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Ivana Trump

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Not to be confused with Ivanka Trump.
Ivana Trump
Ivana Trump in 2007
Born
Ivana Marie Zelníčková

(1949-02-20) February 20, 1949 (age 75)
Gottwaldov, Moravia, Czechoslovakia
(now Czech Republic)
Occupation(s)Businesswoman, model, author, socialite
Years active1970–present
Spouse(s)
Alfred Winklmayr
​
​
(m. 1971; div. 1973)​

​
​
(m. 1977; div. 1992)​

Riccardo Mazzucchelli
​
​
(m. 1995; div. 1997)​

Rossano Rubicondi
​
​
(m. 2008; div. 2009)​
ChildrenDonald Trump Jr.
Ivanka Trump
Eric Trump
Parent(s)Miloš Zelníček
Marie Francová-Zelníčková

Ivana Marie Trump (née Zelníčková, Czech pronunciation: [ˈɪvana ˈmarɪjɛ ˈzɛlɲiːt͡ʃkovaː]; February 20, 1949) is a Czech-American businesswoman, author, socialite, and former fashion model, widely known for her marriage to Donald Trump.

Early years

Ivana Zelníčková was born in the Moravian town of Zlín (before known as Gottwaldov), Czechoslovakia, the daughter of Miloš Zelníček and Marie Francová.[1] From a very young age, her father nurtured and encouraged her skiing talent. In the early 1970s, she attended Charles University in Prague.[2]

It is sometimes said that she was selected as an alternate on the Czechoslovak ski team during the 1972 Winter Olympics, her specialties being the downhill and slalom.[3] However, in 1989, Petr Pomezny, Secretary General of the Czechoslovak Olympic Committee, said, "Who is this Ivana woman, and why do people keep calling us about her? We have searched so many times and have consulted many, many people, and there is no such girl in our records."[4]

Personal life

In 1971, Ivana married real estate agent Alfred Winklmayr. They were divorced in 1973.[5] She left Czechoslovakia for Canada to be with a childhood friend, George Syrovatka, who owned a ski boutique there. For the following two years, she lived in Montreal, improved her English by taking night courses at McGill University[citation needed], and worked as a model for some of Canada's top fur companies. Ivana then left Syrovatka and moved to New York to promote the Montreal Olympics.

In New York, Ivana met Donald Trump, son of real estate developer Fred Trump. On April 7, 1977, they married in a lavish wedding. Donald and Ivana Trump became leading figures in New York society during the 1980s. They worked on several large projects, including the renovation of the Grand Hyatt Hotel and construction of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey and the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.[6][7] They had three children: Donald John Jr. (born December 31, 1977), Ivanka Marie (born October 30, 1981), and Eric Fredrick (born January 6, 1984). The older son learned to speak fluent Czech (with help of his maternal grandfather), while daughter Ivanka has only basic understanding of her mother's native tongue and the younger son was not exposed to the language because at the time of his birth his grandparents were already comfortable enough in using English.[8][9][10][11] Ivana Trump has eight grandchildren.[12]

Ivana took a major role in the Trump Organization. She became the Vice President of Interior Design for the company, leading the signature design of Trump Tower. Afterwards, her then-husband appointed her to head up the Trump Castle Hotel and Casino as president. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1988, with Donald at her side.[13]

In the late 1980s, Ivana left Atlantic City to devote more time to her family. Her husband asked her to oversee the restoration of the landmark Plaza Hotel, and she took over as its president. She was named Hotelier of the Year in 1990. Toward the end of that year, rumors began to circulate that her husband was having an affair with a former beauty queen from Georgia, Marla Maples. While the family was on vacation in Aspen, Colorado, that Christmas, she encountered Maples on the ski slopes.[14] In 1991, she retained entertainment attorney Neil Papiano and filed for divorce, seeking a greater amount of the family fortune than had been set out in her prenuptial agreement. Her husband fought back in court, protesting her claims that she had contributed to the Trump Organization.

The divorce proceedings led to extensive pieces in the gossip columns. In October 1990, her 63-year-old father died suddenly from a heart attack. The Trumps stood side-by-side at the funeral.[15] Their divorce was settled after that in 1992.[16] Although the settlement remains sealed by the courts, it is rumored that Ivana received $20 million; the $14 million family estate in Connecticut; a $5 million housing allowance; $350,000 annual alimony; all of her jewelry; and 49% of Mar-a-Lago, the family home in Palm Beach, Florida, that also serves as a private club for the Palm Beach elite. Not long after her divorce from Donald, Ivana married Riccardo Mazzucchelli.[17] The marriage was dissolved before two years had elapsed,[citation needed] and she filed a $15 million breach of contract suit against Mazzucchelli for violating the confidentiality clause in their prenuptial agreement.[18] The suit was settled out of court.[citation needed] In 1997, Mazzucchelli sued Ivana and Donald for libel.[19]

In April 2008, Ivana, then 59, married Rossano Rubicondi, then 36.[20] The $3 million wedding for 400 guests was hosted by Donald at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump's daughter Ivanka was her maid of honor.[21] On December 1, 2008, Trump confirmed to the Associated Press that she had filed a legal separation agreement three months previously; she has stated in interviews that she and her husband have an on-again/off-again relationship.

Career

Soon after her divorce from Donald Trump, she signed on with the William Morris Agency and developed lines of clothing, fashion jewelry and beauty products that have been sold through television shopping channels. She has also written several books including the novels For Love Alone, Lucy Wilkins and Free to Love as well as a self-help book called The Best is Yet to Come: Coping with Divorce and Enjoying Life Again. In 2001, she penned an advice column for Divorce Magazine.[22] She played a cameo role in the Hollywood film The First Wives Club with the line, "Ladies you've have to be strong and independent. And remember: don't get mad, get everything."[23]

In 2005, she was involved in several proposed condominium projects that ultimately failed, including the never-built Ivana Las Vegas, and the Bentley Bay in Miami, Florida.[24][25] She was the host of Oxygen Network's reality-dating series Ivana Young Man in 2006. In 2010, she sued a Finnish fashion company, accusing it of selling women's clothing that incorporates her name without permission.[26] In the same year, she took part in the UK's Celebrity Big Brother, finishing seventh.[27]

References

  1. ^ Novelguide.com Template:Wayback
  2. ^ van Meter, Johnathan (May 1989). "That's Why the Lady is a Trump". Spy (magazine). Sussex Publishers, LLC. ISSN 0890-1759 – via Google Books. {{cite magazine}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help); Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Bell, B., "They met, they saw and they conquered: Donald and Ivana Trump seemed to have it all", New York Daily News, Feb 11, 1990.
  4. ^ van Meter, Johnathan (May 1989). "That's Why the Lady is a Trump". Spy (magazine). Sussex Publishers, LLC. ISSN 0890-1759. Retrieved 30 June 2013 – via Google Books. {{cite magazine}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "After Months of Marital Swordplay, the Donald's No Longer a Hubby, and Ivana's No Longer a Trump". People. April 8, 1991. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  6. ^ "After The Gold Rush". Vanity Fair. August 1990. Retrieved January 10, 2016. "They were married in New York during Easter of 1977. Mayor Beame attended the wedding at Marble Collegiate Church. Donald had already made his alliance with Roy Cohn, who would become his lawyer and mentor.
  7. ^ "THE EMPIRE AND EGO OF DONALD TRUMP". The New York Times. 7 August 1983. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Ivana Trump Now Fashions Herself As Plaza's Innkeeper". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  9. ^ "Did Their Father Really Know Best?". NYMag.com. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  10. ^ "Donald Trump Jr. on Twitter: "I speak Czech fluently "@sofia5013: Jr great work with @operationsmile!! U travel quite a bit-wondering if u r fluent in other languages?""". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  11. ^ "Ivanka Trump on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  12. ^ Corcoran, Kieran (June 16, 2015). "Dad for President! Donald Trump's five children steal the spotlight at 2016 announcement - with nine-year-old Barron looking all grown up". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  13. ^ "Ivana Trump becomes U.S. citizen". Associated Press. May 27, 1988. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  14. ^ Lavin, Cheryl. "With `Dynasty` Dead, Just Tune To The Trumps". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  15. ^ Robert E. Tomasson (1990-10-31). "Chronicle". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  16. ^ "IvanaTrump.com". IvanaTrump.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  17. ^ "Riccardo, We Hardly Knew Ye : People.com". People.com. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  18. ^ "IVANA WANTS TO MUZZLE SOON-TO-BE-EX". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  19. ^ "Husband sues Ivana and Donald Trump for libel". independent.co.uk. 29 July 1997. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  20. ^ Marx, Linda. "Ivana Trump Marries for the Fourth Time - Weddings, Ivana Trump". People.com. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  21. ^ Ivana Trump weds actor Rossano Rubicondi: report Reuters
  22. ^ Zwecker, Bill, "Ivana's trump? Divorce column that shares all she's learned", Chicago Sun-Times, January 24, 2001
  23. ^ Cettl, Robert (2010). Film Talk. Wider Screenings. p. 54. ISBN 9780987050038. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  24. ^ Robison, Jennifer (August 15, 2005). "High-Rise Development: Ivana buys into project". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 29, 2005.
  25. ^ Clarke, Norm (July 19, 2006). "Pamela, Kid Rock finally to marry". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on July 20, 2006.
  26. ^ Ivana Trump sues Finnish designer over name:report Reuters
  27. ^ Celebrity Big Brother: Ivana Trump makes a magical entrance into the house Mail Online, January 9, 2010
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