Our History

W. P. Carey Founder Wm. Polk Carey was a born entrepreneur. As a child he sold soda to his neighbors and writing ink that he made in his basement. When he arrived at Princeton University to begin his freshman year, he soon discovered he owned something many of his schoolmates did not – a small dorm room refrigerator. Seeing an opportunity, he purchased as many refrigerators as he could afford and leased them to his schoolmates for a small fee. By the end of his sophomore year, he had made over $10,000. It was this simple idea that laid the groundwork for what is now known as W. P. Carey Inc.

50 years of Investing for the Long Run®

  • Original W. P. Carey logo

    1973

    Wm. Polk Carey founds W. P. Carey (formerly W. P. Carey & Co.), pioneering the concept of pooled net leased commercial real estate assets for individual investors 

  • 1979

    W. P. Carey launches its series of investment programs (CPA®) to continue providing retail investors with income and wealth preservation through the acquisition of commercial properties and real estate-related assets.* 

     

    *In 2017, W. P. Carey announced plans to exit all non-traded retail fundraising activity as part of its evolution to a pure-play net lease REIT.
  • W. P. Carey (NYSE: WPC) begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange

    1998

    W. P. Carey (formerly Carey Diversified LLC) begins trading on the NYSE

  • London's Big Ben to represent W. P. Carey's expansion to Europe with its London office in 1998

    1999

    W. P. Carey expands to Europe with the launch of its London office

  • Amsterdam canals to represent W. P. Carey's European growth with the Amsterdam office, opening in 2008

    2008

    W. P. Carey grows its European footprint, opening its Amsterdam office

  • W. P. Carey Founder Wm. Polk Carey

    2012

    W. P. Carey converts to a REIT

  • Increasing investment stock clipart representing W. P. Carey receiving investment grade ratings from Moody's and Standard & Poor's in 2014

    2014

    W. P. Carey completes its inaugural public equity and U.S. bond offerings and receives investment grade ratings from Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s

  • Euros to represent W. P. Carey's inaugural eurobond offering

    2015

    W. P. Carey expands its access to public markets with its inaugural eurobond offering

  • W. P. Carey celebrates 45 years in business and 20 years as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)

    2018

    W. P. Carey celebrates 45 years of Investing for the Long Run®, 20 years as a publicly traded company on the NYSE and 20 years of investing in Europe.

  • N-95 mask to protect against COVID-19, representing how W. P. Carey was protected in times of economic uncertainty and maintained rent collections among the best in the net lease and REIT sectors

    2020

    W. P. Carey successfully navigates a year unlike any other amid the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining rent collections among the best in the net lease sector as well as REITs generally

  • CareySolar solar panels on an industrial facility, representing W. P. Carey's inaugural green bond offering

    2021

    W. P. Carey executes its inaugural green bond offering

  • Increasing investment stock clipart representing W. P. Carey receiving ratings upgrade from Moody's in 2022

    2022

    W. P. Carey completes its merger with its final CPA® investment program and receives ratings upgrade from Moody’s, affirming it sustained positive trajectory since its initial investment grade rating from Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s in 2014

  • W. P. Carey 50th Anniversary Logo

    2023

    W. P. Carey celebrates 50 years of Investing for the Long Run®, 25 years as a publicly traded company on the NYSE and 25 years of investing in Europe.