Edgar B. Stern Jr., chairman of Royal Street Corporation, founder of WDSU Television, New Orleans, Deer Valley Resort, Park City, Utah, the Stanford Court Hotel, San Francisco, California, and a long-time director of Sears Roebuck and Company, died Sunday, October 12 in Seattle, WA at 86.
He was a true visionary, a pioneer in television and an innovator in the ski and hotel industries. In all his endeavors he had a deep commitment to excellence and a philosophy of unstinting service to his community.
He was born in New York City on September 1, 1922, and was raised in New Orleans, where he attended Metairie Park Country Day School. He was a graduate of the Hotchkiss School and Harvard University.
During World War II he served as a Signal Corps officer in the Pacific Theatre and at the Pentagon during the Korean War.
In 1948, along with his father, he founded WDSU-TV, Channel 6, in New Orleans, the first commercial television station in the Gulf Coast region. WDSU was the recipient of a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. He served on local civic and social services boards and served nationally as Public Relations Chairman of the United Fund.
Among his many New Orleans projects was participation in the creation of the Royal Orleans Hotel and the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Oakwood Shopping Center, another of his developments, was the first air-conditioned shopping center in the region.
In 1968 he moved to Aspen, Colorado where he developed the Starwood residential subdivision and Red Mountain Ranch. There he served for many years as chairman of the Music Associates of Aspen, the governing body of the Aspen Music Festival & School. He took the leadership position in establishing the Aspen Valley Improvement Association and served on the Aspen Valley Hospital Board of Directors.
His continuing interest in hospitality led in the 70’s to the nearly simultaneous development of The Stanford Court Hotel and the Deer Valley Resort. Stanford Court Hotel was continuously awarded the prestigious Mobile Five Star rating. A new standard for the ski industry was set at Deer Valley when Edgar Stern achieved his dream of combining the sport of skiing with the service, food and amenities of a five star hotel.
Mr. Stern relocated to San Juan Island, Washington in 1986 where he served as president of the board of the San Juan Community Theatre and contributed to numerous community endeavors.
In 2007, he retired his position as Chairman of the Board of Royal Street Corporation.
In addition to his wife of sixty-one years, Pauline (Polly), Mr. Stern is survived by his daughter Sandra McIver, sons Eric, Monte and Lessing, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.
