From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Sudler Cos. is honoring the nation’s 250th birthday with a display of 13 American flags outside its headquarters Green Village Road in Chatham. The display also includes the U.S. Army and Marine Corps flags, a nod to the military service of Brian and Daniel Sudler, principals and fourth-generation leaders of the firm. — Courtesy: Sudler Cos.
By Joshua Burd
It isn’t hyperbole to say the Sudlers are “hugely patriotic,” as Dan Sudler describes it.
If anything, it’s an understatement for a family that has distinguished itself through its military service. That includes brothers Brian and Dan Sudler — one a former U.S. Army Green Beret and the other a Marine Corps infantry veteran — both of whom are part of the fourth-generation leadership team of Chatham-based Sudler Cos.
Not coincidentally, the flags of both branches are on display alongside 13 American flags just outside the commercial real estate firm’s headquarters on Green Village Road. That’s been the case since Memorial Day and will be through Labor Day, in a simple but no less powerful tribute to the nation and its 250th birthday.
“We are raising these flags to affirm our commitment to the American idea — one rooted in liberty, opportunity, and responsible self‑government,” Sudler Cos. wrote in a LinkedIn post in late May. “This country has long been known as a land of opportunity, where hard work, innovation, and perseverance can build something lasting. For nearly 120 years, The Sudler Companies has grown alongside that promise. Our business has helped support the country’s development through the properties we build and manage and, in turn, we have been shaped by the nation’s growth, challenges, and progress.
“We do this to honor the men and women who have given their lives in defense of our freedoms. We do it because, despite our differences and imperfections, we believe this country has not yet reached its full potential.
“We hope you will join us in celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation and in affirming your own commitment to this great American experiment. And we do it in the spirit of civic duty and shared purpose envisioned by our founders.”
Dan Sudler, the son of company Chairman and CEO Peter Sudler, said the idea came together somewhat quickly, in early spring, as the family was deciding how to honor the nation’s birthday. The firm ordered the flags through Allegiance Flag Supply of North Charleston, South Carolina, he said, noting that each was produced by skilled American workers, from materials that were sourced domestically.
Those were important details as Sudler Cos. planned the tribute outside its office building and directly next to the company’s familiar blue sign
“America’s 250th anniversary is meaningful,” Dan Sudler said. “And today it seems like the world is a little bit more divided than it should be, so we wanted to put out the flags for people to drive by and just feel a little bit more patriotic.”
Best known as a developer and long-term owner of industrial buildings, with a portfolio of more than 9 million square feet across the country, Sudler Cos. is approaching its own milestone anniversary after its founding in 1907. Peter Sudler took over the family business in 1985 after a law career that included 12 years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. Brian, for his part, joined the firm in 2018 while completing a 17-year career as an active-duty Green Beret and member of the National Guard, which he said was inspired by the Sudlers’ “history of public and military service as well as our sense of patriotism for the country that has been so good to four generations of our family.”
Dan Sudler arrived in 2019 after four years in the Marines and the launch his own real estate career. That included earning his master’s in real estate development from New York University and spending five years with Hoboken-based Bijou Properties.
Not surprisingly, the family and its charitable foundation have a long history of contributing to military causes among its many philanthropic endeavors, including the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
“This country has given us so much,” Dan Sudler said when asked what inspired his own military service. “The freedoms and opportunities our family found when they came to America weren’t guaranteed — they were protected by those willing to serve. I wanted to be part of that tradition.”
