22 May 2012 www.TheRealDeal.

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PHOTOGRAPH FOR THE REAL DEAL BY MAX DWORKIN

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Lorber

oward Lorber, 63, may be best known in the industry as the chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman, but he wears many other business hats. Hes also the CEO of the Vector Group, a holding company that owns the tobacco company Liggett Group as well as a major stake in Elliman. And hes executive chairman of Nathans Famous, the famed hot dog chain. Hes also the CEO of real estate firm and Vector subsidiary New Valley, which has investments in Manhattan condo projects like the Toy Building, the Jean Nouvel tower at 100 Eleventh Avenue and HFZ Capitals 11 East 68th Street. But the job that occupies most of his time, he says, is Elliman, which he and Dottie Herman purchased in 2003 for $72 million. The firm, which sold $11.1 billion in homes last year, is the citys largest residential brokerage with 3,600 agents in 62 offices, including Long Island, Westchester and Florida. Lorbers office, on the top floor of 712 Fifth Avenue, includes a view of his Manhattan apartment at the Sherry-Netherland hotel, but also encapsulates his varied business interests. B y C. J. H ugHes

A mini version of the flagship Nathans restaurant on Coney Island. Explaining his investment in the company, which now has about 400 franchises worldwide, Lorber says, What I like are great brand names with lousy management.

A paperweight made of parts of various wristwatches, to honor Lorbers own 100-piece wristwatch collection. He wears a watch by luxury designer Patek Philippe on a daily basis.

Madam, a springer spaniel whos won 50 best-inshow awards over a twoyear period. Lorber breeds dogs on Long Island and has a few as pets at his Southampton home.

Lorber is a holder of New York Knicks courtside season tickets, though he also regularly attends the Miami Heats games in Florida, where he has a home. When they play each other, I root for the Knicks, generally speaking, he says.

A 1968 fraternity composite from Alpha Epsilon Pi at C.W. Post/Long Island University. Lorber, then a junior, served as a second-in-command lieutenant master, but became president the following year.

Stacks of papers are easier to navigate than filing cabinets, Lorber notes: I can pick out anything because I know where everything is. He also owns two iPhones, a BlackBerry and a cell phone, which he occasionally carries all at once.

Though Lorber would support Ray Kelly if he ran for mayor in 2013, he thinks Donald Trump would be fantastic. Presidentially, Lorber is a Mitt Romney supporter and has already raised money for him.

Lorber usually has the TV in his office turned to CNBC, but its recently been showing Million Dollar Listing New York, the new Bravo series that features his son Michael Lorber, an Elliman broker.