Max Ratner

Ratner was born Meyer Ratowczer to a Jewish family on December 26, 1907, in Białystok, Poland, the son of Pesha (née Koppelman) and Moishe Ratowczer.[1][2] In 1921, he immigrated to Cleveland following the lead of his brother Charles and his family adopted the Ratner surname.[1] He graduated from Glenville High School on the east side of Cleveland.[1] In 1929, he graduated with a J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and then worked as an attorney.[1][2] In the same year, he founded Forest City Materials with his brothers Charles and Leonard,[1] his brother-in-law, Nate Shafran, and his sister, Fannye Ratner Shafran.[3] He served as the company's president from 1929 until 1975 and then as chairman of the board from 1975 until his death in 1995.[1]

In 1986, Forest City and his nephew, Bruce Ratner, formed a joint venture, the Forest City Ratner Companies, which is known for developing Brooklyn.[2] Its projects there included One Pierrepont Plaza in Brooklyn Heights and Metrotech Center, a large office, commercial and academic complex in downtown Brooklyn.[2]

Ratner was the founder and chairman of the America-Israel Chamber of Commerce.[2][4] He was a supporter of Israel, the Jewish Museum in New York, and was active in the State of Israel Bonds organization.[2] Ratner was a trustee of the Cleveland Museum of Art, a board member of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, and served as president of the Park Synagogue in Cleveland.[2]

In 1939, Ratner married Betty Wohlvert; they had four sons: Charles "Chuck" Ratner, Mark Ratner, James Ratner, and Ronald Ratner.[1][2] He died in Shaker Heights, Ohio, on May 31, 1995, and was buried in the Park Synagogue Cemetery in Beachwood, Ohio.[1]

His nephew is Michael Ratner and his niece is Ellen Ratner, a news analyst for Fox News.[5]