Vera Guerin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1947 (age 78–79)
Dana Guerin
Michael Guerin
Vera Guerin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vera Shapell 1947 (age 78–79) |
| Occupation | philanthropist |
| Spouse | Paul Guerin |
| Children | Lisa Guerin Dana Guerin Michael Guerin |
| Parent(s) | Nathan Shapell Lilly Schreiber |
Vera Guerin is an American billionaire, philanthropist, and musical theater producer.[1]
Guerin was born to a Jewish family, the daughter of Lily (née Schreiber) and Nathan Shapell.[2][3][4][5] Her father was born in Poland. During World War II he was interned at the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps but he managed to escape. Her mother was also an Auschwitz survivor and worked as an interpreter at several of the war crimes trials.[6] Her parents immigrated to California in 1952 when she was five where her father co-founded home builder Shapell Industries with his brother David and brother-in-law Max Webb.[2] Shapell Industries eventually went on to build 65,000 houses in California.[5]
Guerin inherited her father's 43 percent stake in Shapell Industries upon his death in 2007.[1] In November 2013, Toll Brothers purchased the Shapell Homes housebuilding division of Shapell Industries for $1.6 billion; Shapell's share was $690 million.[7] Shapell still retains a 43 percent interest in the remainder of Shappell industries which includes over 10,000 apartments, five shopping centers, and four office buildings worth an additional $1.7 billion[1] making her share worth $645 million. This sum combined with the amount earned from the Shapell Homes sale gives her an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion.[1]
Guerin is an occasional musical theater producer. She produced a show for the Women's Guild 50th Anniversary Gala emceed by Billy Crystal.[8] She produced the musical Leap of Faith.[9]