Ron Lee Fowler (born July 23, 1944) is an American businessman. He was an owner, executive chair and the MLB control person of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2012 until 2020. He is currently CEO of Liquid Investments Inc. [3]
Ron Fowler | |
|---|---|
 Fowler in 2014 | |
| Born | Ron L. Fowler July 23, 1944 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[1] |
| Alma mater | University of St. Thomas (BBA, 1966)[2] University of Minnesota (MBA)[citation needed] |
| Occupation(s) | Chairman and CEO of Liquid Investments, Inc. Vice chairman and co-owner of the San Diego Padres |
| Spouse | Alexis Fowler |
| Children | 5 |
Early life
editFowler was born to Loren W. and Leona (Mohs) Fowler on July 23, 1944, in Minneapolis, Minnesota,[4][5] the oldest of two children.[6] Fowler's father served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, stationed in New Guinea.[7] Fowler was raised as Catholic,[8] attending St. Cloud Cathedral High School where he played baseball.[citation needed]
Liquid Investments
editFowler is the chairman and CEO of privately held Liquid Investments Inc., the parent company of former operating entities in California and Colorado. The investment group distributed Miller, Coors, Heineken, and other beer brands; and had annual sales exceeding $300 million.[9][2]
San Diego Padres
editFowler was a member of a minority group that owned 49.32 percent of the Padres.[10] The group, headed by then-Padres chief executive Jeff Moorad, attempted to buy the Padres from controlling owner John Moores for $530 million, but the deal fell through in April 2012. Fowler then replaced Moorad as the general partner of the minority group, and he served on the Padres executive committee.[11][12]
Fowler joined a new group to purchase the Padres that included four heirs to the O’Malley family—who owned the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise for five decades. Kevin and Brian O'Malley are the sons of former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley and grandsons of Walter O'Malley, the owner who moved the Dodgers west from Brooklyn after the 1957 season. Peter and Tom Seidler are the nephews of Peter O’Malley.[12] MLB approved the $800 million sale,[12][13] which completed on August 28, 2012.[14] As much as $200 million of the sale price included the team's 20-percent stake in Fox Sports San Diego, a cable channel that pays the Padres annual fees as part of a $1.2 billion, 20-year agreement.[9] Fowler was named the ownership group's executive chairman and was designated to represent the Padres in all league meetings.[12][15] He became the first locally based control person of the team since founding owner C. Arnholt Smith.[15] Under the Fowler/Seidler/O'Malley group, the Padres have signed 3 players to contracts that beat the previous franchise record contract, giving 6 years and $83 million to Wil Myers in January 2017, 8 years and $144 million to Eric Hosmer in February 2018, and 10 years and $300 million to Manny Machado in February 2019.[citation needed]
On November 18, 2020, MLB approved Fowler transferring the role of chairman to Peter Seidler, who purchased a stake in the team from Fowler to become the largest stakeholder. Fowler remained with the team as vice chairman until 2022.[16]
Other interests
editFowler owned the San Diego Sockers, an indoor soccer team that won 10 championships in 11 years. He also chaired San Diego's first task force that selected a site for what was eventually Petco Park, and he chaired the host committee for Super Bowl XXXVII, held in Qualcomm Stadium in 2003.[15]
Philanthropy
editFowler and his wife Alexis have made major contributions to San Diego State University. The school's College of Business was renamed the Fowler College of Business in 2016 in response to the couple's $25 million contribution to the business school. An earlier challenge donation that raised $10 million for the athletics center resulted in its being named the Fowler Athletic Center.[17] The Fowler family has also made 8 figure donations to the University of St. Thomas, Ron's alma mater, and University of San Diego in support of athletics and academic programs.
References
edit- ^ Appleman, Marc (October 15, 1987). "A LOOK AT RON FOWLER". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ a b "Fowler Business Challenge Competition". stthomas.edu. University of St. Thomas. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012.
- ^ "Ron Fowler steps away from Padres". San Diego Union-Tribune. 2022-03-19. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
- ^ "HAVE A SON". The St. Cloud Times (Digital Archive). August 4, 1944 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Minnesota Department of Health; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Minnesota, Birth Index, 1935-2000
- ^ "Loren Fowler Obituary". The St. Cloud Times (Digital Archive). June 22, 1987 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Meet in New Guinea". The St. Cloud Times (Digital Archive.). October 27, 1944 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Beath, Jack (July 23, 1959). "Boy Musicians Prove They're Not 'Sissies'". The St. Cloud Times (Digital Archive) – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Grover, Ronald (August 16, 2012). "Beer distributor gets league OK to buy San Diego Padres". Chicago Tribune. Reuters. Archived from the original on December 20, 2012.
- ^ Canepa, Nick (August 29, 2012). "Canepa: New owners don't tease with false promises". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015.
- ^ Bloom, Barry M. (April 6, 2012). "Moores to stay Padres' majority owner for now". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Center, Bill (August 16, 2012). "MLB approves sale of Padres". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014.
- ^ "Baseball approves sale of Padres". The Miami Herald. The Sports Network. August 16, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012.
- ^ Center, Bill (August 29, 2012). "Padres sale complete". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on June 22, 2015.
- ^ a b c Bloom, Barry M. (August 16, 2012). "MLB owners approve sale of Padres". MLB.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012.
- ^ Acee, Kevin (November 18, 2020). "Padres chairman Ron Fowler steps down; Peter Seidler to take over". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
- ^ Hirsh, Lou (October 26, 2016). "Fowlers' Name to Adorn SDSU Business School After $25M Gift". San Diego Business Journal. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
External links
edit