Simon

The Simons credit Indianapolis “with giving us our start,” says Herb Simon, co-founder of the largest chain of malls in the country, “and we did everything we could to help it grow.” Castleton, Greenwood, and Keystone at the Crossing, among other Simon Property Group malls, transformed the suburban landscape. And the heart of the city benefited from the family’s ambition in ways even they couldn’t have foreseen—Circle Centre may have been the single biggest factor in the downtown renaissance.


The Patriarchs - Mel and Herb Simon, 82 and 74, respectively
Thank the U.S. Army for stationing Mel Simon at Fort Benjamin Harrison. After a poor upbringing in the Bronx and his years in the service, he decided to stay in Indy, working as a leasing agent for developer Albert J. Frankel. Soon, Mel hooked up his younger brother Herb. “He told me about the great opportunities back in Indiana,” Herb says. “He got me a job there working with Frankel, and we opened our own office in June 1960.” Melvin Simon & Associates began developing strip malls and soon moved up to enclosed malls. In 1995, Mel’s son, David, took over the reins of what’s now called Simon Property Group—the largest public U.S. real-estate company.


The Assist
Joining the NBA in 1976 almost wrecked the Indiana Pacers financially. By 1983, the team had ended the season with a dismal 20-62 record, and owner Sam Nassi was looking to get out. That’s when Mayor William Hudnut III paid a visit to the Simons. “He walked into our office and got right to it,” Herb remembers. “He said that the Pacers were being sold and possibly moved to another city. He wanted to know if my brother and I would buy the team to keep them in Indianapolis. We didn’t know a lot about basketball, but we felt like we had to do it to help the city.”


The Centre of Attention
Sixteen years. A construction site cave-in. Battles with the city over taxes. Anchor stores backing out of their commitments. No one claims building Circle Centre was easy, but the Simon mall delivered on a promise to rejuvenate downtown. When it finally opened on Sept. 8, 1995, at a cost of more than $300 million, the high-end shops were an instant hit. “It’s one of the most difficult things we’ve ever done,” Herb says.


The Life of the Party
During last year’s election cycle, Mel’s wife Bren personally donated almost $100,000 to political candidates, was a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, and contributed to President Obama’s inaugural committee. She is also a notable philanthropist, serving as director of the Mel & Bren Simon Charitable Trust, which to date has given away more than $60 million to IU’s Cancer Center and the IMA alone. “They raised the bar for museums across the country seeking to endow positions,” says Max Anderson, the Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of the museum. “Many of my peers are scratching their heads about how their own named positions came with comparatively minimal support.”

The Local Descendants

David Simon, 47, chairman and CEO, Simon Property Group
In October 2007, David was named chairman of the company’s board of directors, relegating his father, Mel, and his uncle Herb to chairmen emeriti. Notoriously media shy, David and his wife, Jackie, have five children. “They carefully protect their privacy,” says sister Cindy, “It’s hard being a Simon in this city. People have preconceived notions about who you are. We’ve been maligned sometimes in the press.”

Cindy Simon Skjodt, 51, chairperson, Pacers Foundation
“I’m the most social of my family, and probably the most approachable,” says Cindy. “Maybe the fact that I’m the middle child explains the difference?” Whatever it is, her affability makes her a valued asset for many nonprofits around the city. “I think I was on 18 boards at one time,” she admits. “As the children have gotten older, I kind of had to pull back. I’m probably on seven now.”

Deborah J. Simon, 52, chairperson, Simon Youth Foundation
Media-quiet like her brother, Mel’s oldest daughter runs Simon Property Group’s community-outreach arm, with a nationwide focus on helping disadvantaged youth attend college.

Shari Simon Greenberg, 44, senior vice president of corporate marketing, Simon Property Group
Daughter of Mel and Herb’s middle brother, Fred, Shari launched the campaign to brand the Simon nameon its malls in 1999.

The Legacy

When Indianapolis decided to stake its future on sports, Mel and Herb Simon played no small part in achieving that goal. One could argue that it all started that afternoon in 1983, when Hudnut cajoled them into buying the struggling Pacers. But it is real estate—a staggering 262 million square feet worldwide—that makes Simon Property Group (headquarters, above) the family’s most impressive achievement.