Ralph Raymond Pisani, real estate developer and former lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, died August 5 of complications from a fall at his home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was 90.

Born Raffaele Pisani, he grew up in the Bronx, New York City. Born to emigrant parents from Italy, he shined shoes in Times Square as a young boy and then worked in his uncle’s leather shop before joining the Army in 1948. He was honorably discharged in 1952.

After taking college classes, Mr. Pisani sold life insurance for Penn Mutual, had a job with United Airlines, and became vice president of construction for Sylvan Pools in Doylestown.

In 1966, he formed Ralph R. Pisani & Associates with his second wife, Helen Teal, who was a property manager, building single-family homes, housing developments, and apartments in Philadelphia, Bucks, Lehigh, and Northampton counties. His book, written with son Robert L. Pisani, Investing in Land: How to Be a Successful Developer, was named one of the 10 best real estate books of 1989 by the syndicated columnist Robert Bruss.

Mr. Pisani was named to the Bucks County Planning Commission and served as chair from 1977 to 1982. He was chair of the Bucks County Industrial Development Authority from 1983 to 1986. Despite not having a formal college degree, Mr. Pisani taught evening classes at Bucks County Community College until he was appointed a trustee there. From 1986 until he retired in 1992, Mr. Pisani served as a lecturer in the real estate and management departments in Penn’s Wharton School and in Wharton’s Real Estate Center.

He is survived by his first wife, Elizabeth Schlontz; second wife, Helen Teal; sons, Robert, Ralph Jr., and Christopher; daughter, Katherine Pooner; eight grandchildren; a great-grandson; and nieces and nephews.