Robert C. McNair - Houston Texans' Owner

Robert C. "Bob" McNair (born 1937) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the owner of the Houston Texans of the National Football League.

Robert C. McNair, a leading businessman, sportsman and philanthropist in the city of Houston for more than 50 years, is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of the Houston Texans.

Committed to bringing a National Football League team to the city of Houston, McNair formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998. On October 6, 1999, the NFL announced that the 32nd NFL franchise had been awarded to McNair.

McNair serves as chairman of The McNair Group, headquartered in Houston, where he oversees an investment portfolio that includes interests in two cogeneration plants in the eastern United States. McNair owns Palmetto Partners, Ltd., and RCM Financial Services, L.P., private investment entities that manage the McNairs’ private and public equity investments, and is a member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.

Committed to bringing a National Football League team to Houston, McNair formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998. On Oct. 6, 1999, the NFL announced that the 32nd NFL franchise had been awarded to McNair, returning football to the city of Houston in 2002. McNair’s efforts brought Super Bowl XXXVIII to Reliant Stadium in 2004.

The Texans had their first playoff season in 2011, their 10th in the NFL. They went 10-6 in the regular season, won their first AFC South title and advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. Head coach Gary Kubiak, whom McNair retained after a 6-10 season in 2010, led the team through a glut of injuries to key players. The Texans clinched their division and won a Wild Card playoff game over Cincinnati with a rookie third-string quarterback, T.J. Yates, at the helm. Kubiak orchestrated the league’s second-ranked rushing offense, while new Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips guided the NFL’s second-ranked defense. In 2012, the Texans set a team record for victories in 2012, finishing with a 12-4 record in the regular season. They won a Wild Card playoff game and advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

McNair is actively involved in NFL affairs, serving as chairman of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Audit, Stadium and Expansion committees.

As founder and chairman emeritus of the Texas Bowl, McNair revived Houston’s collegiate bowl game on Dec. 28, 2006. The game now features teams from the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences and on average draws 62,000 fans each year to Reliant Stadium. In 2012, the game between Texas A&M and Northwestern drew 68,395 fans, making it the third-largest non-BCS bowl game in the country. McNair selected DePelchin Children’s Center as the charity beneficiary of the bowl in 2006. DePelchin has been awarded nearly $500,000 and received more than $10 million in promotional value. In April of 2011, Meineke Car Care signed a three-year entitlement deal with the Texas Bowl to make it the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.

Stonerside Stable, a major thoroughbred horse farm in Kentucky, is also among McNair’s successes. A 1,947-acre thoroughbred horse farm and racing stable, Stonerside was home to more than 275 racehorses, broodmares, yearlings and weanlings. From its inception in 1994, Stonerside won 72 Graded Stakes races including Grade I wins in the Belmont, Breeders’ Cup Mile, the Travers, the Haskell, the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Cigar Mile, the Carter, the Swaps, the Wood Memorial, the Matriarch and the Oak Leaf Stakes. Stonerside also has finished second and third in the Kentucky Derby and was the co-breeder of Fusaichi Pegasus, winner of the Derby in 2000. Stonerside has bred the winners of more than $50 million, including the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Raven’s Pass and 2008 Champion American Juvenile colt Midshipman, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Stonerside was named breeder of the year in 2007 and 2008 by Kentucky horsemen. McNair served on the boards of the Breeders’ Cup and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. He was awarded the Allan Bogan Memorial Award for outstanding services to the Texas Thoroughbred Association. McNair is a member of the prestigious Jockey Club, which governs the sport of thoroughbred racing. In October 2008, McNair sold Stonerside Farm and Racing Stable.

McNair is chairman of The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, The Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation in Forest City, N.C., and the Houston Texans Foundation. The McNair Foundation was honored as the 2003 Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and in November 2004, the Foundation was honored by the Houston Independent School District with a Hall of Fame Award. Young Audiences of Houston awarded the Foundation its Houston Community Arts Partner Leadership Award in 2008. The McNair Foundation was honored by the Neuhaus Education Center in March 2012 for its loyal support over the past 15 years. The Foundation was one of several honored at the Mayor’s Literacy Leadership Breakfast in May 2012 for its support of literacy training for adults.

The McNairs have given generously to a wide array of charitable, scientific, literary, educational and religious organizations through The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation. Major support has been given to scholarship programs at Baylor College of Medicine’s MD/ PhD Program, the University of South Carolina, Columbia College, Austin College, Virginia Tech and Houston Community College. Educational initiatives supported include the HISD Fine Arts Program, Project GRAD, Teach for America, Neuhaus Education Center and local charter schools. Contributions to the community include the McNair Asian Elephant Habitat at the Houston Zoo, the jogging trail at Discovery Green, Equestrian Center for the San Jacinto Girl Scouts, McNair Cub Scout Adventure World, the Computer Training Center Room for the United Way, McNair Hall at Houston Baptist University’s Cultural Arts Center and sponsorship of community outreach programs for the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.

The McNairs endowed the Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, which currently is held by the founding director, The Honorable Edward P. Djerejian. The McNairs turned their philanthropic focus to medical research in 2007 and gave a transformational gift to establish the McNair Medical Institute at Baylor College of Medicine to fund the McNair Scholars Program, which recruits top physicians/scientists in the fields of juvenile diabetes, breast and pancreatic cancer and the neurosciences. Additional McNair Scholars Programs were established at M.D. Anderson, Menninger Clinic, Texas Children’s Hospital and Texas Heart Institute. One of the McNairs’ more interesting projects supported in 2012 was the adoption of two horses for the Houston Police Department’s Mounted Patrol by contributing annually for their upkeep. The McNairs renamed the horses Texan Star and Cushing 56.

McNair is the recipient of many awards, including the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award, the Northwood University Outstanding Business Leader Award, the Association for Private Enterprise Education’s Herman W. Lay Memorial Award, the Distinguished American Award from the Houston Chapter of the National Football Foundation, the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Rotary Club of Houston, The South Main Center Association City Builder Award, the Houston Advertising Federation Annual Trailblazer Award recognizing him for significantly enhancing the overall image of Houston both locally and globally, the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, The Denton A. Cooley Leadership Award from the Texas Heart Institute, the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge National Award for Outstanding Patriotism, Responsible Citizenship and Community Involvement and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush Community Impact Award. In June 2005, Rice University announced that the newest building on its campus, the 167,000-square-foot home of the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management, had been officially named Janice and Robert McNair Hall by the Rice board of trustees. In January 2006, the McNairs were the recipients of the Texas Association of Partners in Education Award for the Texas Outstanding Sports Partnership. In October 2007, the Baylor College of Medicine bestowed its first Pink Ribbon Hero Award for Ambassadorship on the McNairs for their support of past Pink Ribbon Houses and for their commitment to the fight against cancer. In April 2009, the McNairs were honored at the annual KIPP Academy dinner as devoted supporters of education for inner-city and underprivileged youth. In May 2009, McNair was named Entrepreneur of the Decade by the Houston Technology Center. In November 2009, McNair was awarded the James A. Baker III Prize for Excellence in Leadership, which recognizes nationally- and internationally-renowned leaders for their excellence in public service and civic life. In December 2009, McNair received the inaugural Rotary Lombardi Humanitarian Award. In February 2010, Janice and Bob McNair received the Encore for Excellence Award from the High School for the Visual and Performing Arts for their support of the fine arts in the Houston Independent School District. In April 2010, the McNairs received the Kezia DePelchin Award for their support of the DePelchin Children’s Center and long history of philanthropic efforts in the Houston area. In May 2010, McNair was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. McNair also is a founder of the Cotswold project, a revitalization project focused on downtown Houston. The Association of Fundraising Professionals honored the McNairs at their National Philanthropy Day Luncheon on Nov. 3, 2010, with their Maurice Hirsch Award for Philanthropy, the highest recognition given to honor an individual or family for their exceptional generosity and outstanding civic and charitable responsibility. The McNairs were selected to be featured as Houston Treasures in “The Social Book – 2011,” a Houston publication. McNair was honored by Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas as a member of the Class of 2011 Laureates, JA Hall of Achievement, in April 2011. Texas Children’s Cancer Center honored the McNairs as the 2011 Community Champions in September 2011. The McNairs were honored to serve as headliners of the Escape Family Resource Center’s annual Celebrity Serve Benefit in April 2012.

McNair is a current or past member of the board of trustees of a number of institutions, including Rice University; Baylor College of Medicine; the Texas Heart Institute; the Houston Grand Opera; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Greater Houston Partnership; the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau; the Free Enterprise Institute; the Sigma Chi Foundation; the Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas and Houston; and the World Presidents’ Organization.

In 1989 Robert McNair and his wife Janice established the Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation. The goal of the foundation was to remove some of the financial barriers that were preventing Rutherford County High school graduates from attending college. The first beneficiaries were the class of 1990. To date, the McNair foundation has awarded approximately $2.6 million in financial aid.

McNair grew up in Forest City, North Carolina, a town of about 7,500 in the foothills of western North Carolina. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where he was initiated into the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree. His wife, Janice, attended nearby Columbia College.

Mark Murphy - Green Pay Packers' President & Chief Executive Officer

Mark Hodge Murphy (born July 13, 1955) is the current President & Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bay Packers, an American Football franchise competing in the National Football League. Prior to that, he was the athletic director at Northwestern University and Colgate University. He also enjoyed a successful playing career in the NFL as a safety for the Washington Redskins for eight seasons from 1977 to 1984.

Named Packers President/CEO on Dec. 3, 2007, by Packers Board of Directors; formally assumed position on Jan. 28, 2008.
Serves on the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee, Competition Committee and Health and Safety Committee.
Served a combined 16 years as director of athletics at Northwestern University (2003-07) and Colgate University (1992-2003) prior to joining Packers.
Enjoyed an eight-year NFL playing career with the Washington Redskins (1977-84); served as co-captain from 1980-84, including the Super Bowl championship team of 1982. Earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1983.
Is believed to be the first person to earn a Super Bowl ring as a player (XVII, 1982) and as a team chief executive (XLV, 2010).
Served as the Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including the position of vice president of players union (1983-84).
Holds law degree from Georgetown University (1988) and MBA in finance from American University (1983).
Served as assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association (1985-88) and as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice (1989-92).
Served on the NFL Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002), the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-12) and currently serves on USA Football’s board of directors.
While a player with the Redskins, participated in the highest-scoring game in Monday Night Football and Green Bay Packers history, a 48-47 defeat to the Packers on Oct. 17, 1983, at Lambeau Field.

Mark Murphy, possessor of extensive experience in professional football and sports administration, is in his sixth year as the Packers’ President and CEO.

Under Murphy’s guidance, the organization continues to rank as one of the NFL’s premier franchises, with highly successful operations both on and off the field. On the field, the team has compiled a 58-30 overall record (.659), made four straight playoff trips, captured two consecutive division titles and earned a victory in Super Bowl XLV. Off the field, the club continues to perform well in its business efforts, which allows the organization to support football operations. The fan experience at Lambeau Field, a top priority for the organization, continues to be ranked among the best in sports.

It was a direction both Murphy and the organization envisioned when Murphy was elected by the Packers Board of Directors as the franchise’s 10th Chief Executive Officer on Dec. 3, 2007. He began his work with the organization as president-elect on Jan. 1, 2008, and then formally took over on Jan. 28, 2008.

“I am honored to have been selected and very appreciative of this tremendous opportunity,” Murphy said the day of his election. “The Packers are one of the great franchises in all of professional sports, with a rich history and incredible fan support. These are successful times for the Packers. On the field they’re performing well, and off the field, they’re in great shape, too. I look forward to being a part of that continued success.”

Murphy, who holds a law degree and an MBA in finance, brought a unique and highly qualified background to his role as head of one of the NFL’s flagship franchises, first drawing from a deep understanding and appreciation of the game that comes from an eight-year playing career with the Washington Redskins. Later, he served a combined 16 years as director of athletics at Colgate University and Northwestern University, and was an assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association and a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice.

In addition to his playing career and work with the NFL Players Association, Murphy had maintained his ties to the NFL through his work on the Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002) as well as the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-12). Additionally, his NFL experience now includes Super Bowl wins as a player (XVII, 1982) and as a CEO (XLV, 2010), believed to be the first such achievement in NFL history.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, recognizing the unique experience and skills Murphy brought to the NFL as the Packers’ CEO, in 2008 appointed him to the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee, the NFL owners’ committee whose responsibility was to serve as the bargaining team during negotiations with the NFL Players Association which resulted in a new, 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2011. The position has allowed Murphy to increase his involvement and contributions at the league level, ensuring the organization has a voice in NFL matters.

“Mark’s rare blend of experiences makes him integral to the future of the Packers and the NFL,” said Goodell when appointing Murphy. “His accomplishments as an NFL player, his work with the NFLPA, and now his leadership of the Packers, provide a unique perspective to the league and also to the players. He’s very effective in discussions with NFLPA executives. Mark is a bright and thoughtful individual who understands what needs to get done to create a system that benefits all sides for years to come. He is very reasonable and wants what’s best for fans, the game and players, as we all do.”

In 2012, Goodell added to Murphy’s NFL-level involvement by naming him to the important Competition Committee, the group composed of team executives and coaches that studies all aspects of the game and recommends rules and policy changes to NFL clubs. Goodell also placed Murphy on the NFL owners’ new Health and Safety Committee.

Upon joining the Packers, Murphy broadened his knowledge of the franchise, its operations and its standing in the community by meeting with employees, shareholders, fans and members of the Board of Directors, as well as many community groups.

Among his first initiatives was to update the organization’s strategic plan, a process involving all the leadership positions of the organization, including the Executive Committee and football operations. The process created core objectives to serve as a backdrop for all key business decisions. In a move to enhance those objectives, Murphy restructured the management of the organization, which included creating a new senior-leadership staff overseeing administration, finance, football operations and sales and marketing. The structure reflected the growth the organization has experienced in recent years and gives broader coverage across all operations with more people involved on a senior-management level.

Murphy also is directing the organization’s master plan involving Lambeau Field, the Lambeau Field Atrium, the practice facilities and property the organization owns adjacent to the stadium. Lambeau Field and the Atrium currently are undergoing a $286.5 million, five-year expansion and renovation that includes a new distributed-audio sound system (2011), two new HD video boards and a new Bellin Health Gate on the north end of the stadium (2012), and approximately 7,000 additional seats in the south end zone served by the Shopko Gate (2013). The Atrium phase includes a larger Oneida Nation Gate (2013), new football facilities (2014) and a new Packers Pro Shop, Hall of Fame and restaurant (2015).

To support the Lambeau Field expansion project, Murphy directed the Packers’ fifth stock sale, an effort that netted the organization more than $64 million. More than 268,000 shares were sold during the offering, from Dec. 6, 2011, through Feb. 29, 2012, with more than 250,000 new shareholders joining the Packers’ family. All stadium improvements are being financed without public tax money.

Among the other initiatives Murphy has directed is the enhancement of the organization’s retail operations, including the purchase of a new warehouse for the Packers Pro Shop, and the establishment of a customer relationship management (CRM) program, with both efforts upgrading customer service to Packers fans.

Murphy also has worked to increase the number of outside events utilizing Lambeau Field, including a Kenny Chesney concert in June 2011, the venue’s first major concert since its redevelopment; and LZ Lambeau in May 2010, a welcome back for Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans. Additionally in the community, Murphy has ensured the organization remains a strong community partner, with a charity impact of $6 million in the past year.

Inside the organization, Murphy continues to grow and develop the team’s human resources, with new programs for employees such as leadership development.

The 58-year-old Murphy joined the Packers after 4½ years (2003-07) as director of athletics at Northwestern University. At the Big Ten Conference school, Murphy oversaw a 19-sport program with a $40 million budget and 160 full-time employees. During his tenure, the school won eight individual national championships and three NCAA team titles. Additionally, the university won nine conference team championships and 34 individual Big Ten titles. A total of 49 Wildcats earned first-team All-America distinction. On the football field, the Wildcats participated in two bowl games during Murphy’s tenure after playing in just four previous such contests in the program’s history. In 2006-07, Northwestern finished 30th in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings with a school-best 626.5 points. The Wildcats ranked among the top 30 in the standings for the last three years of Murphy’s tenure and in 2007 finished sixth among Big Ten schools for the third straight year after previously not placing higher than ninth.

The school’s athletic success under Murphy was achieved while its student-athletes continued to excel off the field. The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released in October 2007 reported Northwestern’s rate at 98 percent, tying it with Notre Dame and Navy for tops in the nation.

Prior to his tenure at Northwestern, Murphy served as director of athletics at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. (1992-2003), the school from which he graduated in 1977. During his 11 years at the helm, the university experienced a renaissance of its football program, going from 0-11 in 1995 to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. In 2003, the year after Murphy’s departure to Northwestern, the team made it to the championship game; the achievement of that squad – a non-scholarship program – remains one of Murphy’s proudest moments.

Colgate’s other teams experienced success as well, with men’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s softball and men’s ice hockey teams making NCAA Tournament appearances. The school also achieved graduation rates among the highest for student-athletes in Division I during Murphy’s tenure. A proud alumnus, Murphy had the honor of delivering the commencement address for the university’s 2012 graduation ceremony.

Murphy played college football at Colgate University where he was also a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, before his NFL career and while playing for the Redskins he obtained an MBA from American University's Kogod School of Business in 1983. Murphy graduated with a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1988.[2]

Murphy played in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XVIII with the Washington Redskins. He played a key role in the Redskins 27–17 Super Bowl XVII win over the Miami Dolphins, recording a second half interception of Miami quarterback David Woodley's pass with the Dolphins on Washington's 37-yard line.

Murphy's best season was in 1983, when he led the NFL with nine interceptions and returned them for 127 yards. He finished his eight season career with 27 interceptions and 282 return yards, along with six fumble recoveries for 22 returns yards, in 109 games. He also made the Pro Bowl in 1982 and 1983.

Murphy was the Redskins representative to the NFL Players Association. He played a visible role in the players' strike that caused the cancellation of seven games during the 1982 season. He suspected that the Redskins' decision to release him after the 1983 season and the reluctance of any other team to sign him was retribution for his union activity.

A former All-Pro safety for the Washington Redskins, Murphy enjoyed an eight-year career (1977-84) after originally signing with the team as a non-drafted free agent in 1977. He was a co-captain from 1980-84, a period that included two Super Bowl teams (1982-83). He enjoyed his finest season in 1983, leading the NFL with nine interceptions and earning consensus All-Pro honors as well as a trip to the Pro Bowl. Murphy was named as one of the Redskins’ “70 Greatest Players,” as well as one of the “80 Greatest Redskins,” and also is a member of the club’s 50th Anniversary Team.

Joe Gibbs, the Hall of Fame former coach of the Redskins who led the team during Murphy’s 1981-84 seasons, was appreciative of the player’s contributions and lauded the Packers’ hiring of Murphy.

“Mark meant a lot to the Redskins organization the years he was here and played,” Gibbs said. “He was a great person along with being one of the brightest and most competitive people we’ve had here at the Redskins.”

Gibbs had an influence on Murphy as well, as the Packers’ CEO attributes much of his leadership style to what he learned from the successful Redskins coach.

“He had many leadership traits that I admired and tried to incorporate into my own leadership style,” said Murphy. “He had a very natural way about him with the way he related to people, and he tried to be accessible. He was a very effective communicator, too, as most great leaders are. And when he worked with you, he was very fair and sincere. All those skills and traits fueled his awesome ability to motivate his teams.”

A natural leader among his teammates, Murphy served as the Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including the position of vice president of the players union (1983-84). While a representative, he served on the players’ bargaining committee during the 1982 players’ strike. Those experiences have served him well in his role on the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee.

During his days with the Redskins, Murphy earned an MBA in finance from American University in Washington, D.C., attending classes full-time in the offseason and evening classes in-season. Upon completion of his playing career in 1985, he joined the NFL Players Association as assistant executive director. While with the NFLPA, Murphy served on the bargaining team, including during the 1987 players’ strike, developed the agent-certification system and strengthened the PA’s degree-completion and career-counseling programs.

While with the NFLPA, he started work on a law degree from Georgetown University and ultimately finished his studies full-time after leaving the Players Association. Upon receiving his law degree in 1988, he worked at a Washington, D.C., law firm (Bredhoff and Kaiser) before becoming a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in 1989.

During a four-year career with the Department of Justice, he primarily represented government agencies in trials. Then, in 1992, his alma mater called and he returned to the sports realm.

At ease in public settings and with the media, Murphy enjoyed hosting a weekly radio show during his playing days and later became a sports commentator for National Public Radio (1983-92) and the Anheuser-Busch Radio Network (1986-88), offering his insights into football and sports-related legal issues in general.

Born July 13, 1955, in Fulton, N.Y., Murphy spent some of his formative years in the Houston area before moving back to the Buffalo-area community of Clarence. He was a three-sport star (football, baseball and basketball) at Clarence Central High School and was named the best all-around athlete in Western New York during his senior year. His baseball talents drew attention from Major League scouts. In 2002, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements both on and off the field.

Murphy and his wife, Laurie, who also is a Colgate graduate, have been involved in the communities in which they’ve lived. Over the years the couple has donated their time to numerous organizations, including local schools, the United Methodist Church in Hamilton, N.Y., and the First Congregational Church of Evanston, Ill. Also while in Chicago, Murphy served on the bid committee for the 2016 Olympics which eventually was awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While at Colgate University, Murphy formed the Hamilton Youth Basketball League and served as its commissioner. Heavily involved in the community while with the Redskins, Murphy was named the team’s “Miller Man of the Year” in 1984 in honor of his work off the field.

In Green Bay, Murphy continues a busy schedule of meeting with fans and shareholders, as well as speaking to a variety of business and community groups. He also has given his time to several community organizations to help their causes, including Big Brothers Big Sisters. Murphy also serves on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s council of trustees and on the boards of directors of USA Football and the Positive Coaching Alliance, the latter an organization created to transform the culture of youth sports to give all young athletes the opportunity for a positive, character-building experience. Mark and Laurie are also active supporters of foster-care services in Brown County. Additionally, Laurie established Ladies of Lambeau, a group composed of female employees and board members, and wives or partners of employees, board members, players and coaches. The group undertakes projects that will make a difference in the lives of people near and far, including packaging meals for the hungry in Africa and making blankets for residents at area nursing homes. The group also distributes grants to Wisconsin charities chosen by its volunteers.

Mark and Laurie have four children: Katie, 30, a graduate of Harvard who played basketball for the Crimson and now works at Credit Suisse in New York City; Emily, 28, a 2008 graduate of Middlebury (Vt.) College with a Chinese degree who now works for Digitaria in San Diego; Brian, 24, a graduate of Amherst (Mass.) College who played football for the Lord Jeffs and now works for Woven Digital in New York City; and Anna, 22, a recent graduate of Northwestern University who now works for Fox Sports in Los Angeles.

Away from work, Mark enjoys playing golf, fishing and participating in various forms of exercise, including bicycling, cross-country skiing and jogging.

Murphy moved back to Hamilton, New York, to become the athletic director at Colgate University in the early 1990s through until 2003. Murphy then lived in Evanston and served as the athletic director at Northwestern University. On December 3, 2007, he was revealed as the new Green Bay Packers President and CEO.[3] On February 6, 2011, Mark Murphy's Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV, giving Murphy his second Super Bowl victory.

William Clay Ford, Sr - Detroit Lions' Owner

AKA William Clay Ford

Born: 14-Mar-1925
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Died: 9-Mar-2014
Location of death: Grosse Pointe Shores, MI
Cause of death: Pneumonia

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Business

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Ford exec and owner of the Detroit Lions

Military service: US Navy Air Corps (1945-48)

William Clay Ford, Sr. (March 14, 1925 – March 9, 2014) was the youngest child of Edsel Ford and was the last surviving grandchild of Henry Ford. Ford served on the boards of Ford Motor Company and the Edison Institute. Ford owned and served as chairman of the Detroit Lions football team.

Biography

Born on March 14, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan to Edsel Ford and Eleanor Lowthian Clay, Ford served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II. Following the war, Ford married Martha Parke Firestone, the granddaughter of Harvey Firestone and Idabelle Smith Firestone, on June 21, 1947. They had four children together: Martha Parke Morse (b. 1948); Sheila Firestone Hamp (b. 1951); William Clay Ford, Jr. (b. 1957); and Elizabeth Hudson Ford (b. 1961).

In 1948, a year after Henry Ford's death, William Clay Ford was appointed to the board of directors of the Ford Motor Company.Ford received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Yale University in 1949,and was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity.

After graduating, Ford worked for the Ford Motor Company and was briefly head of the Continental Division.Continental was short-lived and merged with the Lincoln Motor Company shortly before Ford's public stock offering. Ford updated the Lincoln Continental that his father created and in 1955, the Continental Mark II was released. It is said there were only two pictures on his office wall, his father's Continental and his updated Mark II.

Ford was chairman of the board of trustees of the Henry Ford Museum from 1951 to 1983 and its largest donor.He was also involved in other historic properties, serving on the boards of the Wayside Inn and Seaboard Properties which managed the Dearborn Inn and Botsford Inn.

On April 10, 1952, an iron ore-hauling ship, the SS William Clay Ford, was named in honor of him.

On November 22, 1963, Ford purchased a controlling interest in the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from the previous owners, Edwin Anderson and Lyle Fife for $4.5 million. He was also chairman of the short-lived Detroit Cougars professional soccer team that played in the USA and NASL leagues.

Ford served as chairman of Ford Motor Company's design committee for 32 years, from 1957 to 1989.He was a member of the board of directors for 57 years, retiring on May 12, 2005, including being chairman of the important Finance Committee for a time.His son, William Clay Ford, Jr., was Ford Motor Company's CEO at the time.

According to the Forbes Magazine, Ford was the 371st richest person in the United States in 2013, with an approximate net worth of $1.4 billion.Ford reportedly owned 6.7 million shares of Class B stock and 26.3 million common shares; in other words, Ford was the largest single shareholder in the Ford Motor Company.

Ford died in his sleep from pneumonia at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, on March 9, 2014at the age of 88, less than a week before his 89th birthday.

Funeral services will be held privately, Ford Motor said in a statement. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in the name of William Clay Ford to the Henry Ford Museum at 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Mich. 48124 or to Dr. Scott Dulchavsky’s Innovation Institute at Henry Ford Health System at 2799 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, Mich. 48045.

Last surviving grandchild of company founder Henry Ford, he was appointed to the company's Board of Directors while still attending Yale. Purchased the Detroit Lions in 1964. Worth an estimated $1B at the time of his 2005 retirement, according to Forbes magazine.

NFL News - Williams will be entering his 12th season in the NFL

The Seattle Seahawks have added another big body to their defensive line after agreeing to terms with free agent Kevin Williams.

The Seahawks reached the agreement with Williams on Thursday as the team wrapped up its organized team activities. The Seahawks still have their mandatory three-day minicamp beginning Tuesday.

Williams will be entering his 12th season in the NFL, having spent his entire career until now with the Minnesota Vikings. Williams started 15 games last season for the Vikings with 3 1/2 sacks and an interception.

Seattle found success last season with a deep rotation along the defensive line, an area that took a hit during free agency following the Seahawks' Super Bowl title.

Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew is being sued in Florida, accused of punching a bouncer at a St. Augustine restaurant.




The suit was electronically filed May 30 in St. Johns County.

Bouncer Kasim Howard is suing Jones-Drew, saying the former Jacksonville Jaguars star punched him May 26, 2013, at the Conch House Restaurant. Howard accuses Jones-Drew of intentionally causing injury and emotional distress. Howard is seeking a judgment for injury resulting in ''pain and suffering, loss of capacity of for enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical expenses (past and future), inability to perform his work as a professional boxer, mental and emotional pain, humiliation, inconvenience, lost wages, legal expenses and other general and specific damages.''

Jones-Drew's attorney, Hank Coxe, says the State Attorney's Office did not charge Jones-Drew.





The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed first-round draft pick Mike Evans.

The 6-foot-5, 231-pound receiver from Texas A&M was the seventh overall pick in the draft and is expected to move into the starting lineup for an offense that ranked last in the NFL in yards gained last season.

Evans was Johnny Manziel favorite target in college, finishing with 151 receptions for 2,499 yards and 17 touchdowns in 26 games. He notched the two highest single-game receiving performances in Texas A&M history with a 287-yard outing against Auburn and 279-yard day against Alabama.

The Bucs announced the signing Thursday, the final day of the team's mandatory minicamp. Evans attended the workouts, but did not participate in drills because of a hamstring strain.

Pat Bowlen - Denver Broncos' Owner

Patrick Dennis "Pat" Bowlen (born February 18, 1944) is the majority owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers John Bowlen and Bill Bowlen, and sister Marybeth Bowlen, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.

Pat Bowlen net worth: Pat Bowlen is an American attorney, majority owner, and Chief Executive Owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League who has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Pat Bowlen was born in 1944 in Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin. His father, Paul Bowlen, had become a millionaire in the Canadian oil business. Bowlen got his BA and JD from the University of Oklahoma. Though he had plenty of oil money in his family, Pat became wealthy on his own with a successful law practice in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Bowlen also worked as an executive for his father's company, Regent Drilling and as a real estate developer. In 1984, as the Broncos faced bankruptcy under former owner Edgar Kaiser, Bowlen along with his brothers John and Bill and sister Marybeth purchased a majority stake in the NFL franchise for $78 million. One year later the rest of his family joined to purchase the entire franchise. The Broncos then drafted Stanford quarterback John Elway with the first overall pick in the 1983 draft. Elway led the Broncos to five AFC championships in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997 and 1998 as well as to two Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999. The Denver Broncos saw a resurgence in their fan base, began to turn a profit, and had the opportunity to do so because of Pat Bowlen.

Below is a summary of the Denver Broncos’ success during Mr. Bowlen’s ownership (1984-2012):

• The Denver Broncos won back-to-back World Championships in 1997 (Super Bowl XXXII vs. the Green Bay Packers 31-24) and 1998 (Super Bowl XXXIII vs. the Atlanta Falcons 34-19).

• Denver became the sixth NFL franchise to win back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh (twice), San Francisco and Dallas. The Broncos became the first AFC team to do it in two decades.

• When the Broncos won Super Bowl XXXII, they were the first AFC team to win in 14 years and just the second wild card team to win a Super Bowl under the NFL’s present playoff system.

• The Broncos own AFC Championships under Pat Bowlen in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997 and 1998.

• Denver was the only AFC franchise to make three Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s.

• Denver ranks second in the NFL in regular-season wins (276), third in overall wins (292), tied for second in Super Bowl appearances (5), fourth in conference championship game appearances (7) and tied for fourth in playoff appearances (15).

• The Broncos have dominated the AFC Western Division by posting more division titles (10), conference championship game appearances (7) and Super Bowl appearances (5) than any other club in the division.

• In addition to winning 10 division titles, Mr. Bowlen’s franchise has had regular-season win totals of 14, 13 (four times), 12 (twice), 11 (four times) and 10 (three times). Fourteen of the 15 best years in team history have come during Mr. Bowlen’s ownership.

• The Broncos won an NFL-record seven postseason games in a two-year period (1997-1998).

• The Broncos had 33 wins over a two-year period (1997-1998), at that time the most in NFL history.

• The Broncos had an NFL-record 46 wins over a three-year period (1996-1998).

• The Broncos became the second team in modern NFL history to go undefeated during regular-season play at home for three consecutive seasons (1996-1998).

• His 1997-1998 teams performed the astonishing feat of going nearly an entire calendar year without a defeat (12/15/97-12/13/98), at that time a league-record 18 consecutive wins.

• In 1998, Denver won a franchise-record 17 games (14 in the regular season), including a 13-0 start that resulted in Denver going nearly an entire calendar year without a loss.

• The Broncos have the best home record (177-70 / .717) in pro football over the past 29 years.

• The Broncos have had an NFL-low five losing seasons compared to their 17 winning seasons.

Pat Bowlen also has enjoyed tremendous off-the-field success as well.

• In Mr. Bowlen’s 29 years of ownership, the Broncos have played 29 postseason games, all of which have been sold out.

• The Broncos have sold out every game during Mr. Bowlen’s ownership for a streak of 247 consecutive games (regular season and postseason) that is the third-longest active streak in the league.

• Denver has led the NFL in attendance during Mr. Bowlen’s 29-year period as owner. The Broncos have drawn nearly 20 million fans to their home games from 1984-2012, marking the highest total in the NFL.

• Mr. Bowlen ushered in a new era in Denver Broncos football history in 2001 when the state-of-the-art Sports Authority Field at Mile High opened. Mr. Bowlen contributed more than $150 million to the construction of the new stadium and helped fund a $30 million upgrade during the 2013 offseason.

• Mr. Bowlen has worked closely with the Broncos’ personnel department in maintaining the club’s roster in the era of free agency that has resulted in unprecedented player stability.

• In addition to his role with the Broncos, Mr. Bowlen was a key figure in securing the league’s labor and TV contracts. He served as co-chair of the powerful NFL Management Council Executive Committee from 2001-11 and remains a member of the prestigious NFL Broadcasting Committee, which he formerly chaired. He also is on the NFL Compensation Committee, the NFL Network Committee, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee and Los Angeles Working Group Committee.

• In his role as Chair of the NFL Broadcast Committee, Mr. Bowlen was responsible for the negotiations on the NFL’s $18 billion TV contract, the most lucrative single-sport contract in history

• He was responsible for the Broncos’ headquarters, the Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Centre, a 90,000 square foot modern office and training facility located on the team’s 13.5 acre complex in Dove Valley, Arapahoe County. The facility is named after Pat Bowlen’s father, and the Broncos moved into the building on March 5, 1990. Over the past nine offseasons, an extensive remodeling and expansion plan was implemented, assuring that the team headquarters would remain at the top level of NFL training facilities.

Early life
Bowlen was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the son of Arvella (née Woods) and Paul Dennis Bowlen, who became a millionaire in the Canadian oil business, founding Regent Drilling as a wildcatter. The oil company is now owned by Pat's brother John.[1] Bowlen is Catholic and his team’s charity raised more than $1 million recently for the Catholic Capuchin order’s ministries to Denver’s poor and homeless.He attended Campion Jesuit Catholic High School and later earned degrees in business (1965) and law (1968) from the University of Oklahoma. The younger Bowlen became wealthy in his own right by becoming a successful lawyer in Edmonton, Alberta. He also worked as an executive for his father's company and as a real estate developer and had major investments in the mining industry.

Bowlen is an initiated member of the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity. He was initiated by the University of Oklahoma, Beta Omicron chapter in 1963. He is a member of the bar association and law society of Alberta, Canada. Bowlen is also one of the largest donors to the University of Denver.

Denver Broncos owner
Over the last several years, Bowlen and the Broncos have been involved in several legal battles against one-time owner Edgar Kaiser. In 2004, Bowlen agreed to sell retired football legend John Elway a 10% share in the team. However, Kaiser sued, claiming a breach of contract. Kaiser asserted that he had a right of first refusal if any deal is made involving franchise ownership. In 2004, a jury ruled in favor of Kaiser and a Federal judge decreed that Kaiser was entitled to purchase back 10 percent of the Broncos using the identical purchase terms offered to Elway.Bowlen appealed the original verdict that ruled in favor of Kaiser and won, as the appellate court ruled that the structure of the Bowlen-Elway deal did not violate the original right of first refusal agreement.

On December 30, 2008, Broncos head coach and Vice President of Football Operations Mike Shanahan was fired by Bowlen after a 14-year tenure as the head coach. Bowlen stated he wanted his team to go in a different direction. He undertook a search over two weeks and eventually chose Josh McDaniels who at the time was the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, as the new head coach of the Broncos. Subsequently, after a losing streak in the 2010-11 season, McDaniels was fired as head coach of the Broncos.On February 12, 2009, Bowlen appointed Brian Xanders as the team's sole general manager and fired Jim Goodman and Jeff Goodman.

Within two weeks of the end of the 2010-11 regular season, Bowlen and the Broncos had hired former Carolina Panthers' coach John Fox to be their new head coach. Although Bowlen had discussions with Fox before the hiring, new front-office executive John Elway was mostly responsible for the hiring. Since late 2009, rumors have begun to emerge that Bowlen stepped out of the spotlight and is suffering from short-term memory loss.He told The Denver Post columnist Woody Paige that his memory wasn't what it used to be and that he couldn't recall details of the Broncos back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s. For most of 2010, Bowlen was invisible. He no longer plays a major role in the Broncos' decision making; Executive VP John Elway, and President Joe Ellis now have that control.

Colorado Crush ownership
Besides being owner and CEO of the Broncos, Bowlen was also part-owner of the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush. He shared ownership with Denver-based sports mogul Stan Kroenke and legendary Broncos quarterback John Elway. The Crush entered the AFL as an expansion franchise in 2003. After going through a 2-14 season in '03, the team soon became a perennial playoff contender and one of the league's top franchises. The Crush won the Arena Football Championship in 2005. Bowlen has won 3 championships as a football franchise owner; 2 Super Bowl titles with the Broncos in 1998 & 1999, and an Arena Football title in 2005 with the Crush.

Denver Outlaws ownership
In 2006 Major League Lacrosse decided to expand adding the Denver Outlaws to its league of teams. The Denver Outlaws have been the most winning franchise that Bowlen has ever owned boasting a regular season win percentage of .700 since their creation. The Outlaws have been to the Playoffs every year they have been in existence and advanced as far as the championship game 3 times (2006, 2008, 2009).

Jerry Jones - Dallas Cowboys' Owner

Jerral Wayne "Jerry" Jones Sr. (born October 13, 1942) is an American businessman. He is the owner, president, and general manager of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas, when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School. He attended college at the University of Arkansas where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was also a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship football team. He was an all-Southwest Conference offensive lineman for Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles and a teammate of Jimmy Johnson. Other notable teammates were Glen Ray Hines, a consensus All-American offensive tackle, Ken Hatfield, Jim Lindsey, and future Outland Trophy winner Loyd Phillips. Several future great head coaches were assistant coaches for Frank Broyles and the Razorbacks during his college career in Fayetteville including Hayden Fry, future legendary Head Coach at the University of Iowa, Johnny Majors, future Head Coach at Iowa State University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Tennessee, and most notably Barry Switzer, Hall of Fame coach of the University of Oklahoma. Jones is one of a very small number of NFL owners who actually earned a significant level of success as a football player (Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers being another).

When he graduated from college in 1965, he was hired as an executive vice president at Modern Security Life of Springfield, Missouri, his father's insurance company. He received his Master's degree in business in 1970. After several unsuccessful business ventures (including passing up the opportunity to purchase the American Football League's San Diego Chargers in 1967), he began an oil and gas exploration business in Arkansas, Jones Oil and Land Lease, which became phenomenally successful.[3] His privately held company currently does natural resource prospecting.

In one of the most dramatic eras of ownership in professional sports, Jerry Jones' stewardship of the Dallas Cowboys has brought unprecedented results and success to one of the world's most popular sports entities.

Aside from being one of only four current owners to guide their franchises to at least three Super Bowl titles, Jones' efforts in the areas of sports marketing, promotion and the development of AT&T Stadium have created a vivid imprint on the landscape of the NFL and the American sports culture.

Highlighted by Super Bowl victories following the 1992, 1993 and 1995 seasons, Jones became the first owner in NFL history to guide his team to three league championships in his first seven years of ownership. In 1995 Dallas also became the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four seasons while tying the then-NFL record for most Super Bowl victories by an organization with five.

The first decade of Jones' ownership closed with eight playoff appearances, six division titles, four conference championship game appearances and three world crowns as the Cowboys were named the NFL's Team of the 1990s. Dallas closed the first decade of the new millennium with division titles in 2007 and 2009 while the 2009 club secured the 11th playoff appearance in Jones' 22 seasons of leadership.

Along with the success of the Dallas Cowboys on the field, Jones' vision and leadership provided the driving influence behind the concept, design, and construction of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - a venue that is recognized internationally as perhaps the most spectacular and state-of-the-art sports stadium in the world.

Opened to the public in May of 2009, AT&T Stadium's dramatic first season of operation resulted in the venue being named the Sports Facility of the Year by the Sports Business Journal in May of 2010. Along with that achievement for the team's new home, Jones was also named the 2009 Sports Executive of the Year by the SBJ.

The 100,000 plus seat AT&T Stadium established the attendance record for an NFL regular season game as 105,121 witnessed the September 20, 2009 home opener, while the 108,713 who attended the NBA All-Star Game on February 14, 2010 became the largest crowd to witness a basketball game in the history of the sport.

In just over two years of operation, more than four million fans have attended events that included high school and collegiate football, major college basketball, professional bull riding, Motocross, world championship boxing and a handful of concerts that featured world renowned recording artists. Another million visitors have passed through the twelve-story-high doors of the stadium for daily public tours of the venue.

With its architectural versatility and cutting edge media capabilities, AT&T Stadium has become a visible beacon that has established North Texas as a major focal point on the sports and entertainment canvas of North America.

The brilliant home of the Cowboys has become a powerful catalyst in attracting a wide range of national and international events that will define the future of the region for generations to come. After already playing host to Super Bowl XLV in February of 2011, other top flight events for the future include the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl, the 2014 NCAA Final Four in men's basketball and the annual Texas A&M-Arkansas football series just to name a few.

Since he took over as general manager in 1989, the Cowboys have drafted 25 different players who have gone on to appear in a combined total of 95 Pro Bowls. Dallas has also signed 11 free agent players who have made 28 Pro Bowl appearances while representing the Dallas Cowboys. Since 1989 the Cowboys have made 129 trades, the most celebrated of which was the 1989 deal that sent Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings and provided the personnel foundation for three league titles.

In selecting the on-the-field leadership for the Cowboys, Jones hired a pair of coaches who won three Super Bowls in Dallas: Jimmy Johnson (1992-1993) and Barry Switzer (1995). Chan Gailey followed with a division title and playoff appearances in 1998 and 1999. In 2003 Jones successfully recruited two-time Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells to Dallas, and Parcells directed the team to three winning seasons and two playoff trips in four seasons. In February of 2007, Jones added another successful NFL head coach in Wade Phillips who guided the club to a pair of division titles in his first three years (2007 and 2009) and a playoff victory in 2009. In 2011, Jones named Jason Garrett as the team's eighth head coach after the former Cowboys' quarterback guided the club to a 5-3 record as the interim coach in the second half of the 2010 season.

In the last 33 years, 34 different owners have entered the National Football League. Of that group, only Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft of New England have guided their franchises to more than two Super Bowl championships. Moreover, Jones joins Art Rooney, Jack Kent Cooke, Al Davis, Eddie DeBartolo and Kraft as the only men to have won at least three Super Bowls as NFL owners.

On the league front, he actively contributes his vision and enthusiasm to enhancing the NFL's status as the world's premier professional sports league by serving on a wide range of league committees. He was recently very involved—as a member of the Management Council Executive Committee--in the labor negotiations that resulted in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and its players. In addition to the CEC, Jones is currently the Chairman of the NFL Network Committee, and he is a member of the NFL Broadcasting Committee, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee and the NFL Player Dire-Need Committee. Jones also served on the committee that was charged with overseeing the search for a successor to retired NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue -- a search that successfully landed current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in September of 2006. In addition, Jones has served two prior terms as a member of the NFL's Competition Committee as well as a stint on the Business Ventures Committee.

His contributions and innovations in the areas of marketing, corporate sponsorships, television, stadium management, stadium development, labor negotiations and community service have made a visible imprint on the ever evolving face of professional sports in America. Since becoming involved with the Cowboys, Jones' accomplishments have been recognized through his induction into the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2007), the Texas Business Hall of Fame (2005), the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1999) and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (1998). In August of 2007, he served as the presenter for Michael Irvin's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- a recognition he was also named for by Emmitt Smith as the NFL's all-time leading rusher was enshrined in Canton in August of 2010.

As a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship Arkansas Razorbacks, Jones is one of a very small number of NFL owners who actually earned a significant level of success as a football player. He is the only man in the history of the National Football League to play for a collegiate national championship football team and own a Super Bowl winner. In addition, Jones and the legendary George Halas are the only two men to become NFL owners after playing in a major college football bowl game. His current ties to the college game include membership on the Board of Directors for the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.

A man of varied interests who will not rest on yesterday's achievements, he is a dedicated businessman and family man - sharing a vivid enthusiasm for both. Although Jones and his family are very involved in numerous civic and charitable causes, the Joneses have left an indelible local and national impression on the philanthropic landscape with their love and dedication to The Salvation Army.

For the past 14 seasons, the Jones family has dedicated the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day halftime show as a national showcase to kick off The Salvation Army's annual Red Kettle Drive. Through the donation of national television air-time, the event has created a new holiday tradition, while helping to increase donations to The Salvation Army's annual fund raising efforts by hundreds of millions of dollars. Major George Hood of The Salvation Army states that "by presenting the National Kettle Kickoff on Thanksgiving Day, the Dallas Cowboys have helped the Army raise over one billion dollars in the past 14 years." Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Clint Black, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gilman, Creed, LeAnn Rimes, Toby Keith, Destiny's Child, Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, The Jonas Brothers, Daughtry and Keith Urban have provided the entertainment for the holiday extravaganzas.

The Salvation Army points to the annual Cowboys kickoff event as one of the most effective, creative and important innovations that has been developed in the long and storied history of the organization.

The Joneses received the Evangeline Booth Award in 1999, one of the Army's highest national community service awards and have been selected for membership into the prestigious Salvation Army William Booth Society. Gene and Jerry were also named to the Army's National Advisory Board in April of 1998 shortly after being named the organization's Partners of the Year in 1997. In April of 2007, Gene and Jerry Jones served as the honorary chairpersons for the Salvation Army's National Advisory Organizations Conference (NAOC) that was held in Dallas.

For 10 years, Gene and Jerry Jones served as hosts and underwrote the costs for the Super Lunch, a fundraising event for The Salvation Army Irving Corps Community Center. In 1998 the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Center for Children opened in conjunction with The Army.

As part of the Jones Family and the Dallas Cowboys commitment to Arlington, Texas, the home of the club's new stadium, Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities will donate a total of $16.5 million to non-profit organizations serving youth in Arlington from 2009-2041.

In 2001 the Joneses were awarded the Chairman's Award by The Boys and Girls Clubs of America. In June of 2002, Gene and Jerry Jones were recognized as the recipients of the Children's Champion Award for Philanthropy that was presented by the Dallas for Children organization. In 2003 the Family Gateway organization of Dallas presented Gene and Jerry with the Annette G. Strauss Humanitarian Award. In April of 2005, Gene and Jerry were recipients of the Hope Award, the highest community service recognition awarded by the Lone Star Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In 2010 the Jones Family and the Cowboys were selected by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to receive the prestigious Chairman's Award that recognized the Cowboys long and dedicated history of supporting that organization.

The Jones family is very involved with several other community-related organizations, including Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Happy Hill Farm Academy/Home, the National Board for The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Kent Waldrep Paralysis Foundation, The Rise School of Dallas, The Family Place and The Family Gateway. In 2010, the Jones family endowed the North Texas Youth Education Town with a $1 million grant. Created as a lasting legacy of Super Bowl XLV, the North Texas YET will be administered by The Salvation Army and provide North Texas youth with education, mentoring, fitness and character enrichment programs.

Jerry (10/13/42) and Gene live in Dallas. They have three children, Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry, Jr., and nine grandchildren.
Jones is the son of J.W. "Pat" Jones and Arminta Jones. He is married to Eugenia "Gene" Jones, and they have three children: Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry, Jr. Stephen (born July 21, 1964) serves as the Cowboys' chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel. Charlotte (born July 26, 1966) serves as the Cowboys' executive vice president and chief brand officer.Jerry, Jr (born September 27, 1969) is the Cowboys' chief sales and marketing officer/vice president.

Jimmy Haslam - Cleveland Browns' Owner

 Jimmy Haslam --James Arthur "Jimmy" Haslam III (born March 1954) is the CEO of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain and the current majority owner of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.On October 16, 2012, Haslam's $1 billion purchase of the Browns was unanimously approved by the 32 teams in the NFL; the sale itself closed on October 25, 2012.His father, fellow businessman Jim Haslam, founded the Pilot Flying J company in 1958 as the Pilot Oil Corporation.

Haslam, who lives in his native Knoxville, Tennessee, is brother to Bill Haslam, the Governor of Tennessee.

While attending the University of Tennessee Haslam was a roommate of Bob Corker, the current United States Senator from Tennessee. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

Haslam bought a minority interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008. In 2012, he reached an agreement with Browns owner Randy Lerner to purchase the franchise for $1 billion (USD). The Browns were valued at $977 million in 2011 by Forbes magazine, 20th in the NFL. Haslam's family also owns the Tennessee Smokies, a Class AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. NFL rules prohibit ownership in multiple teams and so Haslam sold his interest in the Steelers.

Haslam is married to Susan "Dee" Bagwell Haslam, CEO of RIVR Media. They have three adult children, Jim, Whitney and Cynthia.

Knoxville businessman Jimmy Haslam, CEO of family-run Pilot Flying J, is No. 831 on the 2013 Forbes list of the richest people in the world.

The owner of the Cleveland Browns, Haslam has a net worth of $1.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Pilot Flying J was started a one-gas station business by his father and has grown to one of the largest businesses in the country.

Jimmy Haslam is in his second stint as CEO after having left for a number of months upon buying the Browns.

Jimmy Haslam Net Worth: Jimmy Haslam is an American businessman, NFL team owner and philanthropist who has a net worth of $1.5 billion. Born James Arthur Haslam II on December 13, 1930, in Detroit, Michigan, he is the CEO of the truck stop chain, Pilot Flying J, and the owner of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. It was his father, fellow businessman Jim Haslam, that he established the company in 1958 as the Pilot Oil Corporation, which later merged with bankrupt Flying J in 2010 to become Pilot Flying J of today. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn, the truck stop chain is currently one of the largest companies in the USA, with 600 locations in 43 states and Canada that generate $31 billion in sales. When it comes to his acquisition of the Cleveland Browns, Haslam bought the team from Randy Learner for $1.05 billion in August 2012, and NFL authorized the sale in October the same year. What's more, he is also the brother of Bill Haslam, the Governor of Tennessee. Married with three children, Jimmy Haslam currently resides in Knoxville, TN.