Charlie Ergen

Charles William Ergen better known as Charlie Ergen (born 1953) is the former co-founder, and Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Dish Network, formerly known as the EchoStar Communications Corporation.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] He stepped down in May 2011.[1]

Biography

Charles Ergen was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on March 1, 1953.[6][7] He received a Bachelor of Arts the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and an M.B.A. Wake Forest University.[2][5][1][6][7][8][9] He was a blackjack and poker professional player.[3][10]

In 1980, he founded EchoStar with his wife Cantey ("Candy"), and friend Jim DeFranco.[3][4] He started selling satellite dishes door to door in Colorado.[11] Both Cantey Ergen and Jim DeFranco still sit on EchoStar's eight-member board.[3] He purchased Sling Media in 2008.[10]

He is worth US$6.4 billion.[8] He is the 46th richest American citizen.[12] He supported John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.[6]

He is married with five children.[8][9] He lives in Littleton, Colorado.[7][8][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c The Wall Street Journal profile
  2. ^ a b Dish Network Board of Directors
  3. ^ a b c d Otis Bilodeau and Chitra Somayaji, 'EchoStar Accounting Raises Flags in Probe, People Say', in Bloomberg, March 10, 2005 [1]
  4. ^ a b Forbes biography
  5. ^ a b BusinessWeek profile
  6. ^ a b c d NNDB profile
  7. ^ a b c d BusinessWeek resume
  8. ^ a b c d Forbes profile 2011
  9. ^ a b c Forbes profile 2004
  10. ^ a b Dann Shea, 'Charles Ergen: Meet America's Richest Media Mogul You've Never Heard Of', on The Huffington Post 09-18-08 [2]
  11. ^ "Can Charlie Ergen still go it alone?". Business Week. 1 November 2004. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_44/b3906118.htm. 
  12. ^ The Forbes 400: The Richest People in America 2011