Bert and Iris Wolstein's impact extended far beyond the bricks and mortar of real estate projects, having donated a substantial amount of time and money to organizations in Ohio and beyond. Bert and Iris served on a number of boards and committees and gave tens of millions of dollars to numerous charitable organizations, lending their name to buildings and programs for United Cerebral Palsy, Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University, University Hospitals and many more.

Here is a look at just a few large-scale contributions Mr. & Mrs. Wolstein made to local, national and international organizations and efforts:

United Cerebral Palsy
Co-chaired two major fundraising events, raising more than $2.3 million. Lead donor of $750,000 to the organization's new rehabilitation center; the building was named the "Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Center". The Wolstein's were honored at UCP's annual meeting for their extraordinary efforts.

Hebrew University
Lead donor and led the effort to raise the balance of funds needed for the Mt. Scopus Accessibility Project making Hebrew University accessible for the handicapped.

Boulevard Elementary School, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Lead donors for the Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein playground.

Baseball Fields, Macedonia, Ohio
Funded the development of baseball fields in their name.

Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio
Donated $1,500,000 and established the "Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Football Center" at Horseshoe Stadium

Jewish National Fund - Jerusalem, Isreal
Dedicated the Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Tree Planting Center, Jerusalem, Israel

Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland, Ohio
Donated $2,500,000 and established the "Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Hall" at the Cleveland business school
Established the "Iris S. Wolstein Chair in Management Design"

Solomon Schecter Day School
Funded media center/library for the school

Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals - Cleveland, Ohio
Donated $25,000,000 to CWRU and UHHS for the "Iris S. and Bert L. Wolstein Research Center"

Cleveland State University Marshall College of Law - Cleveland, Ohio
Donated $6,250,000 toward renovations to the law school. In appreciation, the law school was named the Bert L. Wolstein Hall and the Convocation Center was named the Bert L. and Iris S. Wolstein Center.

• Early Entrepreneurial Lessons
  • Don't put off until tomorrow anything you can do today.
  • Learn to hire the highest quality professionals you can find (lawyer or accountant or bricklayer or electrician).
  • Have some understanding of what those professionals are doing so that with a little common sense you can tell if they are doing their jobs correctly.
  • Learn to be flexible and do what it takes to get things done whether it is in your job description or not.
  • Build a reputation for honesty and integrity.
  • Respect your customers and vendors and don't hide problems that might arise.
  • Customers are the lifeline of the business - treat them fairly and honestly so you can use them as a reference.
  • If you're having a difficult time making a decision and find yourself really torn over what to do, just walk away.
• Rules for Delegating Authority
  • Be prepared to take full responsibility for any project or decision you delegate.
  • Delegate to those you feel represent your work ethic and attention to detail.
  • Ask a lot of questions. Follow up with phone calls and personal visits to assure projects are completed on schedule, on budget, and at the expected quality level.
  • Explain your standards for quality and other expectations to those completing the work.
  • Be prepared to identify and fix problems as they occur even though you've delegated the work to someone else
• Common Sense Tips for Leading By Example
  • Don't be a snob. The minute you start thinking you're better than everyone else, you're not.
  • Don't judge your employees by the size of their bankbooks or their resumes, but rather by the amount of heart and pride they put into their jobs.
  • Respect and reward people who perform their jobs with integrity, regardless of their title. The quality of work performed by the person cleaning rooms at the Bertram Inn is just as important to the hotel's reputation as the quality of the manager's work with his staff and his interaction with guests.
  • Don't consider yourself above any job and be prepared to show employees how to do the task you ask them to complete.
  • Return every phone call, even when you dread what the other person might say. If you can't return a call promptly have someone do it for you.
  • Don't arrive late for meetings. It indicates that making a grand entrance is more important to you than other people's time. In fact, don't be on time to appointments; if possible arrive a little early. It shows you value other people's time and that you are anxious to meet with them.
• The Breed Called Entrepreneurs
  • Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. You can't back away from a fight at the first sign of conflict. You can't worry about being loved by everyone. Entrepreneurs are in business to make money, not to win popularity contests.
  • Entrepreneurs go through almost daily struggles, but that doesn't mean they are not succeeding or that they can't win the fight in the end.
  • Entrepreneurs who expect to make it in the long run have to be willing to roll up their sleeves and do whatever is needed to keep their company and employees focused in the right direction.
  • Entrepreneurs have to wear many hats. Sometimes that means going on sales calls or cleaning the restrooms. Sometimes it means pounding nails, or digging foundations.
  • Entrepreneurs need to stick to their personal ethical convictions about doing what they think is right and saying what they believe to be true regardless of the consequences.
• Traversing the Road to Entrepreneurship
  • Even if you think something "can't lose," there are always conditions under which it can, in fact, fail.
  • Don't assume that the person sitting across the table from you during negotiations values a win-win relationship.
  • Working with local governments to close a deal can test anyone's patience. Approach negotiations knowing that their first inclinations is not in your best interests—it's often not even in the best interests of the community.
  • When working with government officials, you have to be able to recognize all political implications for those involved to understand what they are likely to support and what they likely to squelch.
  • Think twice about investing in a project in which its success or failure is dependent on forces beyond your control.
  • Becoming emotionally attached to a business can fuel you with the extra energy and passion that might be required to make it succeed, but you have to know when to cut the emotional ties and make an objective business decision.
  • Hiring a real expert can buy you a great product, with a highly credible brand to market, as was the case with hiring Jack Nicklaus's company.
  • Diversity in business ventures can spark creativity, but also stretch you too thinly.
• Giving It Away: How to Make It Rewarding
  • Identify your general areas of interest
  • Learn about the organization and the specific programs it offers so you can speak about it to others
  • Make more significant contributions to fewer organizations rather than spreading yourself too thinly
  • Support organizations to which you have an emotional connection and evangelize them to others
  • Don't just write a check without having a say in what your money will accomplish and how it will be used
  • Make the organization responsible and responsive to you so you know how it is doing and what it is accomplishing
  • Become involved with the organization by contributing time, not just money, by either being on the board or volunteering.
  • Develop an ongoing relationship with the organization rather than making a one-time donation
  • Don't expect anything in return for your contributions
  • Recognize and appreciate what you do get in return, particularly that warm and fuzzy feeling inside that you have done something worthwhile