Glen Taylor | |
|---|---|
 Taylor in 2022 | |
| Minority Leader of the Minnesota Senate | |
| In office January 9, 1985 – January 5, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | James E. Ulland |
| Succeeded by | Duane Benson |
| Member of theMinnesota Senate | |
| In office January 6, 1981 – February 3, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Arnulf Ueland |
| Succeeded by | Mark Piepho |
| Constituency | 24th district (1983–1990) 29th district (1981-1983) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1941-04-20)April 20, 1941 (age 83) Springfield, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | Minnesota State University, Mankato (BS) Harvard University (MBA) |
Glen Albert Taylor (born April 20, 1941) is an American billionairebusiness magnate and politician fromMinnesota.[1] Taylor made his fortune as the founder and owner of Minnesota-basedTaylor Corporation, one of the largest graphic communication companies in the United States.
Taylor is the majority owner of theMinnesota Timberwolves of theNational Basketball Association and the owner of theMinnesota Lynx of theWomen's National Basketball Association. He is also part owner of Minnesota United FC of Major League Soccer. In addition to his sports team ownership, Taylor has owned theStar Tribune, Minnesota's largest newspaper, since 2014.
Taylor served in theMinnesota Senate as aRepublican from 1981 to 1990. He planned to run forgovernor of Minnesota in1990, but ultimately chose not to due to problems in his marriage. He remains a large donor to Republican candidates.[2]
Ranked as the richest person in Minnesota,[3] Taylor is listed on theForbes 400 and his company ranks onForbes's list of America's largest private companies.[4] In 2023, Forbes reported hisnet worth to be $2.8 billion.[5]
In November 2024, Taylor sent Timberwolves season ticket holders a letter announcing his extended absence from sporting events due to hip-replacement surgery.[6]
Taylor was born inSpringfield, Minnesota, and grew up on a farm inComfrey, Minnesota. He graduated from Comfrey High School in 1959, and after the owner of the farm he worked on insisted he use his potential in college, he received a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, physics and social studies fromMankato State University in 1962.[7][8] In 1978 he received an executive MBA fromHarvard Business School.[9]
During and after college, Taylor worked at Carlson Wedding Service (later Carlson Craft), a Mankato print shop specializing in formal invitations. In 1975, company owner Bill Carlson wanted to retire, and Taylor offered to pay $2 million over 12 years for the company.[10] The purchase (which he paid off early) formed the basis for theTaylor Corporation, aprivately heldmultinationalprinting andelectronics company with more than 10,000 employees based inNorth Mankato, Minnesota. Taylor continues to serve as chairman and CEO.[10]
Taylor was aRepublicanMinnesota state senator from 1981 to 1990, serving as assistant minority leader from 1983 to 1985 and minority leader from 1985 to 1988.[9] He considered himself a member of the party's moderate wing.[11] He resigned in 1990, citing his need to focus more on his business interests.[12]
He strongly considered running forgovernor of Minnesota in 1990, but decided against it due to his divorce.[2] He was appointed as a member of the Minnesota Commission on Reform and Efficiency by fellow Republican and Governor of MinnesotaArne Carlson a year after Taylor left office. He served in that role for three years.
Still an active member of the Republican Party, from 2016 to 2020 Taylor donated $119,100 to Republican candidates and causes.[13]
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Taylor purchased majority ownership of theMinnesota Timberwolves of theNational Basketball Association in 1994 for a reported $94 million[14] and purchased theMinnesota Lynx of theWomen's National Basketball Association in 1999.[15] He was in talks to buy theMinnesota Twins but nothing came of it.[9] The Lynx have won four WNBA titles, while the Wolves have failed to reach even one NBA Finals under his ownership, which includes a 14-season playoff drought from 2004 to 2018.
In 2000, Taylor received a nine-month suspension after signingJoe Smith to a secret contract in violation of the league's salary cap rules.[16] BeforeDonald Sterling's 2014 suspension,[17] Taylor was the only NBA owner to be suspended for more than a couple of games.[citation needed]
In 2017, Taylor purchased the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League (later calledNBA G League) and renamed the team theIowa Wolves as the developmental affiliate of the Timberwolves.[18]
He is a past chairman of the NBA board of governors, serving two terms from 2008 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2017.[19]
In 2021, Taylor entered into an agreement allowingMarc Lore, founder of the food-delivery company Wonder Group and Jet.com, an e-commerce business, andAlex Rodriguez, a former professional baseball player, to acquire the Timberwolves and the Lynx for an estimated $1.5 billion. Upon consummation of the current option stage, Taylor would retain a 20% stake in the teams.
Taylor is also a part owner of theMinnesota United FC soccer team.[1]
In 2014, Taylor bought theStar Tribune for about $100 million.[20] He toldMinnPost that theStar Tribune would be decidedly less liberal under his watch, but said the paper had already been shifting more to the center in recent years.[11]
