Willard Rouse Dead at 60

Willard G. Rouse, the founder and former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Liberty Property Trust, has died of lung cancer at the age of 60, according to the company.Mr. Rouse founded the company, then called Rouse & Associates, in 1972 along with George Congdon, David Hammers, and Menard Doswell. At the time of his death, he was a member of the board of Liberty, a real estate investment trust based in Malvern, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. "Bill was, simply, our hero," said Bill Hankowsky, Liberty's CEO. "He cannot be replaced, but the culture of this company is indelibly stamped with his uniquely moral view of the individual's place in the corporation, and the corporation's responsibility to the world." The REIT said Mr. Rouse was responsible for the creation of more than 50 million square feet of office and industrial space in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as hotels, urban and suburban housing, and the redevelopment and restoration of Philadelphia landmarks. The REIT can be found online at http://www.libertyproperty.com.