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John Sobrato, RET co-chair
Chairman, Sobrato Development Companies
As founder and principal of Sobrato Development Companies, John A. Sobrato heads one of the most successful real estate development organizations in California. John’s career in real estate dates to 1957, when he began selling homes in Palo Alto while attending Santa Clara University. Although working only part time during the school year, he was soon among the Peninsula's top residential real estate brokers, becoming the first member of the Million Dollar Club of the Palo Alto Real Estate Board. After his graduation in 1960 with a Business degree, John founded Midtown Realty, specializing in "Eichler" home re-sales. Building on his success in the residential marketplace he soon expanded into commercial real estate, working with his mother in the development of industrial properties. Thus began Sobrato Development Companies, nearly a decade before the name "Silicon Valley" was coined.
In 1974, John sold Midtown Realty in order to concentrate his full attention to commercial development of the rapidly emerging high technology industry. Since that time, he has been responsible for development and construction of over two hundred fifty office/R & D facilities totaling over l4 million square feet, all of which are 100% family-owned without institutional partners. Today the company enjoys long-term relationships with a majority of Silicon Valley's established electronics companies and owns over 120 buildings throughout Santa Clara County and Southern Alameda County encompassing over 10 million square feet of office and manufacturing space and 7000 apartments. John A. Sobrato is recognized by his peers as one of the most knowledgeable men in the real estate industry.
Today, Sobrato Development Companies' day to day operations are managed by Mr. Sobrato's son, John Michael, a 1983 business graduate of Santa Clara University. John, Sr. attributes the company's recent success to John Michael, who has worked in the company since he was a teenager.
John and his wife, Susan, have been married for 43 years. They have three children, John Michael, Sheri, and Lisa. They also have four grandsons, John Matthew, Jeffrey Michael, Michael Vincent, and Joseph Matthew.
John’s affiliations include being Past President of the Palo Alto Real Estate Board; Trustee, University of Santa Clara; Regent, Bellarmine High School; Past President, St. Francis High School Foundation; Santa Clara County Director, Bay Area Council; Board Member, Parents Helping Parents, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and Vice Chairman, National Hispanic University. Chairman, Sobrato Family Foundation.
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