Blau Family History

1922
Leslie Blau, age 22, joins his father's real estate company, Edward Blau Inc., which was formed in the late 19th century.

1927

Franklin F. Hannoch leaves the firm of Edward Blau Inc. to become manager of the chain store leasing department of Louis Schlesinger Company.

1928

Leslie Blau joins the firm of Louis Schlesinger as vice-president of the chain store leasing department.

1932

Leslie Blau opens his own real estate office, Leslie Blau Company.

1946

Leslie Blau after his discharge from the US Air Corps as a Lt. Colonel is elected president of the Real Estate Board of Newark.

Colonel Leslie Blau
Commanding Officer Washington National Airport

1951-53

Franklin Hannoch Jr. joins Leslie Blau Company as a mortgage loan originator but leaves to join his father's Real Estate Appraisal Business.

1951

Edward Blau, Les's son, marries Barbara Goldsmith, niece of George Goldstein, MAI national president of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers.

1954

Edward L. Blau, after serving in the Korean War, joins his father's real estate business in the mortgage division.

1955

John Lasser joins Leslie Blau, his father-in-law, in real estate management and subsequently forms Blau Lasser Appraisal Company.

1955

Edward Blau forms Blau Mortgage Company. Leslie Blau Company, one of the largest and respected industrial real estate brokerage operations in New Jersey becomes a division of the newly created mortgage company.

Three generations gather here for an informal portrait. Standing are Edward L. Blau, Leslie Blau and John O. Lasser. Seated are Mrs. E.L. Blau, Mrs. Leslie Blau and Mrs Lasser. The children are Robert and Charles Blau, Ellen and Lynn Lasser. Photo October 1958. Courtesy Suburban Life Magazine.

1967-68

Edward Blau is elected president of the Real Estate Board of Newark.

1969

Edward Blau is elected vice president of the New Jersey Association of Real Estate Boards.

1971

Blau Mortgage Company, including its 4 offices in New Jersey, Leslie BIau Co., and Blau Lasser Appraisal Company are acquired by Berg Enterprises, a publicly traded company with the largest residential real estate brokerage operation in New Jersey, a small industrial brokerage operation and Margaretten & Company a small mortgage company. Leslie Blau Company is merged with the Industrial Department of the Berg Agency to form The Blau & Berg Company with Leslie Blau as CEO, John Lasser, MAI and Edward Blau continue to head Blau Lasser Appraisal Company and Blau Mortgage Co. now subsidiaries of Berg Enterprises.

1976

Blau Mortgage Company is merged with Margaretten & Company and Edward Blau becomes Chief Administrative officer and Chief Operating Officer of the combined companies with 15 branch offices producing residential mortgages in New Jersey, Florida, Arizona, Nevada and California.

1978

John Lasser, MAI, leaves Berg Enterprises to form John O. Lasser Associates, Real Estate Appraisers and Consultants.

1980

Edward Blau is elected president of The Mortgage Bankers Association of New Jersey.

1984

Edward Blau receives the Certified Mortgage Banker designation of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. This is the highest professional designation in mortgage banking.

1984

Edward Blau is elected to the board of Governors of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America.

1985-93

Edward Blau becomes president of Margaretten & Company, by then one of the largest mortgage banking firms in the nation a publicly owned company whose stock was traded on the NY Stock Exchange. In 1993 the company produced over 11.5 billion dollars of residential mortgages in 22 states.

1981

Charles Blau, Esquire son of Edward Blau joins his uncle in John O. Lasser Associates as a real estate appraiser.

1983

Robert Blau, Esquire elder son of Edward BIau becomes a Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey. He is assigned to the Transportation Section and does condemnation law. Projects include acquisition of the missing link of I-287.

1987-90

Robert Blau becomes an associate in the law firm of Lasser Hochman, a firm known for its real estate expertise and Skollof and Wolfe a law firm specializing in real estate tax appeals.

1990

Charles Blau and Robert Blau form Blau Appraisal Company and Blau & Blau specializing in real estate tax appeals, condemnations and property valuation.

2009

(TO COME)