news|last1=Hofheinz|first1=Darell|title=Vikings owner linked to $7 million townhouse buy in Palm Beach|url=http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/business/real-estate/vikings-owner-linked-million-townhouse-buy-palm-beach/8ybPZcqKG1uGBRJt0G1u9I|accessdate=26 December 2017|work=palmbeachdailynews.com|date=May 18, 2016}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:American billionaires

Category:American businesspeople in real estate

Category:Jewish American sports executives and administrators

Category:Minnesota Vikings executives

Category:NFL team presidents

Category:New York University School of Law alumni

Category:Princeton University alumni

Category:Pingry School alumni

Mark