Larry Connor on spending millions to fly to space and where most of his fortune will go when he dies

Note from Community Impact Editor Amelia Robinson: Columnist Tom Archdeacon recently wrote an article about The Connor Group CEO Larry Connor plans to pilot the first-ever all civilian flight to the International Space Station. The Miami Township-based real estate investment firm submitted this letter originally sent to its employees for publication by this newspaper. The firm has more than $3.3 billion in assets.
Larry Conner, CEO of The Conner Group, in 2012 archive photo. STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS STEWART

Credit: Dayton Daily News

Credit: Dayton Daily News

Larry Conner, CEO of The Conner Group, in 2012 archive photo. STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS STEWART

INVESTING IN PEOPLE, SPACE AND THE FUTURE

Over the years, I’ve been very fortunate. And I believe if you’re fortunate, you have the opportunity and the obligation to share the wealth.

Do the right thing and people count – we’ve built a reputation by living those core values over the last 28 years. But over the last several days, people who don’t really know much about the culture we’ve built have questioned why I’m spending millions to go to space. There are so many other worthy causes.

“We started The Connor Group with nothing, actually, less than nothing. With the right people, we've grown it to more than $3.3 billion in assets. It's only right to share the wealth with those who are responsible for our success."

- Larry Conner

I believe it’s a fair question, and I understand the criticism. That’s why I believe now is the right time to share with all of you my financial plans for the long-term.

Larry Connor is moving the main office of his national real estate management firm into a new $15 million building at Ohio 741 and Austin Boulevard. He sees the intersection and adjoining corridor being at the area's strategic center.

Credit: HANDOUT

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Credit: HANDOUT

If and when I get hit by the bus – who knows, I might live forever – 80 percent of my personal assets will go to two key groups - Kids and Community Partners and our key associates.

• Fifty percent will be devoted to Kids & Community Partners. It will help continue to fund programs that help under-resourced kids and groundbreaking medical research. We plan to invest $400 million on this front during the next decade. My estate plan will ensure this important work continues long into the future.

• Thirty percent of my net worth will go to our partnership program. The partnership is comprised of key associates who helped build the company and continue to make it successful. Those people are our best groundskeepers, service techs, sales associates, department heads – you name it.

• Twenty percent will go to the Connor family.

We started The Connor Group with nothing, actually, less than nothing. With the right people, we’ve grown it to more than $3.3 billion in assets. It’s only right to share the wealth with those who are responsible for our success.

Yes, I’m investing a large amount of money to go to space. But I believe this is an investment in our future, and space is truly the next great frontier. I decided to share this information with a national reporter to help him tell the whole story. I thought you should hear it from me first.

LARRY CONNOR, THE CONNOR GROUP

LETTER: TURNER COMPLICT IN THE LIE

NOTE: Congress Mike Turner released a statement following the House’s Jan. 13 vote to impeach President Trump that called the attack on the Capitol reprehensible. “In less than a week, President Trump is leaving office disgraced and discredited for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election,” Turner wrote. “However, Speaker Pelosi’s snap impeachment is absent due process, hearings, witnesses and violates our responsibilities under the Constitution. For these reasons, I could not support it.”

By voting against impeachment, Congressman Mike Turner (R-Dayton) became complicit in the lying, mind-bending tactics of the radical Trump Republican Party.

A principled Republican colleague who voted for impeachment, Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington state, said, “these articles of impeachment are flawed, but I will not use process as an excuse for President Trump’s actions.”

Rep. Turner used exactly that excuse― lawyerly, weasel words― in his statement explaining why he didn’t support impeachment. Just to take one example, he said there were no witnesses. Seriously? The entire nation witnessed Trump’s incitement of the riot and attempt to overturn the election.

U.S. Rep. Mike Turner

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Our country needs a principled conservative party, one that shares the values that make us all Americans, regardless of political views. Mike Turner has disqualified himself from membership in that party.

ROBERT ELY, FAIRBORN


Letters to the editor are submitted reflections from readers typically of 200 words or less. Letters can also be sent to edletter@coxinc.com. Include a daytime phone number, your full name and the city in which you reside.