James Orthwein

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James Orthwein
Born
James Busch Orthwein

(1924-03-13)March 13, 1924
Choate School
Alma materWashington University in St. Louis
OccupationBusinessman
Parent(s)Percy Orthwein
Clara Busch
RelativesAdolphus Busch (maternal great-grandfather)

James Busch Orthwein (March 13, 1924 – August 15, 2008) was an American heir and business executive. He owned the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) from 1992 to 1993. After unsuccessfully attempting to move the franchise to his home city of St. Louis, he sold the Patriots to Robert Kraft in 1994.

Early life

James Busch Orthwein was born on March 13, 1924. His father, Percy Orthwein, was an advertising executive. His mother, Clara Busch, was the granddaughter of Adolphus Busch, the German-born founder of Anheuser-Busch.[1]

Orthwein was educated at the

Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis
.

Career

Orthwein joined his father's advertising firm in 1947.[2] He served as the chairman and chief executive of the D'Arcy Advertising Company from 1970 to 1983. Orthwein took the advertising agency to the global stage, merging with agencies in Detroit and London. In 1985, the St. Louis-based company merged with Benton & Bowles of New York to form D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles.[1]

Orthwein served on the board of directors of Anheuser-Busch from 1963 to 2001.[3] In 1997, Orthwein held 1.6 million shares in Anheuser-Busch, more than any other company insider with the exception of his first cousin, chairman and president August Busch III.[4]

Orthwein was a co-founder of Huntleigh Asset Partners, a private investment firm, in 1983.[3] It was later renamed Precise Capital.[1]

Orthwein purchased the New England Patriots from

hostile takeover, offering to pay $175 million for the Patriots franchise knowing that Orthwein no longer wanted the team if he could not move it to St. Louis. Although future St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke offered to buy the team for $200 million and move it to St. Louis, Orthwein would have been saddled with all moving expenses. He also would have been responsible for any legal expenses as well, and Kraft had already made it clear that he would go to court to enforce the lease. With no other choice, Orthwein accepted Kraft's bid on January 21, 1994.[5]

Personal life and death

One of Orthwein's wives was Romaine Dahlgren Pierce, who had married and divorced William Simpson and David Mountbatten, 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven. Orthwein's third wife was Ruth Orthwein; they divorced in the late 1990s. Orthwein died of cancer at his home in Huntleigh, Missouri, in 2008.[1]

For 35 years, Orthwein was

Master of Foxhounds at Bridlespur Hunt Club; he was a member of the Missouri Horseman's Hall of Fame. He helped raise more than $1 million for charities related to horse shows.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "James Orthwein, 84, N.F.L. Owner, Dies". The New York Times. August 21, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  2. Boston Globe
  3. ^ a b c "The Family Tree: Not All Busches". St. Louis Business Journal. St. Louis, Missouri. June 22, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  4. ^ Manning, Margie (December 19, 1997). Orthwein cuts A-B holdings.St. Louis Business Journal
  5. ^ a b McG. Thomas Jr., Robert (January 22, 1994). "Sold! Time to Call Them the New England Permanents". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  6. ^ Lhotka, William C. (August 16, 2008). Former NFL owner James Busch Orthwein dies. Archived 2008-08-26 at the Wayback Machine St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Preceded by New England Patriots Principal Owner
1992–1994 		Succeeded by
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