Walter H. Shorenstein

Walter Shorenstein "began work in commercial real estate with the brokerage firm Milton Meyer & Company in 1946 after being discharged in San Francisco from military service as a Major. In 1951, he was made a partner in the firm, and in 1953 he was named a "Leader of Tomorrow" by Time Magazine. By 1960, Mr. Shorenstein had become President and sole owner of Milton Meyer & Company (which was subsequently renamed Shorenstein Company), and began dramatically expanding its real estate development and management activities. Under his leadership, Shorenstein Company became the largest owner and operator of Class A office buildings in San Francisco, and forged lasting relationships with major institutional partners such as IBM, Bechtel, MetLife and Bank of America.

"In recognition of his accomplishments, Mr. Shorenstein was inducted into the University of Southern California's Real Estate Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Bay Area Council's Business Hall of Fame in 1998. Mr. Shorenstein has also served as a guest lecturer on real estate to graduate programs at Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, Wharton School of Business, Brigham Young University, and other institutions.

"Outside the world of business, Mr. Shorenstein has repeatedly demonstrated his interest in building a better community and nation through his extensive philanthropic and political activities. He is a steadfast supporter of the Democratic Party. He received the Democratic National Committee's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. In 1995, he chaired the United Nations 50th Anniversary Charter Commemorative Celebration in San Francisco.

"In memory of his daughter Joan, he and his late wife Phyllis founded the Joan Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He also sponsors the Shorenstein Initiative at Stanford University's Asia/Pacific Research Center, as well as programs at UC Berkeley's Institute of East Asian Studies. In addition, the Shorenstein family is one of the nation's leading supporters of the United Way." 

Walter H. Shorenstein is married to Phyllis J. Shorenstein.


 * Carter Center: Founders and Board of Counselors
 * Advisory Board, Freeman-Spogli Institute

External resources

 * "Walter H. Shorenstein", (Biographical note), Undated, Accessed June 2007.