From left: Donald L. Hanson, Jon F. Hanson and Peter O. Hanson took part in a panel discussion on the history of James E. Hanson & Co. and their respective companies, part of a recent event honoring the Hanson family’s 100th anniversary in commercial real estate. — Courtesy: The Hampshire Cos.
By Joshua Burd
A century of New Jersey commercial real estate history took center stage last month, as three generations of the Hanson family gathered to mark its 100th anniversary in the industry.
The iconic family hosted more than 160 employees of its three companies and their guests on Jan. 12 during a celebration at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange. That included a tribute to their late patriarch, James E. Hanson, who entered the business in the early 1920s and would go on to pioneer the nation’s first single-story industrial park, in Teterboro.
Among those on hand were his three sons, Peter O. Hanson, Jon F. Hanson and Donald L. Hanson, who joined him in 1955 when he launched James E. Hanson and Co.
“My father began his career in the real estate industry one hundred years ago on the simple foundation of tireless hard work and steadfast integrity,” said Jon Hanson, chairman of The Hampshire Cos. “As a family and across our businesses we honor his legacy in the work we do each day and use the lessons he taught us over the years to continue to build success in an increasingly competitive real estate landscape.”
The brothers assumed leadership of the business following James E. Hanson’s death 1966, the family noted, guiding its growth into a national real estate development, investment and management firm. When their own children expressed interest in joining the family business, the brothers recognized the potential challenges that often arise when a company transitions from the second to the third generation.
To ensure the continuation of the family legacy, the brothers split James E. Hanson and Co. into three separately owned firms — The Hampshire Cos., NAI James E. Hanson and Roebling Investment Co. — according to a news release. Under the leadership of Peter, Jon and Donald and their children — William C. Hanson, James E. Hanson II, Michael Hanson and Deborah Paige Hanson — the businesses have grown into three of the industry’s most respected commercial real estate companies.
“It is exceptionally rare for family businesses to thrive well into their third and fourth generation,” said Donald L. Hanson, chairman of Roebling Investment Co. “We’ve been able to be successful and continue that success across multiple generations due to my dad instilling in us the importance of mentoring future generations and by modeling his entrepreneurial spirit to guide our growth.”
Peter, Jon and Donald Hanson touched on that history at the Jan.12 event during a panel discussion moderated by James E. Hanson II, Hampshire’s CEO and president, detailing the stories behind their respective companies and how the legacy of James E. Hanson continues to guide their work. The event also featured the premiere of the “The Hanson Legacy,” a documentary highlighting the family’s history in the real estate business and the goals of the third and fourth generations in the business.
“We are honored to celebrate this milestone with our employees as our success would be impossible without their contributions and commitment to the important values that our companies were founded upon,” said Peter O. Hanson, chairman of NAI James E. Hanson. “We look forward to their continued hard work as we grow each of our companies to meet the needs of our clients, investors and partners in the decades to come.”
The next generation of leaders from the Hanson family now include Jon F. Hanson II, Kristin Hanson Lynn, Jenna Imperatore Korn, Alexander G. Imperatore, Christopher Jon Imperatore and Harold James Imperatore.
