Stanley Tanger
Stanley K. Tanger (April 13, 1923 – October 23, 2010 [1]) was an American businessman, philanthropist and pioneer of the outlet shopping industry. Tanger is the founder of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, which began with a single location in Burlington, North Carolina in 1981,[2] and now has 33 shopping centers throughout the United States as of October 2010.[1] In doing so, Tanger can also be credited with inventing "the very concept of the outlet mall," according to the News & Record of Greensboro, North Carolina.[1] Tanger Outlets grossed $270 million dollars in 2009.[1]
Tanger was the son of Harriette and Moe Tanger, who were from Wallingford, Connecticut. Tanger served as a pilot during World War II.[1]
After the end of the war, Tanger began to run Creighton Shirtmakers, the family business in Reidsville, North Carolina.[1] Under Tanger, Creighton Shirtmakers expanded to five outlet stores.[1] Tanger soon organized other similar businesses and manufacturer outlets into a small, brand name outlet strip mall in Burlington, North Carolina in the early 1981.[1][2] The company, now known as Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, had since expanded to more than thirty-three outlet centers in twenty-two U.S. states, as of October 2010.[1] In 1993, Tanger Factory Outlet Centers became the first outlet developer to be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.[1][2]
Real Estate by Inc. Magazine named Tanger as "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 1994.[2] Tanger remained chairman of Tanger's board of directors until his retirement from a daily role with the company on August 7, 2009.[3] He resigned as chairman of the board in September 2009,[3] but remained a member of Tanger's board of directors until his death in 2010.[2]
Tanger and his wife, Doris Tanger, who survived breast cancer more than forty years before his death in 2010,[1] were local, North Carolina philanthropists. Much of Tanger's philanthropy focused on breast cancer awareness, including a one-million-dollar contribution to Moses Cone Health System’s Regional Cancer Center in Greenboro.[1] Tanger also funded a variety of beatification projects throughout the city of Greensboro, including the creation and preservation of city parks, including the Bicentennial Gardens.[1]
Stanley Tanger, a resident of Greensboro, died of pneumonia on October 23, 2010, at the age of 87.[1] He was survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Doris Tanger, and his children and grandchildren. Tanger's funeral was held at Temple Emanuel, a Reform Judaism congregation in Greensboro.[1]
His son, Steven Tanger, became the president and chief executive office of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers in January 2010.[1][3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Lehmert, Amanda (2010-10-25). "Stanley Tanger, outlet industry pioneer, dies". News & Record (Greensboro). Retrieved 2010-11-11.
- ^ a b c d e "Outlet developer Stanley Tanger dies". The Business Journal. 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2010-11-11.
- ^ a b c Lavender, Chris (2010-10-25). "Founder of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers dies". Times-News (Burlington, North Carolina). Retrieved 2010-11-11.