S tephen M. Ross is a self-made American real estate developer, philanthropist, and sports team owner. He is the founder and chairman of The Related Companies, one of the most prominent privately owned real estate firms in the United States. A tax attorney by training, Ross started his business in the 1970s by focusing on the development of affordable housing projects by leveraging federal tax credits. He later pivoted to large-scale, high-profile, and complex mixed-use urban developments, which became his signature.

His most notable projects have dramatically reshaped the skyline of New York City, including the Time Warner Center and, most significantly, Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in U.S. history. Beyond real estate, Ross is the principal owner of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Hard Rock Stadium. He is also one of the country's most significant philanthropists, having given hundreds of millions of dollars to his alma mater, the University of Michigan, where the business school is named in his honor.