Jami Gertz rose to fame following her roles as France in the 1986 film Crossroads, which was inspired by the life of musician Robert Johnson, Star in The Lost Boys, Blair in Less Than Zero, and Terri in Quicksilver. She also became of public interest for appearing as Judy Miller on CBS’s Still Standing, and as Debbie Weaver on The Neighbors.
Since the ‘80s, Gertz has appeared in more than twenty other films, including Renegades and Listen To Me. On television, she’s had both guest and recurring roles and has equally appeared on countless television films. Gert is currently filming I Want You Back, whose release date is yet to be announced.
Besides earning income as an actress in her own right, Gertz’s joint investments with husband Tony Ressler make their combined net worth sit somewhere in the neighborhood of a billion dollars. and counting At the beginning of their relationship, she made more money. That has since changed. The couple is heavily invested in sports, real estate, and corporate lending through different investment groups. Here’s how that happened:
10 A Power Couple
In June of 1989, Gertz married business executive Tony Ressler. The pair have stayed married since. Theirs is one of the longest marriages in Hollywood. They have three sons; Oliver Jordan Ressler who was born in 1992, Nicholas Simon Ressler who was born in 1995, and Theo Ressler, who was born in 1998. To date, despite being a billionaire, Gertz continues to act and is the face of the couple's biggest purchase yet; Atlanta Hawks.
9 Interest In Investment
When it comes to investment, Gertz did not have to look too far from home as she had the expert within an arms reach. Tony Ressler worked at Drexel Burnham Lambert, a multinational investment bank that ran until 1990. As an employee of the bank, Ressler had risen up the corporate ladder to the position of senior vice president in the high yield bond department.
8 The Collapse Of Drexel Burnham Lambert
At the peak of operation, Drexel Burnham Lambert was considered a Bulge Bracket bank, one of the biggest investment banks in the world, and position five in ranking in the United States. In 1990, the bank collapsed following the involvement of its senior executive Michael Milken in fraudulent activities associated with the junk bond market.
7 The Birth Of Apollo Global Management
Following the collapse of Drexel Burnham Lambert, Tony Ressler co-founded Apollo Global Management, a private firm. His partners in founding the firm were Leon Black, Josh Harris, and Marc Rowan. Leon Black also happens to be Ressler’s brother-in-law. As of 2021, Apollo Global Management is a publicly-traded company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
6 Early Beginnings
At the company’s initiation Apollo Global Management did not have adequate funding. Its initial investment strategy largely involved the purchase of companies that were experiencing financial shortages or on the verge of bankruptcy. Some of the early purchases the firm made include Culligan, Samsonite, Walter Industries, and Vail Resorts. Through the years, the company’s investment portfolio went a notch higher amid some losses. In 2019, its revenue stood at $2.9 billion, and its total number of employees at the time was 1600.
5 Apollo Real Estate Advisers
In 1993, William Mack partnered with the firm to invest in real estate. The fund targeted markets in the USA and had access to $500 million in investor commitment. Apollo however exited the partnership, leading to the firm's rebrand as AREA Property Partners. The firms remaining principals, William Mack, William Benjamin, Stuart Koenig, Richard Mack, and Lee Neibart continue to oversee its operations.
4 Founding Ares Management
In 1997, Tony Ressler co-founded Ares Management alongside Michael Arougheti, David Kaplan, John Kissick, and Bennett Rosenthal. In 2019, the company had an operating income of $302 million, a net income of $148.8 million, and overall revenue of $1.7 billion. Its number of employees sits at 1200 as of 2020, and just like Apollo Global Management, it’s listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
3 Business Model
Ares Management has three major business models. Ares Credit Group scouts lending opportunities and offers direct lending to corporates and institutions. As of May 2016, this section of the firm has $60 billion in asset management. Ares Private Equity Group manages power and infrastructure assets estimated to be worth $23 billion in the USA, Europe, and China. Ares Real Estate Group manages real estate investments in the United States and Europe. The last arm of the firm, Ares SSG, handles credit and equity across Asia -Pacific.
2 Purchase of Milwaukee Brewers
In 2005, Ressler joined an investment group led by Mark Attanasio, the co-founder of Crescent Capital Group. The group purchased the Major League Baseball team Milwaukee Brewers, with Attanasio as its principal owner based on the purchase. Other part-owners of the team include Ressler, Robert D. Beyer, chairman of Chaparal Investments LLC, Wendy Selig-Prieb, Bud Selig, William R. Daley, who co-owns two franchises, and Dewey Soriano.
1 Purchasing Atlanta Hawks
In 2015, Ressler formed a mastermind group comprising of retired NBA player Grant Hill, Spanx founder Sarah Blakely and her husband Jesse Itzler, businessman Steven Price, and Rick Schnall. The partners purchased the team for a reported $730 million according to Forbes and became minor shareholders of the NBA team Atlanta Hawks. Ressler remains the team’s majority owner. The pair's entry into the NBA was well-calculated as it is a fan favorite that attracts all of showbiz, including music's first couple, Beyonce And Jay-Z