After assuming leadership of the company in the early 50s, he focused a percentage of the company’s profits on real estate development, primarily in hotels. His gamble paid off big time. At one point Dean’s company launched a massive $450 million five-hotel complex in Indianapolis that includes the JW Marriott’s largest hotel property, with 1,005 rooms. The property is steps from Lucas Oil Field, and the February 2012 opening included a performance by Diana Ross. He sold his father’s billboard business for $960 million in 1998, and sold 100 of his hotel properties in 2006 for $1.7 billion. Dean White died on September 14, 2016.