Robert Hernreich

Robert Hernreich
Born
Robert Eastman Hernreich

1945 (age 79–80)
EducationWashington University in St. Louis (BA, MBA)
Spouse
Nancy Virginia McAvoy
(m. 1968)

Robert Eastman Hernreich (born 1945)[1][2][3][4][5] is an American businessman, professional sports team owner, and philanthropist.

Hernreich is currently part-owner and club director of Swansea City, the Championship League soccer team based in Swansea, Wales,[6] as well as part-owner of Washington DC's DC United soccer club.[7] He is Chairman of the Board of Remonov + CO,[8] a real estate development firm in the Vail Valley of Colorado.

Early life and education

Hernreich was born in Arkansas to parents George Terry Hernreich: a local radio station and television station owner and Mary Jane Proulx. Hernreich also had a sister named Cindy.[1][3][5][9] Hernreich grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas and graduated with a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Washington University's Olin Business School in 1967. Hernreich was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Omicron Delta Kappa honor society.[1]

He was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War, but was not deployed overseas.[10]

Business career

Hernreich established KAIT 8 in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1963 with his father. After growing and acquiring a number of related media outlets throughout NW Arkansas, Hernreich sold his media group, Sigma Broadcasting, to Channel Communications in 1984 and Hearst-Argyle in 1995. At the time, Sigma was the largest media company in the state.[11]

From 1991 to 1993 Hernreich served as chairman of United States Repeating Arms, maker of Winchester rifles.[12] He is also a past director of Ride Snowboards, K2 Inc.[13] and the Miss America Organization[14]

In 1994, Hernreich founded Remonov and began developing real estate in Colorado's Vail Valley.

Sports ownership

Source[15]

As part of a new ownership group led by the Maloof family, Hernreich bought a 12% stake in the Sacramento Kings in 1999.[16] In 2013, Microsoft’s Steve Balmer and hedge fund manager Chris Hansen tried to buy the Kings and move them to Seattle,[17] but bowing to local pressure, Hernreich and the Maloofs instead sold the Kings to investors led by Vivek Ranadive for a record price, then the highest ever for an NBA franchise.[18] As a result of that sale, the team stayed in Sacramento.

As part of his Kings ownership, Hernreich was also part owner of the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs.[18]

In 2005, Hernreich purchased the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League.[19]  He sold the team in 2008.

In 2010, Hernreich bought an undisclosed stake in the Texas Rangers as part of a group led by pitcher Nolan Ryan and lawyer Chuck Greenberg.[20]

Civic life and philanthropy

Hernreich has served on the board of directors of the Vail Valley Foundation (VVF), Beaver Creek’s Vilar Center for the Arts[21] and the Eagle Valley Land Trust. He was past chairman of the Colorado Board of Parks and Outdoor Recreation.[12]

He was a founding board member of SOS Outreach (serving at-risk youth) and the Vail Youth Foundation. He served as the Administration Chairman for the 1999 World Alpine Championships in Vail.[12] Hernreich is a member of the VVF Millennium Club, a small group who have contributed in their lifetimes more than $1 million to the VVF.[22]

He has served as Trustee of his alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, MO for 30 years.[23]

Personal life

Hernreich married to Nancy Virginia McAvoy in September 1968.[1][2][3] The couple divorced at some point before 2001.[24][25]

On December 21, 2007, Hernreich was arrested in Eagle County, Colorado and booked for misdemeanor charges of "domestic violence, harassment, and second-degree criminal trespass".[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Engagements". The Kansas City Star. Vol. 88, no. 259. Kansas City, Missouri. June 2, 1968. p. 9C – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b "Marriage Licenses". The Kansas City Times. Vol. 101, no. 10. Kansas City, Missouri. September 19, 1968. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b c "Weddings". The Kansas City Star. Vol. 89, no. 5. Kansas City, Missouri. September 22, 1968. p. 7C – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b Pankratz, Howard (December 21, 2007). "Robert Hernreich, part Sacramento Kings owner, arrested in Colorado". The Denver Post. Denver, Colorado. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Search | 1950 Census". 1950census.archives.gov. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  6. ^ "Trust dispute Swans share sellers' claim". BBC Sport. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  7. ^ "D.C. United announces changes to its investment group". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "OUR TEAM". Remonov + CO. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  9. ^ "Obituaries". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. Vol. 107, no. 205. Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. August 29, 1977. p. 4A – via Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Thompson, Cliff. "Leveraging an MBA into the NBA". www.vaildaily.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  11. ^ Newsdesk, Region 8. "Former owner who helped build KAIT visits Region 8". kait8.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ a b c Colorado, Daily Staff ReportVail CO. "Hernreich named to Board of Directors of Global Action". www.vaildaily.com. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  13. ^ "SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION". www.sec.gov. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  14. ^ Strauss, Robert (November 23, 2003). "UP FRONT: WORTH NOTING; Miss America Looks Beyond the Boardwalk". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  15. ^ "Affordable Housing in Edwards Hits a Roadblock". Vail-Beaver Creek Magazine. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  16. ^ "Time To Sell?". Inside Sacramento. March 28, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  17. ^ "Seattle relocation group has deal for Kings". ESPN.com. January 21, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Maloof Family Transfers Ownership of Sacramento Kings to Sacramento Investor Group". Sacramento Kings. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  19. ^ "Rattlers sold to Bobby Hernreich". OurSports Central. July 1, 2005. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  20. ^ Postins, Matthew. "Rangers History Today: Greenberg & Ryan Purchase The Franchise". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  21. ^ Roberts, Ken Schwencke, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Alec Glassford, Andrea Suozzo, Brandon (May 9, 2013). "VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION INC - Form Form 990 for period ending Sep 2012 - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved May 16, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Vail Valley Foundation annual report" (PDF).
  23. ^ "Emeritus Trustees | Board of Trustees | Washington University in St. Louis". boardoftrustees.wustl.edu. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  24. ^ Kreidler, mark (October 16, 2005). "Invisible .. and indispensable". csus.edu. Sacramento, California: California State University, Sacramento. C1. Retrieved May 20, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "WEDDINGS; Nancy Hernreich, Louis Bowen". The New York Times. New York City, New York. January 7, 2001. p. 7; Section 9. Archived from the original on May 20, 2025.