William "Bill" Landberg (born January 10, 1952) is an American entrepreneur, investor, and consultant whose career has spanned accounting, insurance, real estate, private equity, and renewable energy. He is the founder of Next Energy 360 LLC and a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Early Life and Education
Born in New York City, he was raised in Neponsit, New York, and attended public schools, graduating from Far Rockaway High School in 1969. During high school, he served as Senior Class President of a graduating class of 1,100 students and earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
He matriculated at Cornell University in 1969 and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Relations. He later earned his MBA from NYU Graduate School of Business in 1975 and passed the New York State CPA exam in 1977, though he did not pursue a career in public accounting.
Career
His professional journey began at the accounting firm that would later become Ernst & Young. He later held roles at a division of W.R. Grace and at Citibank. From 1977 to 1981, he served as an adjunct associate professor at NYU Graduate Business School, teaching accounting to first-year MBA students.
In 1978, he entered the insurance industry, joining his brother in a firm that specialized in tax and financial planning for young doctors and senior corporate executives at firms including International Paper and Bristol Myers.
He launched his real estate career in 1981 by forming a syndication firm. This effort led to his becoming the largest property owner in Tucson, Arizona, and a major partner in the acquisition of the Banning Lewis Ranch in Colorado Springs.
Following the Tax Reform Act of 1986, he transitioned into private equity and corporate restructuring. He was part of the team that took Nathan’s Famous private, serving as Vice Chairman in 1989. He played a role in restructuring two insurance companies in Pennsylvania and, along with DLJ, in the turnaround and sale of E&B Marine to West Marine.
Throughout the 1990s, he continued his restructuring work, including a Midwest franchisee group of Taco Bell and Sizzler. He exited this venture in 1997.
That same year, he joined the Board of Directors of Atalanta Sosnoff, a NYSE-listed money management firm. He became Senior Vice President in 1999 and launched the firm’s private client group.
In 2000, he purchased Sentinel Investment Management and co-founded West End Financial Advisors. The firm specialized in franchise financing, arranging over $900 million in credit from institutions including Merrill Lynch, which served as both a lender and equity partner. He also led luxury home development projects in the Hamptons, most notably on the Warner LeRoy estate in Amagansett.
In 2020, he entered the commercial solar industry.
In 2024, Landberg founded Next Energy 360 LLC., where he focuses on commercial energy consulting and renewable energy development.
Publications and Recognition
He authored two investment-related articles published in the Journal of Accountancy and received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2008 for public service contributions.