Billionaire Alexander Rovt: “I did everything I wanted. Now I just dream of having grandchildren. ”

Alexander Rovt loves to live and work in New York. Photo by Denis Cheredov

In New York, Alexander Rovt is one of the richest Russian-speaking Americans. Now the influential magazine Forbes estimates his fortune at more than one billion dollars. And in 2012, the publication included Rovt in the list of the four hundred richest people on the planet.

The billionaire managed to earn a considerable fortune thanks to a profitable business. More recently, he was engaged in the production of mineral fertilizers in North America, and now owns a large consulting company IBE Trade Corporation, hotels, as well as expensive real estate.

In 2014, Alexander Rovt received the “Man of the Year of Russian-speaking America” award in the “Philanthropist of the Year” nomination. The award, which was established by the American Forum of Russian-speaking Jewry, marks the outstanding successes of Russian-speaking Americans in all spheres of the life of the United States. Figurines were presented to winners in eight nominations.

It's all about fertilizer.

Alexander Rovt was born in Mukachevo in Ukraine, graduated from the Lviv Trade and Economic Institute, and in 1973 he emigrated to Hungary. The young man had many plans, but he began with the study of the Hungarian language. It is hard to believe in it, but at first abroad the current billionaire worked as a loader in a vegetable shop. A few months later he became a seller, and then the store manager. Career merchandise went uphill. In 27 years, Rovt was appointed to a leading government position, becoming head of the sales department for fruits and vegetables throughout the country. However, life in Hungary did not quite suit Alexander Rovt.

“Let’s say that on holidays we went to the synagogue, but on the sly. One day we went there with our little son Philip and met a neighbor. We did not know that he was a Jew, and he did not “suspect” us of it. Even our children were shocked: they didn’t know how to behave,” says the businessman ForumDaily.

In addition, Alexander Rovt always wanted his children to receive a good education and achieve something in life. Therefore, in 1985, he moved to the USA, where his parents and close relatives had settled down.

“In the US, I immediately bought a house, car, cottage. And then I bought a restaurant for 75 thousand dollars. Then it was a lot of money. But, unfortunately, I did not earn anything. Even a little lost and realized that this business is not for me, "- Rovt describes the first months of his stay in New York.

He tried himself in the jewelry business. Now the billionaire remembers that time with a smile. With a poor knowledge of English, he went shopping in the Manhattan area and offered “jewelery”. A year and a half after his arrival in the USA, Alexander's friend, Imre Pak, told Rovta about the vacancy in the chemical company IBE Trade Corporation. They were just looking for a specialist with knowledge of the Russian language. And from that moment on, the life of the future billionaire has completely changed.

 

“A friend said that you supposedly graduated from the Trade and Economic Institute, you have connections with Europe. Let's try. The president of the company agreed to pay for the trip, and so we started to deal with the barrier, ” - says Rovt.

The company where Alexander Rovt started working was engaged in the development of various technologies for production. One of them was intended for use in the construction of brick-tiled plants. Technology firm sold to the Soviet Union. And officials from the Soviet republics could only pay off the client with mineral fertilizers.

“We learned how to store these fertilizers correctly. Mineral fertilizers are not a sack of potatoes. This required a special delivery and transportation technology. We received ammonia, saltpeter, carbolite. By the way, we supplied the USSR not only with technology, but also with environmental equipment,” — Rovt shares the company’s successes.

IBE Trade Corporation barely had time to fulfill orders, starting to earn good money.

“The Soviet Union asked us to build a tile factory. For example, at that time the plant cost $20 million. They gave us ammonia or saltpeter with this money. But even when the barter stopped, we continued to trade in mineral fertilizers. They bought and sold on the world market,” says Rovt.

Something had to be done with the huge profits. In 2000, Rovt became president of the company. The new owner moved to an even more dynamic business development strategy. Then the company bought three factories for the production of mineral fertilizers - in Hungary, in the Ukrainian Severodonetsk and in the Voronezh region.

About mineral fertilizers and the specifics of their work Rovt can talk for hours. After all, he devoted his beloved work to half his life.

“We produced various nitrogen group fertilizers. In 2008, our company controlled up to 13% of sales in the global ammonia market and about 7% of ammonium nitrate,” — Rovt shares statistics.

Five years ago, Alexander Rovt sold the plant in Severodonetsk. He did the same with the Russian and Hungarian plants. He says that he was offered a price that he could not refuse. True, the billionaire does not want to talk about the exact amount of the transaction. “I assure you, it is about billions of dollars,”- he told ForumDaily.

The working day of Alexander Rovt is always painted by the hour. Photos from the personal archive

Now the company Rovta advises new owners of plants: offers the most profitable markets for mineral fertilizers.

“When the plants belonged to us, the turnover was $ 1,5-2 billion per year. Now $ 5 billion. They [new owners - ed.] There are other plants. They produce ammonia, nitrate, carbamide. Everything that belongs to the nitrogenous group of mineral fertilizers is ours, ”says the president of the company.

Every year Alexander Rovt gives gifts to his employees. Today his team numbers about 400 people. IBE Trade Corporation has its own traditions. If a person has worked in a company for five years, then from Rovt’s hands he personally receives a special copper badge with the company’s symbols. The manager rewards an employee with ten years of experience with a gold badge with a diamond. For 15 years of service, a team member will receive a gold badge with two diamonds, and for 20 years of service, a badge with three gems.

Tips for budding immigrant businessmen

Alexander Rovt believes that now the US economy is in a fairly stable state. About any crisis and the speech can not be, sure businessman. Those who talk about a downturn in the economy, Rowt calls "crazy people." So, the businessman advises not to be afraid of rumors and boldly open projects. But to begin, according to him, you need to study English and get an American diploma.

“Without education, nothing will happen. You need to get it in the USA to understand what you want to do. For example, you are going to open a store. Start studying all the details. What stores already exist, what consumers are there, study the location - this is 50% of success,” says the billionaire.

Rovt’s business position is quite clear. In his opinion, there are two ways to open your own business. The first, least risky option is to buy an existing business and develop it further. And the second is to start everything from scratch yourself. But if you do, you could lose money, he warns.

“Many Russians who came to America don’t seem to understand many things. They believe that the penny they earn should be immediately invested in business. And they don’t even think about what and how. Like, I invested (this is America!) - that means I’ll get rich. No, this is not so,” says Alexander Rovt.

Alexander Rovt is confident that the US economy is in a stable state. Photo by Denis Cheredov

Owner of factories, newspapers, steamboats

For four years, Alexander Rovt has been in the hotel business. Now he is preparing to open a grand project in Toronto. There will soon be a 30-floor hotel on 406 rooms. In addition, Rovt already has several hotels that are scattered throughout Europe.

In the US, Alexander Rovt owns dozens of properties. There are even legends about him: they say, a businessman buys apartments and offices for cash only. According to him, this is not so far from the truth.

A year ago, Rovt bought a building on Wall Street in New York. “Even the New York Times wrote that a Ukrainian billionaire bought a house for $303 million and did not take out a mortgage amount. Americans really don’t do this, but it’s beneficial for me. When I bought this building, it was 68% occupied by offices, and now it is 96%. But my friends dissuaded me from buying, they said that it was very expensive,” says Rovt about the profitable purchase of real estate.

There are Alexander Rovt and penthouses. One of them is in Manhattan on 63 East Street. The area of ​​the mansion, which was built by the owner, is more than a thousand square meters. The billionaire's wife, Olga, helped her husband create the design of a six-story house with a library and a swimming pool. A year ago, Rovt decided to put up a mansion for sale. Price $ 25 million. Buyers have not yet been found.

“I'm not going to give up. Don't even think a dime. I built it myself. What are you ?! I'll wait. I am building another house on 68 Street, ” - said Alexander Rovt.

In 2011, the billionaire acquired thirty buildings in Brooklyn. Houses Rovt rents out, but his youngest son Maxwell is partially involved in these matters.

The businessman lives in Brooklyn with his wife and commutes to work in Manhattan every day. The billionaire's daily routine is scheduled minute by minute. “At 5 am I get up. Then I do exercises. I'll definitely go to the pool. After swimming I have breakfast. Then a trip to the synagogue, and then to the office. At 9 o’clock in the morning I’m already sitting in my office,” he says.

Weekend Alexander Rovt spends with health benefits. He likes to play tennis. And at any time can rent a plane and fly to hunt in their native places in Hungary or Slovakia. His wife, Olga, devoted her whole life to raising children.
“She also graduated from the Trade and Economic Institute. But her business is family. “I raised two sons,” says Rovt with love.

Rovt's eldest son, Philip, was born in Lvov. Philip, 37, works in the construction industry developing projects. But the youngest, 28-year-old son Maxwell, works as a manager in Manhattan and helps his father manage the rental of Brooklyn real estate.

“They are independent, well done. But, to be honest, the last word is mine. The only thing that upsets me a little is that the guys are still single. They don’t want to get married - that’s all. I did everything I wanted. Now I just dream of having grandchildren,” — billionaire Alexander Rovt shares his dream with ForumDaily.

*REFERENCE

Rovt has been involved in charitable activities since 1989, and in interviews with Ukrainian media he has repeatedly said that this is a tradition established by his grandfather. The Rovt Family Charitable Foundation was created more than 10 years ago. The businessman helps the poor and orphanages in his hometown of Mukachevo; Transcarpathians - participants in combat operations in the ATO zone and the local military hospital; schools, religious communities, organizations that in turn help people with disabilities. The businessman also repeatedly provided financial assistance to eliminate the consequences of severe floods in Transcarpathia.

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