Ira Lubert Named Drexel's 2014 Business Leader of the Year

Ira M. Lubert, co-founder of Independent Capital Partners

Real estate investment guru Ira M. Lubert, co-founder of Independent Capital Partners, a family of private equity and real estate investment funds, is Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business’ 60th Business Leader of the Year. He will be honored at a luncheon attended by hundreds of Greater Philadelphia’s top executives on Feb. 27.

“Ira’s vision and leadership extend well beyond his incredibly successful firms, to the business community he has helped build and the philanthropy and service through which he’s impacted many thousands of people in the region,” said Drexel University President John A. Fry. “We are proud to be honoring Ira with this award, which for 60 years has celebrated the individuals who personify business excellence in Greater Philadelphia.”

Independence Capital Partners was founded in 1997 to provide back-office and infrastructure support to private equity and real estate fund managers. Its services include investor relations, compliance, performance reporting, risk and financial management, and information technology. The firm consists of Lubert-Adler Real Estate, LLR Partners Inc., Quaker Partners, LEM Capital, LBC Credit Partners, and Patriot Financial Partners L.P.

Lubert has more than 40 years of experience in the real estate and private equity sectors. Prior to forming Lubert-Adler, he was the principal and founder of TL Ventures, within the family of Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE: SFE), an early-stage venture fund. Lubert also was founder of Radnor Venture Partners L.P., the first venture fund managed by Safeguard Scientifics.

Lubert is on the board of trustees at Pennsylvania State University (where he has committed significant funds to athletic, educational and capital campaigns), the National Constitution Center, the Franklin Institute and Jefferson Hospital. He is past chairman of the United Way Campaign of Philadelphia and an active recruiter for the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way.

Presented annually by Drexel’s LeBow College of Business, the Business Leader of the Year award has become one of the most prestigious honors in the Greater Philadelphia region. Proceeds from the event fund scholarships and other activities at the College. Previous recipients include Al West, founding CEO of SEI Investments Co.; Steve Cozen, founder and chairman of the Philadelphia-based law firm Cozen O’Connor; G. Fred DiBona Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Philadelphia-based health insurance corporation Independence Blue Cross (IBC); Betsy Z. Cohen, founder and CEO of The Bancorp; C.R. "Chuck" Pennoni, chairman of the international engineering firm Pennoni Associates Inc.; and Raj L. Gupta, chairman, former CEO and president of Rohm and Haas Company.