Leslie Alexander (businessman)
| Leslie Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Leslie L. Alexander 1944 (age 72–73) New Jersey, U.S. |
| Residence | Delray Beach, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
B.A. New York University J.D. Thomas Jefferson School of Law |
| Occupation | Businessman & Investor. Attorney (ret). |
| Known for | Owning the Houston Rockets |
| Net worth |
 $1.9 billion (December 2016)[1] |
| Spouse(s) | Nanci Shnapier Alexander (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
Leslie L. Alexander (born 1944) is an American attorney, businessman and financier. He is a former bond trader from New Jersey who owns the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Houston Rockets.[2]
Early life
Leslie L. Alexander was born in 1944, to a Jewish family in New Jersey.[3][4] In 1965, he graduated from New York University with a bachelor's degree in economics and later earned his juris doctor from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law.[5][6]
Career
Alexander began his career as an attorney. From 1978 to 2009, he was a member of the California State Bar.[7] His first job was trading options and bonds for the Wall Street firm, Lawrence Kotkin Associates.[4] In 1980, he left to form his own investment company, The Alexander Group.[4] He also owns an 18.5% stake in First Marblehead, a private student loan company.[8]
In 2008, Alexander was listed by Forbes magazine as the best owner in the NBA.[9]
In 1998, Alexander attempted to purchase and relocate the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers franchise, but a grassroots bid by local businessmen successfully prevented the sale.[10]
From 1997 until early 2007, Alexander was the owner of the WNBA's Houston Comets. The Comets won the league's first 4 WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000. He sold the team to Hilton Koch in January 2007, one year before The Comets folded.[11]
On July 17th, 2017, the team announced that the Houston Rockets were for sale.[12]
Personal life
Alexander divorced his wife Nanci (née Shnapier) in 2003, paying a $150 million settlement.[13] They have one child and two grandchildren.[4]
He owns a vineyard on Long Island and the related company Leslie Wine, launched in 2008. He also has a residence in Houston.[5]
Alexander was raised Jewish, and now identifies as Agnostic.[14] He is a vegetarian and an advocate of animal rights.[4] He is a supporter of the Democratic Party and has donated $15,000 in the past 20 years to Democratic candidates.[15] He purchased the duplex penthouse of 18 Gramercy Park in 2012, reportedly for $42 million.[16]
Alexander's net worth is an estimated $1.54 billion as of Q1-2016, placing him at #401 on the list of richest people in the United States.[17]
On March 27, 2017 Alexander pledged $4 million to 20 Houston charities, including the Houston Area Women's Center, Houston Public Library Foundation, Healthcare for the Homeless, and Citizens for Animal Protection.
References
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/profile/leslie-alexander/
- ↑ http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15884748/joint-decision-hire-mike-dantoni
- ↑ Mendelsohn, Ezra Jews and the Sporting Life : Studies in Contemporary Jewry XXIII edited by Institute of Contemporary Jewry Hebrew University of Jerusalem p. 98
- 1 2 3 4 5 Forbes: "The 400 Richest Americans - #322 Leslie Alexander September 21, 2006
- 1 2 Rockets: Leslie Alexander Biography
- ↑ Leslie L. Alexander (Houston Comets)
- ↑ "Leslie Lee Alexander - #79581". State Bar of California. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
- ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122713829045342487
- ↑
- ↑ "Oilers Deal Collapses". Orlando Sentinel. November 5, 1997.
- ↑ WNBA disbands women's pro basketball team in Houston | Reuters
- ↑
- ↑ Daily Mail: "Billionaire owner of Houston Rockets buys NYC's most expensive downtown Manhattan condo with outdoor INFINITY POOL and FOUR massive terraces for $42 million" September 13, 2013
- ↑ "The 400 Richest Americans: #322 Leslie Alexander". Forbes.com. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
- ↑ Real GM: "Follow The Money: Political Contributions Of NBA Owners" By Christopher Reina November 03, 2011
- ↑ Velsey, Kim (October 22, 2012). "18 Gramercy Park Is Having the Best Fall Ever". The New York Observer. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Leslie Alexander". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-03-02.