Page 32 - 2022-Spring Summer Magazine_FINAL Single_Neat

Upon his return stateside, the still
young Franklin decided to pursue
a passion that had took hold of
him during one of his prior jobs as
a craftsman. Taking advantage of
the G.I. Bill’s allocation for higher
education, he achieved a degree in
Engineering—before being accepted
to Harvard’s prestigious Business
School—and ultimately graduating
with his MBA in 1952.

For several years, he held a
managerial position at a Boston-
area manufacturing plant, but
his innate drive to lead continued
unabated. Leaning into his
educational background, Franklin
founded the Simon Companies
in 1966; an enterprise that would
become one of New England’s
largest landlords, developing more
than 7,000 units and a number
of commercial office buildings
throughout Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, New Hampshire, Vermont,
and Maine. With a concentration on
providing and managing housing
for middle and lower-income
families, Franklin was bestowed
an honorary doctorate by the
University of Rhode Island for his
contributions to professionalism
and the community.

Franklin remained an active part
of his namesake business until his
official retirement in 2019.

Club Braman Member Franklin Simon

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