David Adelman

David J. Adelman is the founder of Darco Spirits, a premium spirits company committed to exceptional quality and bold innovation. Darco’s portfolio includes American Harvest Vodka, a USDA-certified organic vodka crafted from Idaho-grown ingredients, and Beach Whiskey, known for its vibrant flavors like Island Coconut and Bonfire Cinnamon, as well as a growing line of low-ABV canned cocktails.

Beyond Darco Spirits, Adelman is a dynamic entrepreneur and active private investor. For nearly 30 years, he has served as CEO of Campus Apartments, a national leader in student housing, with over $2 billion in assets under management across 18 states, housing more than 25,000 students attending 70+ colleges and universities. He is also the founder and vice chairman of FS Investments, a leading alternative asset manager with $83 billion in assets under management, and the founder of Darco Capital, his family office investment vehicle, which has made over 90 venture capital and growth capital investments across climate tech, food, spirits, fintech, hospitality, sports and media, and well-known consumer-facing brands.

Adelman is a partner in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), an industry-leading sports and entertainment group with a global portfolio that includes the 76ers, New Jersey Devils, Washington Commanders, Crystal Palace of the English Premier League, the Prudential Center, and others. He is also the chairman of 76DevCo, where he is responsible for conceptualizing and building a new $1.5 billion basketball arena for the Philadelphia 76ers.

An active philanthropist and civic leader, Adelman serves on the Penn Medicine Board of Trustees and is the immediate past board co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. As the former chairman of the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, he led the development of The Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza in Philadelphia. Adelman has received numerous honors, including: the 2009 Multifamily Executive “Executive of the Year” award; the 2010 Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award in the real estate category for Greater Philadelphia; the 2012 Homewood Suites Developer of the Year award from Hilton Worldwide; the 2013 Philadelphia Visionary Award from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship; recognition as one of Philadelphia’s Most Influential People by Philadelphia Magazine for the past two consecutive years and by Forbes as a top business leader; recognition as one of 2023’s Top CEOs by Philadelphia Business Journal; and the 2025 Americanism Award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).