Ron Fowler | |
|---|---|
 Fowler in 2014 | |
| Born | Ron L. Fowler (1944-07-23)July 23, 1944 (age 80) 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 theSan Diego Padres |
| Spouse | Alexis Fowler |
| Children | 5 |
Ron Lee Fowler (born July 23, 1944) is an American businessman. He was an owner, executive chair and the MLB control person of theSan Diego Padres ofMajor League Baseball (MLB) from 2012 until 2020. He is currently CEO of Liquid Investments Inc.[3]
Fowler was born to Loren W. and Leona (Mohs) Fowler on July 23, 1944, inMinneapolis, Minnesota,[4][5] the oldest of two children.[6] Fowler's father served in theU.S. Navy duringWorld War II, stationed inNew Guinea.[7] Fowler was raised asCatholic,[8] attendingSt. Cloud Cathedral High School where he played baseball.[citation needed]
Fowler is the chairman and CEO of privately held Liquid Investments Inc., the parent company of former operating entities inCalifornia andColorado. The investment group distributedMiller,Coors,Heineken, and other beer brands; and had annual sales exceeding $300 million.[9][2]
Fowler was a member of a minority group that owned 49.32 percent of the Padres.[10] The group, headed by then-Padres chief executiveJeff Moorad, attempted to buy the Padres from controlling ownerJohn 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 theLos Angeles Dodgers franchise for five decades.Kevin andBrian O'Malley are the sons of former Dodgers ownerPeter O'Malley and grandsons ofWalter O'Malley, the owner who moved the Dodgers west fromBrooklyn after the 1957 season.Peter andTom 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 inFox 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 ownerC. 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 toWil Myers in January 2017, 8 years and $144 million toEric Hosmer in February 2018, and 10 years and $300 million toManny 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]
Fowler owned theSan Diego Sockers, anindoor 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 eventuallyPetco Park, and he chaired the host committee forSuper Bowl XXXVII, held inQualcomm Stadium in 2003.[15]
Fowler and his wife Alexis have made major contributions toSan 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 theUniversity of St. Thomas, Ron's alma mater, and University of San Diego in support of athletics and academic programs.
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