Page "I. M. Pei" Paragraph 22

In the spring of 1948 Pei was recruited by New York real estate magnate William Zeckendorf to join a staff of architects for his firm of Webb and Knapp to design buildings around the country.

Pei found Zeckendorf's personality the opposite of his own ; his new boss was known for his loud speech and gruff demeanor.

Nevertheless, they became good friends and Pei found the experience personally enriching.

Zeckendorf was well connected politically, and Pei enjoyed learning about the social world of New York's city planners.