Jon Ledecky
Jon Ledecky | |
---|---|
U.S. | |
Alma mater | Harvard University |
Occupation | Businessman |
Relatives | Katie Ledecky (niece) |
Jonathan Joseph Ledecky (born February 9, 1958)[1] is an American businessman and a co-owner of the NHL team New York Islanders and their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Islanders.[2]
His niece is multiple Olympic gold medalist swimmer Katie Ledecky.[3]
Biography
Ledecky was born in 1958 in New York City, the son of a Czechoslovakian immigrant who came to America eleven years prior to study English at Rutgers University. Growing up in Queens and Brooklyn, he became a New York Yankees fan. After moving in 1972 to Greenwich, Connecticut, Ledecky attended Greenwich High School, with extracurricular work on his school paper that would have earned Ledecky a journalism scholarship at Vanderbilt University if his father had not insisted on his son attending an Ivy League school. Ledecky thus pursued business administration at Harvard University, continuing his reporter work at The Harvard Crimson and college radio station WHRB. Ledecky earned his bachelor's degree in 1979 and completed a Master of Business Administration in 1983, which was followed by a series of venture capital-type jobs. After being dismissed from Steelcase in 1994, Ledecky decided to open his own company in the office supplies business. Backed by a number of Harvard alumni, U.S. Office Products was founded in 1994, and had its initial public offering one year later. By the time Ledecky left U.S. Office Products in 1998, his fortune was estimated at $200 million.[4]
Sports ownership
In 1998, Ledecky nearly purchased a share of the
In October 2014, Ledecky and former Harvard roommate Scott D. Malkin entered a deal to purchase the New York Islanders from Charles Wang. They became minority owners during a two-year transition period before getting majority shares by 2016.[9]
References
- ^ Who's who in Finance and Industry, Volume 25 (1987), p. 404
- ^ "Charles Wang sells stake in Islanders to Jonathan Ledecky, Scott Malkin". Newsday. August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
- ^ Watt, Annie (July 27, 2012). "New York is like this". New York Social Diary. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ "Philanthropist Makes Fortune on 'Rollup' Concept | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved Mar 16, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Ledecky announces bid to buy Nationals". The Washington Times. Retrieved Mar 16, 2019.
- ^ Burgess, Nathan (16 May 2013). "Arena name is officially up for sale". Stowe Today. Retrieved Mar 16, 2019.
- ^ "Jonathan Ledecky No Longer Looking to Purchase the A's - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global". Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
- ^ "Helyar: Politics of D.C. ownership". ESPN.com. May 4, 2006. Retrieved Mar 16, 2019.
- ^ Strang, Katie (August 19, 2014). "Islanders to be sold to Jon Ledecky". ESPN. Retrieved August 20, 2014.