Readers of Wednesday’s New York Post may have noticed a full-page tribute to the late former Mayor Ed Koch signed by Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis and his wife, Margo. On October 2, 1988, Catsimatidis married Margo Vondersaar at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York; the two had met when she became his secretary in 1972. [51], As a Republican and a Trump supporter, Catsimitidis has personally disputed the legitimacy of the 2020 election and has used his Manhattan radio station, W-ABC, to disseminate false information on the veracity of Joe Biden's victory. John Catsimatidis (left) and daughter Andrea Catsimatidis Getty Images ... which first reported the snooping as part of a story on how the technology has been a plaything for rich investors. [11][12], In 2015, the Red Apple Group ranked 156th on Forbes magazine's list of "America's largest private companies", with revenue of $3 billion and 8,000 employees. [26][27] In May 2007, he was reported to be "systematically wooing local Republicans", attending various Republican fundraisers in Queens and Staten Island and stating that he would "probably have a press conference" to announce his intentions "sooner rather than later" and would consider spending between $30 million and $40 million if he ran. He suggested that he would support New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, but when Kelly repeatedly denied any intention to run, Catsimatidis expressed his own interest. [58][59], In the 2015 Forbes 400 "richest people in America" list, Catsimatidis ranked 182nd, with a personal net worth estimated at $3.4 billion; in the Forbes list of global billionaires, he ranked #577. [36] He hired a campaign consulting firm, Millennial Strategies LLC, that mostly works on Democratic campaigns. [9] In February 2009, Catsimatidis was sued by a group of SemGroup executives, who sought the removal of Catsimatidis and his allies from the committee. John, then a budding grocery-store magnate on his way to acquiring the Gristedes chain, was married to his first wife at the time. Family status: married to beautiful wife Margo, with whom he has two children The fortune of Mr. John Catsimatidis (who grew up in Harlem, the poorest borough of New York City) today exceeds the billion dollar mark, despite that the company that he owns includes many businesses. This political love match was not made to last. John A. Catsimatidis, Jr. is a Principal at the Red Apple Group. Among Democrats handful of Democratic campaigns, including to Carolyn B. Maloney, Charlie Rangel, and Jerrold Nadler. Mrs. Cox, 21, is the daughter of John Catsimatidis, Chairman and CEO of the Red Apple Group, Gristides Foo ds, and the Red Apple Group subsidiary, United Refining Company. John and his wife Margo Catsimatidis live on Manhattan’s Upper East side and are parents to 2 grown children; Andrea and John Jr. John is a firm believer in giving back to the community and has been a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League for nearly 30 years. Billionaire John Catsimatidis — who Republicans have viewed as their best hope in the 2021 New York City mayoral race — now says he’s considering switching parties and jumping into the Democratic race instead, Politico reports. "[39] At a candidates' forum Catsimatidis suggested that "a robot" or other future technology would make the stop-and-frisk program unnecessary in the future, but stated that until that time the program should continue. [16] In local New York City races, Catsimatidis has given to Bill de Blasio (while he was a city councilman), Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Cyrus Vance, Jr., and Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro. John and his wife Margo Catsimatidis live on Manhattan’s Upper East side and are parents to 2 grown children; Andrea and John Jr. John is a firm believer in giving back to the community and has been a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League for nearly 30 years. Mr. Lhota’s campaign responded to the ads with a sharply-worded note to supporters penned by Mr. Lhota’s wife, Tamra. Political activities before mayoral campaigns. Mar 6, 2020, 2:23 AM Patrick McMullan/Getty Images John Catsimatidis and his wife, Margo. John is a true son of New York; he was educated in both the parochial and public school systems earning his high school diploma from Brooklyn Tech. [63] Catsimatidis was also on the board of directors of the Drum Major Institute.[64]. [2] At the time of their marriage, Margo led her own advertising agency, MCV Advertising Associates in New York, and was president of The Hellenic Times. A startup that scraped billions of images from major web services – including Facebook, Google, and YouTube – created software that can be loaded onto smartphones to identify people using publicly available photos. He serves on the Board of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund, and over the years served in a variety of volunteer positions in the Greek Orthodox Church. [6], Catsimatidis has said that by the time he was 24 years old, "I built up ten stores and the business was doing $25 million a year, and I was personally earning a million dollars a year. [63] He also served on the board of directors of the Police Athletic League of New York City. Photo by Dean Moses Special guests John Catsimatidis and Sid Rosenberg joined Rabbi Shmuel Butman in … John enrolled in New York University to study electrical engineering; going to school during the day and working in a small grocery store on nights and weekends to help his parents pay the bills. [28] By July 2008, Catsimatidis formed an exploratory committee of advisors and operatives, including Robert Ryan, Alan Bernikow, Lawrence Mandelker, and Jose Ithier. [32] Shortly afterward, he told the New York Post that he had just written his own check for one million dollars to seed his campaign. Now, four decades later the Red Apple Group has evolved into a diversified corporation that has holdings in the energy, aviation, retail and real estate sectors and over 8,000 employees, with approximately 2,000 located in New York City. From former Congressman Anthony Weiner to Gristedes owner John Catsimatidis and the first openly gay New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the slate of … [60], Catsimatidis is involved in philanthropy. [26] The exploratory committee was officially shut down in May 2009. "[24] Catsimatidis hosted a number of fundraising dinners with Bill Clinton at his home in New York that in total raised well in excess of $750,000 for Hillary Clinton's campaign. At the time of their marriage, Margo led her own advertising agency, MCV Advertising Associates in New York, and was president of The Hellenic Times. [48], Catsimatidis could have chosen to contest the general election on two other ballot lines, either that of the Liberal Party of New York and of a third-party line he created in summer 2013, but two days after his primary, he announced that he would withdraw from the race. Ben Richman — president of goCharge, a … This job would subsequently guide her career and life, eventu- ally marrying owner John Catsimatidis. The WABC sale was approved by the FCC on March 2, 2020. Catsimatidis was the runner-up to the Republican nomination for mayor of New York City in the 2013 election. [2] He is also the chairman and CEO of the Red Apple Group subsidiary United Refining Company. [10] In July Catsimatidis reached a settlement with SemGroup, pursuant to which he acquired a piece of SemGroup's asphalt business and dropped his competing plan for the company's proposed reorganization. John A. Catsimatidis and Wife Margo Vonderstaar Catsimatidis (Kevin C. Downs/for New York Daily News) The Corcoran Group's Carrie Chiang, who had … [63] Catsimatidis was the vice-chairman of the Ellis Island Awards Foundation of the National Ethnic Coalition Organization (NECO), and received an Ellis Island Medal of Honor from that organization. [37], On a December 13 appearance on Inside City Hall, Catsimatidis compared raising taxes on the wealthy to how "Hitler punished the Jews", a remark which surprised host Josh Robin. I'm not wearing a $5,000 suit. Nicole Gelinas – Fix Rikers, no new prisons. [6], In 1986, Red Apple purchased 36 Gristedes supermarkets and 11 affiliated Charles & Co. specialty-food stores from the Southland Corporation. Among Republicans, the Catsimatidises contributed over $60,000 to the Republican National Committee, and have also made significant contributions to the National Republican Congressional Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Mitt Romney, Eric Cantor, Olympia Snowe, Richard Lugar, and others. He serves in a leadership role of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. A billionaire grocery heiress has found love again after her divorce from the grandson of President Richard Nixon two years ago. [6] Catsimatidis graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1966. I feel sorry for those people who aren't." Greek-Americans Reconsider Tsongas (March 2, 1992), {{cite news|last=Paybarah |first=Azi |url=, National Republican Congressional Committee, 2008 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York University Stern School of Business, "John Catsimatidis Gets His Own Radio Show", "John Catsimatidis acquires 77 WABC radio for $12.5 million", John of All Trades - An Interview with John Catsimatidis, Catsimatidis company ends Chaparral quest, SemGroup executives sue Catsimatidis; SemGroup Energy Partners also warns of asphalt meltdown, SemGroup suitor drops out: The colorful New York billionaire settles for asphalt assets, Catsimatidis to support SemGroup reorganization, "The Hill's owner seeks potential buyers, investors", "Dershowitz: Supreme Court ruling shows 'you can't count on the judiciary' if you're Team Trump", Bloomberg to Host Fund-Raiser for Lieberman, In fundraising sweepstakes, expectations high for Clinton, How to Socialize With an Ex-President? [17], During the spring of 2012, Catsimatidis described his dismay over the quality of the announced as well as the presumed candidates. [54], On October 2, 1988, Catsimatidis married Margo Vondersaar at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York;[55] the two had met when she became his secretary in 1972. [45] Catsimatidis's economic proposals include a revival of the 1964 New York World's Fair. Moderates. [2] Andrea Catsimatidis and Cox divorced in 2014. [6] Shortly thereafter, he purchased another grocery store on 87th street just west of Broadway, naming it Red Apple. During his senior year, with just 8 credits remaining, John dropped out of NYU to work in the grocery business full-time. By his 25th birthday he was already a success with 10 Red Apple Supermarkets scattered along Broadway on Manhattan’s Upper Westside. Peter Michalos, MD – Potential hazards of electric cars. John and his wife Margo Catsimatidis live on Manhattan’s Upper East side and are parents to 2 grown children; Andrea and John Jr. John is a firm believer in giving back to the community and has been a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League for nearly 30 years. [13], On June 26, 2019, Catsimatidis entered into an agreement to purchase radio station WABC (AM) from Cumulus Media for $12.5 million in cash under the "Red Apple Media" name; Catsimatidis also indicated with the purchase his intention to acquire additional stations in the New York City market to complement the conservative talk radio formatted station. [55], Catsimatidis and his wife Margo have two children, Andrea and John Jr.[2] Andrea married Christopher Cox, grandson of former President Richard Nixon, on June 4, 2011, at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, "before a church packed with family members and political powerhouses." And, it was scary. He said he only agreed to drop out after Bloomberg informed him of his plans to seek a third term. Catsimatidis's remark was criticized by Republican Guy Molinari, the former Staten Island borough president and congressman, and Brooklyn Democratic councilman Lew Fidler, who called Catsimatidis a "Manhattan elitist". Red Apple Group is a conglomerate that owns and operates assets in the energy, real estate, finance, insurance, and supermarket industries. Supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis, whose Sunday morning radio talk show has become part of the New York City political firmament, has … Supermarket magnate, radio host and sometime Republican political candidate John Catsimatidis and his wife Margo are also on the guest list. Then Trump Came Along", http://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/24/nyregion/giuliani-election-fraud.html, "Billionaire Trump donor Catsimatidis mulling NYC mayoral run as a Democrat", John Catsimatidis Wed To Margo Vondersaar, "A Lobster Dinner With the 'Billionaire Heiress' Chair of the Manhattan GOP", "How GOP crusader Andrea Catsimatidis is tackling the risky business of NY politics", The World's Billionaires: John Catsimatidis, "404 Page Not Found - Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate", Mariah's Movie: Labor Day Release Beckons, Catsimatidis Is Greek Independence Parade Chair, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Catsimatidis&oldid=1003095807, Greek Orthodox Christians from the United States, American chief executives of food industry companies, Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni, Candidates in the 2013 United States elections, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 January 2021, at 11:25. [3], Catsimatidis hosts a Sunday morning talk-radio show on a number of stations along the east coast and Florida, including Washington DC, and hosts a live radio program which airs Wednesdays during drive time in the New York City metro area. [2], The family moved to West Harlem, where Catsimatidis grew up. [38], Catsimatidis expressed support for the New York City stop-and-frisk program, and two weeks after the Boston Marathon bombing, his campaign ran a radio ad attacking "career politicians want to end stop and frisk and cut the NYPD's powers of surveillance. John Catsimatidis was born on the Greek island of Nisyros on September 7, 1948. [6] Catsimatidis completed four years of college, but dropped out eight credits short of graduating. [4] He entered radio station ownership in 2019 with his acquisition of WABC (AM) in New York City.[5]. [52] Between February and July 2020, Catsimatidis contributed $50,000 of the party's $52,000 of income. And then when you think about it, we’re going to deport most of these kids. Adam Goodman – President Biden must learn to compromise. John Catsimatidis, Margo Catsimatidis, John Catsimatidis Jr., Andrea Catsimatidis and Christopher Nixon Cox attend Bal du Printemps Gala Benefitting... Margo Catsimatidis and Somers Farkas attend the New York City Police Foundation 2017 Gala at Sheraton … "[26], Catsimatidis called for street vendors to be limited to certain areas, and prohibiting setting up within 300–500 feet of stores selling the same products, complaining at a candidates' forum that "We have cart people right in front of our doorstep. [6] In 2009, it was reported that Catsimatidis's main holdings included 50 Gristedes supermarkets, 371 gas stations in three states, $500 million in real estate, and an expanding oil business. Catsimatidis' first marriage ended in divorce; he has stated that he was "sometimes" together with Margo while still married to his first wife. [5], Catsimatidis is a minority investor in the political newspaper and website The Hill as referenced on the website's articles which mention him. "[42][43], On May 13, the New York Post ran a story on Catsimatidis' comment in a 1989 Crain's New York Business profile in which he stated "I'm a Manhattanite. [6] Catsimatidis' father had been a lighthouse operator in Greece but worked as a busboy in New York. This week on The Cats Roundtable, John Catsimatidis sits down with lawyer Alan Dershowitz to discuss his current lawsuit against CNN and the $300 Million-dollar lawsuit Dershowitz has against them. [6], While in college, Catsimatidis worked for the uncle of a friend, Tony, in a small supermarket on 137th Street which Tony and his uncle owned. [63] Catsimatidis was for five years president of the Manhattan Council of the Boy Scouts of America. She has also been known as the President of the Republican Party in Manhattan since 2017. This is the first Hanukkah without my dad and my hope is that he will be smiling up in heaven when he sees me do this. A Greek-American immigrant whose success is the embodiment of the American Dream, he resides with Margo in an apartment on New York’s Fifth Avenue. [51], The New York TImes reported in October 2020 that Catsimatidis and his family now run the Manhattan Republican Party; his daughter Andrea is the chairwoman,[51] and Catsimatidis, his wife Margo Catsimatidis, and his son John Catsimatidis Jr. are vice-presidents. "[34] He stated "I'm not a Mike Bloomberg billionaire. [6], In 1986, Catsimatidis acquired United Refining Co., the owner of gasoline refineries in Pennsylvania and Alabama. I can not thank John and Margo Catsimatidis enough for thinking of me and their continued inspiration.” It won't be Catsimatidis's first try at … [6] In October 2009, Forbes magazine reported that United Refining Energy Corp., a publicly traded special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) sponsored by United Refining, was purchasing "privately held Chaparral Energy in a deal worth roughly $1.6 billion. (This compares to its 2008 and 2009 rank, both at #100, 2010 at #78, 2011 at 98th, and 2012 at 97th). [65] Catsimatidis has also served for many years on the board of the Guardian Angels, an organization started in New York City in 1979 by Curtis Sliwa. "[7] However, United Refining Energy Corp. shareholders did not approve the deal and it was terminated in December 2009. [23] Catsimatidis was a member of Hillary Clinton's finance team during her 2008 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, saying in February 2007 of Clinton, "She's unstoppable. In 2011, Catsimatidis married Christopher Nixon Cox, Richard Nixon 's grandson, at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, "before a church packed with family members and political powerhouses," including Hillary Clinton, Henry Kissinger, Rudolph Giuliani, Charles Schumer, Ray Kelly, and Robert M. Morgenthau. At the time of their marriage, Margo led her own advertising agency, MCV Advertising Associates in New York, and was president of The Hellenic Times. Catsimatidis, seen here with her father John in 2003, was just 17 when she met her future ex-husband when he made a campaign stop at her high school in … That is wrong. [49], Catsimatidis has contributed to Donald Trump's 2020 reelection campaign,[50] and is a vocal Trump supporter. [2], In 2015, press reports indicated that Catsimatidis donated the use of a chartered jet valued at $70,000 to the Republican primary campaign of Scott Walker. He is the owner, president, chairman, and CEO of Gristedes Foods, a grocery chain in Manhattan, and the Red Apple Group, a real estate and aviation company with about $2 billion in holdings in New York, Florida and Pennsylvania. "[35] Through May 15, Catsimatidis (a self-financed candidate) had spent $880,000 on the campaign, mostly on television and radio ads, but also on billboards and items including lip balm and groceries. John was born on the Greek Island of Nisyros in 1948 and 6 months later his parents emigrated to New York City in search of a better life. [2] Catsimatidis' first marriage ended in divorce;[55] he has stated that he was "sometimes" together with Margo while still married to his first wife. Andrea Katsimatides is an American community. Was Once a Bastion of G.O.P. [6] He received a congressional nomination to West Point, but chose to study electrical engineering at New York University instead. [19], Catsimatidis has been described as a "longtime",[20] "loyal",[21] and "high-level Clinton donor". [27], In 2008, Catsimatidis was widely viewed as a potential mayoral candidate, along with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Representative Anthony Weiner, businessman Richard Parsons, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, City Comptroller Bill Thompson (the eventual Democratic nominee), and state Senator Martin Golden. [26] Once the city term limits law was changed to allow Bloomberg to run for a third term, Catsimatidis quietly withdrew. [40], At campaign events in April 2013, Catsimatidis claimed that he could have beaten Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election[41] and got into a contentious exchange with various Republican audience members, telling one to "go bullshit yourself if you want! Accompanied by his wife, Margo, and two children, Andrea and John, Jr., Catsimatidis traveled to Athens for the splashy awards ceremony last week at the Auditorium of the Acropolis Museum. By continuing to use this site you agree to our use of cookies: Alan Dershowitz – 2nd Impeachment unconstitutional. [6] These grew to $110 million in sales in 1985. [2] Hillary Clinton attended Catsimatidis' daughter's wedding. [53], Catsimatidis is currently considering running in the 2021 New York City mayoral election, as a Democrat. Catsimatidis' first marriage ended in divorce; he has stated that he was "sometimes" together with Margo while still married to his first wife. Andrea Catsimatidis, the daughter of billionaire John Catsimatidis, seems to have found love again after her divorce from Christopher Nixon Cox. [6] While Catsimatidis was still in college, Tony sold his half of the store to Catsimatidis. [14][15], Catsimatidis and his wife have made contributions to a variety of both Republican and Democratic campaigns. "Bullsh*t" As Screamed by Chris Christie and John Catsimatidis, Mayoral Candidate Catsimatidis Doesn't Lack for Ideas: Republican Often Makes Off-the-Cuff—and Off-Beat—Policy Proposals, Mayoral hopeful Catsimatidis goes bananas over fruit carts, September 2013 Republican primary election results, As Joe Lhota Courts Democrats, Brooklyn GOP Chief Rallies the Party Faithful, "Catsimatidis Bows Out of Race for Mayor - Metropolis - WSJ", "N.Y.C. Other organizations with which Catsimatidis has been active are the National Kidney Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Young Men's Philanthropic League, and Alzheimer's Foundation of America. [29], In 2009, Catsimatidis spent nearly $300,000, much of it on polls and consultants, to explore a candidacy. [61] He is one of the largest donors to the G&P Foundation for Cancer Research[62] He founded and was co-chairman of Brooklyn Tech Endowment Foundation, benefiting his alma mater. [56][57] Catsimatidis said that he spent "in excess of $1 million" on the wedding. [26] The New York Times reported that Catsimatidis "struck an odd note when discussing education policy, expressing unease about the makeup of his daughter's graduating class from New York University's Stern School of Business," stating that "I think close to 480 of the 580 were Asian — Asian including India. John and his wife Margo Catsimatidis live on Manhattan’s Upper East side and are parents to 2 grown children; Andrea and John Jr. John is a firm believer in giving back to the community and has been a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League for nearly 30 years. Among his business innovations were staying open late seven days a week, offering free delivery, and cashing checks for customers. Sid Rosenberg and wife pose with the Guardian Angels. John and his wife Margo Catsimatidis live on Manhattan’s Upper East side and are parents to 2 grown children; Andrea and John Jr. John is a firm believer in giving back to the community and has been a strong supporter of the Police Athletic League for nearly 30 years. [8], In 2008, Catsimatidis became engaged in efforts to take over SemGroup LP, a bankrupt oil, gas, and asphalt trading, storage and transportation company, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Andrea has held the position of President of the Republican Party in Manhattan. [47] Catsimatidis did carry the borough of Staten Island. John Catsimatidis was flanked by his wife Margo, his son John Jr, his daughter Andrea Cox with her husband Christopher Cox, grandson of Richard M. Nixon. The man who hired him, John Catsimatidis, the supermarket mogul whose media company bought 77 WABC radio for $12.5 million last year, has his … Said Catsimatidis: “I may want to run as a Democrat with this ranked choice thing. “I hope CNN will pay the money because I’m going to give it to charity,” says Dershowitz. [17] In the 1992 Democratic presidential primaries, Catsimatidis contributed $150,000 to the campaign of fellow Greek American Paul Tsongas. The New York Post reported that the 71-year-old Republican is forming an exploratory committee for a 2021 mayoral bid.. [25], A donor to Bill Clinton during the Clinton years, Catsimatidis, while still enrolled as a Democrat, considered becoming a candidate in the 2009 mayoral election as a Republican. [63] Catsimatidis funds the John Catsimatidis Scholarship Fund at the New York University Stern School of Business, which has since 1988 awarded two scholarships each year. Finance His Good Deeds, Saudis, Arabs Funneled Millions to President Clinton's Library, Clinton goes from inevitable nominee to on the ropes, "Super PACs Spent Millions Before Candidates Announced Filings Show", Again, Supermarket Mogul Weighs Running for Mayor, Catsimatidis Readies For 2009 Mayoral Run, "John Catsimatidis, NY 1 interview, June 2, 2012", Former MTA chief Lhota in secret meeting with GOP rival Castimatidis to scout out Republican mayoral primary prospects: source, Catsimatidis starts mayoral campaign with $1M of own money, Mayoral Hopeful John Catsimatidis Vows to Be a Leader "For Harlem and for Wall Street", John Catsimatidis: 'I'm Not a Mike Bloomberg Billionaire', John Catsimatidis Spending Big on Billboards, Lip Balm and Candy, John Catsimatidis Hires a Democratic Firm, John Catsimatidis Explains Why Taxing the Rich Is Like Nazism and More, GOP chairmen react to Catsimatidis' 'Nazi' comment, NY Mayor Hopeful John Catsimatidis Goes To Air With Terrorism-Focused Radio Spot, John Catsimatidis Suggests Robotic Solution to Stop-and-Frisk Controversy, John Catsimatidis Says He Could Have Defeated Barack Obama, John Catsimatidis Holds Contentious Court in Brooklyn, Who Yelled It Better? [33], Catsimatidis made his official announcement on January 29, 2013, vowing to be "a leader for Harlem and Wall Street.