The Secretive Billionaire Behind America’s Most Corporate City

Within the walls of Irvine Co., Bren is known as well mannered and scrupulous, though employees and associates say he’s not much of a people person. Top executives, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of the company, advise others not to use any adjectives when they report to him, since they say he wants only the raw facts. A former employee says every presentation needs to be in his preferred format: 10-point Arial typeface, with consistent margins. According to another former employee, when Bren...