Gary M. Karelis (Questrom’70)

Gary Karelis received his BS in BA from Questrom in 1970, followed by obtaining an MBA at Suffolk University. Early in his career, he taught at night for many years at Northeastern University.

Gary always wanted to own his own business starting back at Tilton Prep School in Tilton, NH. After BU, he joined Karelis Heel Corp, a plastics manufacturing company, as the third generation of his family’s business. Eventually, he bought the company and continued the business until imports took over the domestic women’s shoe industry and the industry could no longer be viable.

Since 1974, while running the manufacturing company, Gary started purchasing residential apartments in Newburyport, MA, and built his business of real estate investment and management over many years. In 2016, he moved to the west coast and continues running the business remotely to the present day.

Gary has been married to Linda Sherman for 36 years. Linda was a software engineer and became actively involved in the real estate business in 1991, when it became a full-time career for Gary. Linda and Gary’s two adult children followed them to California from the east coast.
Since graduating BU, Gary has been active in many alumni events at the school. In his new life in San Diego, Gary plays pickleball, golf, enjoys Pilates, has gotten involved again in his high school passion for acting, and loves to travel.