Examine individual changes

[ 0 => '{{Short description|American businessman (1923–2003)}}', 1 => '{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}', 2 => '{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}', 3 => '{{Infobox person', 4 => '| name = Preston A. Wells Jr.', 5 => '| image = ', 6 => '| caption = ', 7 => '| birth_name = Richard Wells', 8 => '| birth_date = {{birth date|1923|10|08}}', 9 => '| birth_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], U.S.', 10 => '| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|09|02|1923|10|08}}', 11 => '| death_place = [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], U.S.', 12 => '| party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]', 13 => '| spouse = {{plainlist|', 14 => '* Unknown first wife (divorced)', 15 => '* {{Marriage|Marion Gretsch|1973}}', 16 => '}}', 17 => '| children = 6 (5 step)', 18 => '| education = [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])', 19 => '| occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|philanthropist}}', 20 => '| module = {{Infobox military person |embed=yes', 21 => ' | allegiance = [[United States]]', 22 => ' | branch = [[United States Marine Corps]]', 23 => ' | serviceyears = 1943–1945', 24 => ' | rank = [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]]', 25 => ' | unit = [[V Amphibious Corps]]', 26 => ' | battles = {{tree list}}', 27 => '* [[World War II]]', 28 => '** [[Battle of Iwo Jima]]', 29 => '{{tree list/end}}', 30 => ' | awards = {{ubl |[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] |[[Good Conduct Medal (United States)|Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal]]| [[World War II Victory Medal]]| [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal]]| [[Combat Action Ribbon]]}}', 31 => '}}', 32 => '}}', 33 => '', 34 => ''''Preston Albert "Dick" Wells Jr.''' (born '''Richard Wells'''; October 8, 1923&nbsp;– September 2, 2003) was an American businessman, [[real estate]] developer, and [[political donor]]. He was the president of [[Las Olas Boulevard|Las Olas]] [[Real estate development|Development Company]], which owns the Riverside Hotel in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]. In 2002, he became chairman of the [[Intercollegiate Studies Institute]].', 35 => '', 36 => '==Early life and education==', 37 => 'Preston Albert Wells Jr. was born Richard Wells on October 8, 1923, to Preston A. Wells Sr. and Lillian Shedd, sister of [[John Shedd Reed]] and granddaughter of [[John G. Shedd]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Preston A. Wells |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/obituaries/preston-a-wells-fl/ |access-date=2024-12-22 |newspaper=[[Sun Sentinel]] |language=en}}</ref> He was raised in [[Winnetka, Illinois]] and graduated from [[North Shore Country Day School]]. Wells earned his bachelor's degree in [[chemical engineering]] from the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]].<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Preston Wells Obituary |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sunsentinel/name/preston-wells-obituary?id=27655044 |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=[[Legacy.com]] |language=en}}</ref>', 38 => '', 39 => '==Career and military service==', 40 => 'While attending the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]], Wells participated in [[Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps|Army ROTC]] before cross-commissioning in the [[United States Marine Corps]] in 1943. During [[World War II]], he fought the [[Empire of Japan]] in the [[Pacific War|Pacific theatre]] at the [[Battle of Iwo Jima]].<ref name=ss>{{Cite news |last=Hernandez|first=Jaime|date=November 20, 2014|title=Preston Wells, 80, Led Company That Helped Develop Las Olas |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2003/09/04/preston-wells-80-led-company-that-helped-develop-las-olas/?clearUserState=true |access-date=2003-09-04 |newspaper=[[Sun Sentinel]] |language=en}}</ref> After the [[surrender of Japan]], Wells retired from service at the rank of [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]], having received the [[Bronze Star Medal]], [[Good Conduct Medal (United States)|Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal]], [[World War II Victory Medal]], [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal]], and the [[Combat Action Ribbon]] for his actions. His cousin, [[First Lieutenant|1stLt]] George Greeley Wells, adjutant of [[2nd Battalion, 5th Marines]], served on the [[Iwo Jima|island]] with Wells and was a part of the [[Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima#Raising_the_first_flag|first raising of the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lodder|first=Reece|date=November 20, 2014|title=Remembering Greeley: The Marine who carried his flag to Iwo Jima |url=https://www.dvidshub.net/news/148376/remembering-greeley-marine-who-carried-his-flag-iwo-jima |access-date=2024-12-22 |newspaper=[[Defense Visual Information Distribution Service|DVIDS]] |language=en}}</ref>', 41 => '', 42 => 'Wells gained control of the Las Olas Development Company in 1972. The company owned the Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale and other large properties across [[Broward County, Florida]].<ref name=ss/><ref>{{Cite news|title=History|url=https://thelasolascompany.com/who-we-are/history/|access-date=2024-12-22|website=thelasolascompany.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Christensen|first=Dan|date=November 23, 2009|title=Money and betrayal on Las Olas Boulevard|url=https://www.floridabulldog.org/2009/11/money-and-betrayal-on-las-olas-boulevard/|website=Florida Bulldog}}</ref>', 43 => '', 44 => 'Through most of his adult life, Wells was the primary owner of [[Rush Creek Ranch]] in [[Nebraska]]; founded by his family in 1890.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 19, 2021|title=Customer Highlight: Rush Creek|url=https://pwcbank.com/blog/2021/07/19/customer-highlight-rush-creek/#blog-post|access-date=2024-12-22|work=Points West Community Bank}}</ref>', 45 => '', 46 => '==Political views and contributions==', 47 => 'For many years, Wells donated to the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and supported [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] causes. He was a member of the board of trustees of [[The Heritage Foundation]] for nearly 30 years.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=2015 Annual Report|url=https://static.heritage.org/annual-report/pdf/TheHeritageFoundation_AnnualReport_2015.pdf|access-date=2024-12-22|website=[[The Heritage Foundation]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|title=2017 Annual Report|url=https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2018-05/2017_AnnualReport_WEB.pdf|access-date=2024-12-22|website=[[The Heritage Foundation]]}}</ref> The "Preston A. Wells, Jr. Senior Research Fellow, Center for Health and Welfare Policy" and "Preston A. Wells Jr. Day" were named in his honor.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=Edmund F. Haislmaier|url=https://www.heritage.org/staff/edmund-haislmaier|access-date=2024-12-22|website=[[The Heritage Foundation]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|title=2016 Annual Report|url=https://static.heritage.org/annual-report/pdf/TheHeritageFoundation_AnnualReport_2016.pdf|access-date=2024-12-22|website=[[The Heritage Foundation]]}}</ref>', 48 => '', 49 => 'He was a major donor during the foundation of the [[James Madison Institute]]. The institute designated "Preston A. Wells Jr. Day" in his honor and named their "Center for American Ideals" after him.<ref>{{Cite press release|date=2013|title=Sou⁠t⁠h Flor⁠i⁠da Teen En⁠t⁠repreneur W⁠i⁠ns JMI Award; JMI Announces Pres⁠t⁠on A. Wells, Jr. Cen⁠t⁠er for Amer⁠i⁠can Ideals|url=https://jamesmadison.org/south-florida-teen-entrepreneur-wins-jmi-award-jmi-announces-preston-a-wells-jr-center-for-american-ideals/|access-date=2024-12-22|website=[[James Madison Institute]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|last=Wickboldt|first=Valerie|date=2013|title=JMI Announces Launch of Pres⁠t⁠on A. Wells, Jr. Cen⁠t⁠er for Amer⁠i⁠can Ideals a⁠t⁠ Sou⁠t⁠h Flor⁠i⁠da Cons⁠t⁠⁠i⁠⁠t⁠u⁠t⁠⁠i⁠on Day Celebra⁠t⁠⁠i⁠on|url=https://jamesmadison.org/jmi-announces-launch-of-preston-a-wells-jr-center-for-american-ideals-at-south-florida-constitution-day-celebration/|access-date=2024-12-22|website=[[James Madison Institute]]}}</ref>', 50 => '', 51 => 'In 2002, he was chairman of the [[Intercollegiate Studies Institute]] and an annual award was designated in his honor.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 10, 2010|title=Preston A. Wells Jr. Leadership Award|url=https://vintage.isi.org/lectures/preston-a-wells-jr-leadership-award/|access-date=2024-12-22|work=[[Intercollegiate Studies Institute|ISI]]}}</ref>', 52 => '', 53 => 'After significant donations, the [[University of Florida]]'s Department of [[Neurology]] was named after his mother, Lillian, and the department's Center for Brain Tumor Therapy was named after him.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery|url=https://neurosurgery.ufl.edu/|access-date=2024-12-22|website=ufl.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy|url=https://braintumors.ufhealth.org/|access-date=2024-12-22|website=ufl.edu}}</ref>', 54 => '', 55 => '==Personal life==', 56 => 'Wells was married twice. He married his second wife Marion Gretsch in 1973. They lived in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]] until his death. ', 57 => '', 58 => 'Wells died from [[cancer]] on September 2, 2003. Upon the announcement of his death, [[Edwin Feulner]] reacted by saying: “We will miss his quiet and principled guidance in every area of Heritage’s activities.”<ref name=ss/>', 59 => '', 60 => '==External links==', 61 => '* [https://littlesis.org/person/246115-Preston_A_Wells_Jr Campaign contributions] from the [[Federal Election Commission]]', 62 => '', 63 => '{{Authority control}}', 64 => '', 65 => '{{DEFAULTSORT:Wells Jr., Preston A.}}', 66 => '[[Category:1923 births]]', 67 => '[[Category:2003 deaths]]', 68 => '[[Category:Real estate and property developers]]', 69 => '[[Category:American chairpersons of corporations]]', 70 => '[[Category:American hoteliers]]', 71 => '[[Category:American political fundraisers]]', 72 => '[[Category:American businesspeople in real estate]]', 73 => '[[Category:20th-century American philanthropists]]', 74 => '[[Category:21st-century American philanthropists]]', 75 => '[[Category:Military personnel from Illinois]]', 76 => '[[Category:Businesspeople from Chicago]]', 77 => '[[Category:Florida Republicans]]', 78 => '[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni]]' ]