Stephen M. Ross is the CEO and Chairman of Related Ross, Founder and Non-Executive Chairman of Related Companies, Owner of the Miami Dolphins and a devoted philanthropist. Related Ross is focused on driving transformation growth in South Florida—concentrating on the high-growth areas of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County. Mr. Ross formed Related Companies in 1972 and today the company has over $70 billion in real estate assets owned or under development, including mixed-use, residential, retail and office properties in premier high-barrier-to-entry markets. The company is also one of the largest owners and preservationists of affordable housing in the country. Related was recently named one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World by Fast Company Magazine. In 2024, Mr. Ross founded and became Chief Executive of Related Ross, already the largest commercial-property owner in downtown West Palm Beach focused on continued development and inclusive economic growth across South Florida. Mr. Ross is an investor in Equinox® Fitness Clubs, Equinox Hotels and SoulCycle.
Real Estate and Development
Related Ross is investing more than $10 billion to reshape West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County into a premier destination for global business and living, with plans for more than six million square feet of office space, luxury residential towers and nearly 900 hotel rooms. In December 2025, Related Ross secured a $772 million construction financing package led by Ares Management for 10 CityPlace and 15 CityPlace, one of the largest construction loans in Florida history. Major tenants across the Related Ross Office Collection include Wells Fargo, J.P. Morgan Chase, ServiceNow, Goldman Sachs, and Cleveland Clinic.
Mr. Ross's development career spans more than five decades. Through Related Companies, he led the creation of Hudson Yards on Manhattan's West Side, one of the largest private real estate developments in American history, and the Time Warner Center (now Deutsche Bank Center) at Columbus Circle.
Sports and Entertainment
Mr. Ross is the owner of the Miami Dolphins, an NFL franchise that has become one of the most fan-friendly in sports under his leadership. He is Chairman and owner of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. He was instrumental in bringing the Miami Open Tennis Tournament to Hard Rock Stadium.
Hard Rock Stadium has also been selected as a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Venture Capital and Business
Mr. Ross is also Chairman and Co-Founder of RSE Ventures, a multi-national technology, sports and entertainment venture firm. RSE has invested in and incubated a number of diverse businesses and has also created and launched the International Champions Cup, a global pre-season soccer tournament.
Philanthropy and Community Impact
Mr. Ross has always sought opportunities to give back in meaningful ways. His philanthropic efforts have broadly focused on the areas of education, the arts, racial equality, healthcare and the creation of more sustainable cities throughout the world. Mr. Ross proudly serves on the Executive Committee as a trustee of Lincoln Center, as a trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital and as a director on the boards of Cornell Tech, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the New York Stem Cell Foundation. Mr. Ross is a leader and former board member of the World Resources Institute (WRI) where he established the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, an innovative initiative to integrate urban planning, sustainable transport, energy and climate change, water resources and governance. Furthermore, he has used his platform to harness the unifying power of sport to advance race relations across the country through the establishment of the nonprofit Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE). The organization's efforts have been so impactful that RISE was recognized in 2017 by ESPN's Humanitarian Awards with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award. He is the largest single donor to the University of Michigan supporting the Ross School of Business, critical athletic facilities, scholarships, career development programs and faculty recruitment and establishing the Detroit Center for Innovation. In 2013, Mr. Ross pledged to give more than half of his estate to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations through the Giving Pledge, a long-term global initiative created by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates that aims to inspire deeper engagement in philanthropy and increase charitable giving globally.
In 2020, Mr. Ross committed an additional $100 million to establish the University of Michigan Detroit Center for Innovation, a partnership between the university and the city of Detroit designed to advance technology education and economic opportunity. His total giving to the University of Michigan exceeds $478 million, making him the institution's largest individual donor.
In West Palm Beach, Mr. Ross launched the Related Ross Foundation to foster education, employment and community development in underserved neighborhoods. Through the Foundation, Mr. Ross committed more than $8 million to Palm Beach State College to create the Emerging Scholars Program, providing tuition-free post-secondary education for local students.
Honors and Awards
Over the years, Mr. Ross has received numerous honors for his business, civic and philanthropic activities. Most recently, he was inducted into the National Football Foundation Leadership Hall of Fame, and received the Jackie Robinson Foundation ROBIE Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the National Building Museum Honor Award, and received the National Housing Conference's Housing Person of the Year award, as well as REBNY's Harry B. Helmsley Distinguished New Yorker Award and the Jack D. Weiler Award from UJA. Crain's New York named Mr. Ross one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Business and he was recognized by NYC & Company with their Leadership in Tourism Award.
Education
Mr. Ross graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, from Wayne State University Law School with a Juris Doctor degree and from New York University School of Law with a Master of Laws in Taxation. In 2004, the University of Michigan renamed its business school the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and in 2011 the University of Michigan awarded Mr. Ross an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Stephen M. Ross?
Stephen M. Ross is the CEO and Chairman of Related Ross and the Founder of Related Companies, one of the largest privately owned real estate firms in the United States. He is also the owner of the Miami Dolphins, a Giving Pledge signatory, and the largest individual donor in the University of Michigan's history.
What is Related Ross?
Related Ross is a fully integrated real estate company founded by Stephen Ross in 2024, focused on transformative development across South Florida. The company is the largest commercial property owner in downtown West Palm Beach, with more than $10 billion planned in investment across Palm Beach County. Its portfolio spans office towers, luxury residences, city centers, hotels, and retail destinations.
Does Stephen Ross own the Miami Dolphins?
Yes. Stephen Ross first purchased 50% of the Miami Dolphins in 2008 and acquired an additional 45% in 2009 to become the principal owner. In April 2026, a minority interest sale valued the franchise at $12.5 billion, the highest for a minority transaction in professional sports history.
How did Stephen Ross get started in real estate?
In 1972, Stephen Ross borrowed $10,000 from his family to start a real estate advisory business. He founded Related Companies that same year, initially focused on developing federally subsidized affordable housing. The company has since grown to more than $70 billion in assets across the United States.
What is Stephen Ross's connection to the University of Michigan?
Stephen Ross is the largest individual donor in the University of Michigan's history, with lifetime giving exceeding $478 million. In 2004, the university renamed its business school the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. In 2020, he committed $100 million to establish the University of Michigan Detroit Center for Innovation.
