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Sam Nazarian (born 1975) is an American businessman, investor and philanthropist. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of SBE Entertainment Group.
Sam Nazarian | |
|---|---|
سام نظریان | |
 | |
| Born | 1975 (age 48–49) |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation(s) | CEO of Umami Burger Founder & CEO of SBE Entertainment Group |
| Spouse | Emina Cunmulaj |
| Parent | Younes Nazarian |
| Relatives | Izak Parviz Nazarian (uncle) David Nazarian (brother) Angella Nazarian (sister-in-law) Shulamit Nazarian (sister) |
| Website | SBE.com |
Early life
Nazarian was born to a Persian Jewish family in Tehran in 1975.[1] The Nazarian family immigrated to the United States following the Iranian Revolution.[2] He is the son of Younes Nazarian who was an early investor in Qualcomm.[2] He was raised in Beverly Hills, California, where he attended Beverly Hills High School, graduating in 1993, and later studied at the University of Southern California.[1] The Beverly Hills High School basketball court was renamed Sam Nazarian Court after Nazarian made a $200,000 donation to the Beverly Hills Athletic Alumni Association.[3]
Business career
In 1998, Nazarian founded Platinum Wireless, a telecommunications company that distributed Nextel products.[4] He sold the company three years later, and began investing in real estate with his father,[5] and founded 3Wall Development in 1999.[4] In 2002, he founded SBE Entertainment Group.[5]
In 2020, Nazarian sold the remaining 50% stake of sbe's hotel platform to Accor Hotels[6] but retained SBE's food and beverage business.[7]
From 2008 to 2011, Nazarian served on the board of trustees of the Southern California Institute of Architecture.[8][9]
In July 2009, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed Nazarian to the Board of Airport Commissioners of Los Angeles World Airports. In 2014, Nazarian was named to Fortune's 40 Under 40 list.[10]
Producer
Nazarian served as executive producer for the films Waiting..., Down in the Valley, Five Fingers, The Last Time, Mr. Brooks and College.[11]
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Nazarian is married to Albanian-American model Emina Cunmulaj.[12]
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