Adam Tarantur
Summer camp, synagogue involvement and Hebrew school three times a week seem to have made quite an impact on Adam Tarantur. Although he may not have had much choice as a kid, these days he seizes the opportunity to get involved in the Jewish community. As a member of the Executive Board of Directors for the Jewish Council for Youth Services (JCYS), a not-for-profit organization that operates educational and recreational programs around the Chicagoland area, Adam works tirelessly to ensure that the next generation of children has the same opportunities for Jewish education that he did.
“Adam is committed to philanthropy,” said Steven Podolsky, a business partner who nominated him. In addition to his work with JCYS, Adam has been on the JUF Real Estate Division Dinner and Sponsorship Committees, and is an active participant in the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago and in the Rebuilding Together, Chicago Suburban Chapter.
Professionally, Adam has met great success as a realtor, having just completed his course of studies to achieve the prestigious CCIM designation. Adam is a Member of the Board of the Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers (AIRE), and the recipient of AIRE’s 2010 Frank Mahoney Award for Excellence, given annually to an AIRE member with less than five years of brokerage experience who best exemplifies the organization's high standards for performance, ethics and community service.
Name:
Adam Tarantur
Age:
30
Pays the bills:
Commercial Real Estate Brokerage & Investments
On the side:
Philanthropy, friends and family, exercise, travel, modern art.
Relationship status:
Taken - making it official in November
Describe yourself in 10 words or less:
People-oriented, optimistic (sometimes overly), compassionate and motivated.
Celebrity doppelganger:
I've been told I look a lot like Bryan Greenberg from the HBO show "How to Make it in America." That show got cancelled and I haven't seen him in anything since, so playing me in a movie would be a perfect way for him to start a comeback.
How do you Jew in Chicago?
Having been born and raised here, much of my life included Jewish-oriented activities (e.g. summer camps, temple, etc.). I really had no choice—my parents had me in Hebrew School three times a week! Now, the majority of charity work I do is faith-based, but serves populations beyond the Jewish community.
Passions:
Whether it’s for work, philanthropy or otherwise, I am passionate about the people in my life and those I serve. I believe there is nothing more important than the relationships you spend your life creating and nurturing. This is the most important legacy one leaves behind.
How do you give back?
I sit on the Executive Board of Directors for the Jewish Council for Youth Services (JCYS), a not-for-profit organization that operates educational and recreational programs around the Chicagoland area. I am also active in the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago (RHAMC). Nine years ago, we formed a team in honor of my late mother. Recently we surpassed the $325,000 fundraising mark. My friends and family show me incredible support in my philanthropic endeavors, so I support many diverse causes in return.
Fill in the blank: If time and money were limitless, I would:
Run a foundation that distributes millions of dollars each year to deserving not-for-profits around the globe. And, of course, I'd get to travel the world meeting the people who those funds directly impact.
Chicago's Jewish community in 10 years:
I see Chicago continuing to be the most charitable Jewish community in the United States, measured by both dollars raised annually and active participation.
Me in 10 years:
I see myself as an active leader in the real estate and philanthropic communities in Chicago. One who is recognized by my peers as creative, selfless and leads with the utmost integrity. I also will have a small bungalow on a beach somewhere where my family and I can escape these winters that I dread.
