Lives of Consequence
Thomas S. Bozzuto '68, L.H.D.'18
Chair, The Bozzuto Group
During Tom Bozzuto’s more than 45-year career in real estate, he has overseen and been responsible for the creation of more than 50,000 homes and apartments, garnering national renown for his leadership and vision in the industry.
In 1988, Bozzuto established The Bozzuto Group of companies with his partners, John Slidell, Rick Mostyn and the late Bernie Lubcher. Today, the companies provide a broad range of real estate services, including development, management, homebuilding, acquisitions and construction. In his role as chief executive officer, Bozzuto directed the development, construction and management of income-producing and for-sale housing in metropolitan areas located throughout the East Coast. He currently serves as the company’s chairman.
The recipient of the Freddie Mac Builder of the Year award, Bozzuto also has been awarded the Environmental Builder of the Year by the Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association (MNCBIA), and has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Metropolitan Washington's Building Industries, the MNCBIA and the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association.
A Congressional Appointee to the Millennial Housing Commission, Bozzuto has served several terms as a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland Housing Commission and is the current chair of the board of the National Multi Housing Council, which represents the leadership of the apartment industry nationally. In 2008, Bozzuto was honored as the recipient of Urban Land Institute of Washington's annual Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2010 was recognized as Delta Associates' Private Sector TrendSetter of the Year, in 2011 was inducted into the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame, and in 2012 was recognized as one of The Daily Record's Most Influential Marylanders. In 2013 the Urban Land Institute’s Baltimore District Council honored Bozzuto with its lifetime achievement award. Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and Management named Bozzuto the 2018 Business Leader of the Year.
Under his leadership, the Bozzuto Group has also been recognized as one of the Top Companies Worldwide for Millennial Women by Mogul, and as one of the Top Companies for Executive Women by the National Association of Female Executives.
Earlier in his career, Bozzuto worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Renewal, then the James W. Rouse Mortgage Company, and later spent 13 years as mid-Atlantic regional partner at Oxford Development Corporation.
At Hobart, Bozzuto majored in English, was a Theta Delta Chi brother and a Druid, played football, was a member of Hobart Student Association and Little Theatre, and worked at Saga. He was president of his sophomore and junior classes and, in his senior year, president of the student body. He served as a combat correspondent for the 25th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, and later earned a master’s degree in metropolitan studies from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. His military service was featured in a Maryland Public Television documentary.
In 2017, Bozzuto, his wife Barbara, and their children Toby and Lexie made a $4 million gift to endow the Bozzuto Center for Entrepreneurship and the Bozzuto Family First-Generation Endowed Scholarship, underscoring their family’s staunch support of Hobart and William Smith. Bozzuto was a lead donor in the renovation of the Colleges’ boathouse, named in honor of his father, Charles Bozzuto. He has also been a participant in the Executive in Residence Program, is a regular Reunion volunteer, and took a lead role in supporting the Colleges’ capital campaign. He was recognized by his peers with the 2008 Alumni Citation, which was awarded with gratitude and admiration for his longstanding engagement. To commemorate their 40th wedding anniversary, Barbara established the Thomas S. Bozzuto ’68 Endowed Scholarship Fund at the Colleges.
Bozzuto has served as a member of the Board of Trustees since 1999. He was named board chair in 2016.