Seeing Around Corners: Powerful Lessons of Perseverance, Grit, and Luck

Seeing Around Corners: Powerful Lessons of Perseverance, Grit and Luck chronicles the seven decades-long adventure that has made Alan Levan exactly who he is. His unrelenting perseverance, a strong sense of optimism, and a tireless determination have carried him through the best and worst of times.

En route to building a billion dollar enterprise from scratch, and becoming CEO of four NYSE companies, Alan B. Levan has successfully steered a number of sinking ships away from the rocks. His uncanny ability to foresee devastating economic events, often long before prognosticators did, or admitted to, resulted in a celebrated career though not one without its share of detractors. He battled fallacious lawsuits, the SEC, class action opportunists, paralyzing economic recessions, banking regulators, a spurious ABC 20/20 national broadcast, and untold naysayers. Holding tight to the absolute truth and integrity about everything he did and unwilling to give up or give in, he bounced back again and again. His story is about the profound love and support of family-something he always put first-that helped him turn imminent failure and loss into unimaginable opportunity.

ALAN B. LEVAN, throughout a five decade career, has served as chairman and CEO of four NYSE-listed companies. He's had the honor of ringing the bell nine times and the unique distinction of being the only businessperson in 225 years of NYSE history to ring the opening and closing bells on the same day. In 1972 at the age of twenty-eight, he raised more than $100 million in seed capital and went on to buy a national portfolio of real estate including millions of square feet of office space, shopping centers, apartment communities and industrial parks. After acquiring control of BankAtlantic in 1984, he built it into a 100-branch, $6 billion Florida banking powerhouse and later led its sale to BB&T. Under his leadership, BBX Capital has acquired businesses in banking, retail, securities brokerage, investment banking, hospitality, vacation ownership, apartment development, and home building.Alan B. Levan formerly served as Chairman of Nova Southeastern University Board of Trustees. He humbly has received many prestigious corporate and community awards and recognitions over the last forty years. He resides in Fort Lauderdale with his wife, Susie.