S. Jon Kreedman

S. Jon Kreedman was born {{circa|1921}} in Detroit, Michigan.{{cite news|last1=Oliver|first1=Myrna|title=S. Jon Kreedman; Real Estate Developer|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-08-mn-31274-story.html|access-date=August 30, 2016|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=November 8, 1999}} His father was a carpenter-turned-real estate developer.{{cite news|title=At 15 Brings Career Start|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/26623167/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Anderson Herald|location=Anderson, Indiana|date=April 8, 1962|page=3|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} He moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1941, and he served in the United States Army during World War II.

Kreedman began his career by working for his father at the age of 15, first as a carpenter and later as a builder. He later worked for a construction firm. In 1948, he founded his own real estate development company, S. Jon Kreedman & Co., a real estate development company headquartered in Beverly Hills, California.

File:Alexandria Hotel (Los Angeles).jpg, owned by Kreedman from 1961 to 1970.]]

Kreedman began by building tract homes in Los Angeles, California. He subsequently moved on to commercial buildings. He built the Brierwood Terrace-Valley Convalescent Hospital in Encino, California in 1958; its construction cost more than US$50,000.{{cite news|title=Announce New Hospital for Convalescents to Open|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/23755863/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=The Van Nuys News|location=Van Nuys, California|date=July 10, 1958|page=13|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} In 1959, he purchased the Plush Horse Restaurant at 1700 South Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach, California, from Harold Gelber with two Chicago investors to build a new resort;{{cite news|title=Plush Horse, Redondo Beach, Sold; Major Resort Planned|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/18827369/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Independent Press-Telegram|location=Long Beach, California|date=August 16, 1959|page=61|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} it became known as the Plush Horse Inn in 1961.{{cite news|title=More Details on Best Dining Spots|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/11128966/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Independent|location=Long Beach, California|date=October 13, 1961|page=34|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} Meanwhile, he acquired the Hotel Alexandria in Downtown Los Angeles in 1961, only to restore it in 1970.{{cite news|title=Hotel Restoration|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/61537992/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=San Bernardino County Sun|location=San Bernardino, California|date=December 20, 1969|page=35|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }}{{cite news|title=Grand Hotel All Spit and Polish|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/46113596/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=News-Journal|location=Mansfield, Ohio|date=August 26, 1970|page=5|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} Kreedman built the United California Bank Building on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Camden Drive in Beverly Hills, but its foundation wall collapsed because of the underground parking lot in 1961.{{cite news|title=New Bank's Foundation Collapses|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/60225288/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|location=Santa Cruz, California|date=May 9, 1961|page=15|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }}{{cite news|title=Big Bank Foundation Collapses|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/38993842/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=The Times|location=San Mateo, California|date=May 9, 1961|page=9|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} By 1962, he controlled US$50 million of real estate. He built the One Wilshire in Downtown Los Angeles in 1966. In 1973, he converted The Century Towers in Century City from luxury rentals to condominiums.{{cite web|title=HISTORY|url=http://www.century-towers.com/history/|website=Century Towers|accessdate=August 30, 2016}}

File:One Wilshire, Los Angeles.jpg

Kreedman had an option on "50 retail stores and 12 parking lots" in Westwood owned by Arnold Kirkeby, which he sold to investors M. A. Borenstein, Bernard M. Silbert and Harvey Silbert in 1961.{{cite book|last1=Wanamaker|first1=Marc|title=Westwood|date=2010|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|location=Charleston, South Carolina|isbn=9780738569109|oclc=639158795|page=109|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VWxdBTTzfFoC&q=Bernard+M.+Silbert&pg=PA109}}

Kreedman was appointed to the Advisory Commission on Housing Problems by Governor Pat Brown in 1961.{{cite news|title=Brown Names 13 to Housing Advisory Unit|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/31799394/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Independent Star-News|location=Pasadena, California|date=November 19, 1961|page=25}}{{cite news|title=Brown Takes Steps to End Housing Gap|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/52019521/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=The Times|location=San Mateo, California|date=November 20, 1961|page=12|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }}

The company was sued in S. Jon Kreedman & Co. v Meyers Bros. Parking-Western Corp. in 1976 over the construction of a parking lot.{{cite book|editor1-last=Weverka |editor1-first=Philip |title=California Construction Contracts, Defects, and Litigation: 2015 Update|date=2015|publisher=CEB Inc.|location=Arlington, Virginia|page=44|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSA-CwAAQBAJ&q=S.+Jon+Kreedman&pg=SA5-PA44|isbn=9780762623389 }} The case showed that regardless of the lack of architectural plans, construction firms must repay the tenants for their lost profits.

Kreedman was invited to give lectures about the construction industry on the campuses of UCLA in 1960,{{cite news|title=Special Lecture Series at UCLA to Open on Thursday|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/30287490/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Valley News|location=Van Nuys, California|date=September 18, 1960|page=26|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} and the Harvard Business School in 1967.

Kreedman founded American City Bank in 1963.{{cite news|title=TAKEOVER IS ARRANGED FOR FAILED COAST BANK|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/28/business/takeover-is-arranged-for-failed-coast-bank.html|accessdate=August 30, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=February 28, 1983}} He served as its chairman. It became "the largest independent bank in the Los Angeles area", with seven branches in Southern California by 1983.{{cite news|title=Singapore Group Buying U.S. Bank|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/14/business/singapore-group-buying-us-bank.html|accessdate=August 30, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=August 14, 1981}} However, it went bankrupt that year, and it was acquired by the United Overseas Bank.

Kreedman was appointed to the board of directors of CalPERS in 1979. Three years later, in 1982, he was appointed to the board of administration of the Public Employees Retirement System for the City of Los Angeles.{{cite news|title=Sacramento Summary|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/62720030/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|location=Santa Cruz, California|date=January 24, 1982|page=7|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }}

Kreedman made charitable donations to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the City of Hope National Medical Center, and the Variety Club of Southern California.

Kreedman supported the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Bonds Organization.

Kreedman was a member of the Democratic Party. He campaigned for the 1969 re-election of Sam Yorty as Mayor of Los Angeles.{{cite news|title=Yorty Campaign Headquarters Opened|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/7193820/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=The Van Nuys News|location=Van Nuys, California|date=February 9, 1969|page=19|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }}

Kreedman served as co-chairman of Jerry Brown's 1973 gubernatorial campaign.{{cite news|title=Brown letter points to his candidacy|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/15118438/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Redlands Daily Facts|location=Redlands, California|date=September 27, 1973|page=9|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} He was also one of the campaign's largest contributors, having donated US$10,000.{{cite news|title=Brown Bares Income, Campaign Fund Data|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/70338212/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Daily Independent Journal|location=San Rafael, California|page=8|date=November 17, 1973|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} Meanwhile, additional donations were also made through the Century Towers Association and the Hotel Alexandria.{{cite news|title=Brown said hiding big business money|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/47112153/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=The Times Standard|location=Eureka, California|date=March 22, 1974|page=2|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }}

His first wife, Thelma, filed for divorce in 1963, on allegations of "extreme cruelty".{{cite news|title=Files Suit|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/17792128/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Independent|location=Long Beach, California|date=July 26, 1963|page=2|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration |quote=The wife of millionaire Beverly Hills builder S. Jon Kreedman has filed suit for divorce in Santa Monica. Mrs Thelma Kreedman charged extreme cruelty in a complaint.}} With his second wife Marlene, Kreedman had a son, Dale, and a daughter, Barbara.

Kreedman collected vintage cars.{{cite news|title=Vintage Cars on Display|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/30535828/?terms=%22S.%2BJon%2BKreedman%22|accessdate=August 31, 2016|work=Independent Press-Telegram|location=Long Beach, California|date=April 23, 1972|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration |page=85}}

Kreedman died on November 5, 1999, in Los Angeles, California.

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Category:1921 births

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Category:Businesspeople from Detroit

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Category:United States Army personnel of World War II

Category:Businesspeople from Los Angeles

Category:American businesspeople in real estate

Category:American bankers

Category:American company founders

Category:California Democrats

Category:20th-century American businesspeople