Paul Dolan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Paul J. Dolan At theLarry Doby statue unveiling ceremony in 2015 | |
| Born | Paul Joseph Dolan (1958-07-07)July 7, 1958 (age 67)[1] Chardon, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Known for | Cleveland Guardians Owner/Chairman/CEO |
| Children | Peter Dolan and Lawrence Dolan |
| Father | Larry J. Dolan |
| Relatives | Charles Dolan (uncle) Matt Dolan (brother) James L. Dolan (cousin) |
| Website | www |
Paul Joseph Dolan (born July 7, 1958)[1] is an American attorney andMajor League Baseball (MLB) team executive who is the owner,chairman, andchief executive officer (CEO) of theCleveland Guardians.[2] Dolan is also the "control person" for the team.[3][4][5]
Dolan was born and raised in theCleveland, Ohio, suburb of Chardon, as one of six children ofLarry J. and Eva Dolan. Dolan attendedhigh school at theGilmour Academy inGates Mills, Ohio, and upon graduation attended college atSt. Lawrence University, and upon graduation went on to earn hisJuris Doctor atNotre Dame Law School in 1983.[4]
After graduating from law school, Dolan was hired as an attorney for his father's law firm (Thrasher, Dinsmore, and Dolan), eventually becoming a partner in 1992.[6]
In 2000,Lawrence J. Dolan purchased theCleveland Guardians (then Indians) baseball team. Upon his father taking control of the team, Dolan was hired as avice president andgeneral counsel. In 2004, Dolan was promoted to teampresident, and in 2011 promoted again to chairman/CEO.[7]
In 2013, Dolan was approved by the team owners of MLB as the "control person" of the Guardians; the Associated Press describes this new role as "controlling owner". This new designation means that Dolan oversees the day to day team operations, and is responsible for compliance with MLB rules and regulations.[4][5]
Though officially listed as Owner/Chairman/CEO by the team, as the team is considered to be a family asset due to being purchased through various Dolan Family trusts.[2][8][9][10] Dolan's father, who was still regarded as official owner of the Cleveland Guardians, would die in February 2025.[11] At this time,MLB reported that Paul was "the only one of" Larry J. Dolan's "six children to be that closely involved in the baseball team."[11]
Dolan's son Peter was selected by the Guardians in the 33rd round of the2014 MLB Draft as athird baseman out of Gilmour Academy.[10] His brotherMatt was astate senator in Ohio, and his cousinJames is owner of theNew York Knicks of theNational Basketball Association (NBA), and theNew York Rangers of theNational Hockey League (NHL).
(as a member of the Guardians ownership and front office)
On Thursday, Major League owners voted during a quarterly ownership meeting to formally approve the designation of chairman/CEO Paul J. Dolan as the 'control person' for the Cleveland Guardians, Commissioner Bud Selig announced.