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| Thomas O Hicks.: Co-President in club 2007 - |
 Thomas O Hicks
Job Title: Co-President
Date of Birth: 1946
With the Reds: 2007-
Arrived from:
Signed for LFC: 06.02.2007
Contract expiry:
Birthplace: 
George N. Gillett Jr. Rick Parry
& Thomas O Hicks 6 February 2007 |
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STAFF PROFILE
The son of a Texas radio station owner, Hicks graduated from the Thomas Jefferson
High School, class of 1964. Hicks, as a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon, received his
Bachelors degree in Finance from the University of Texas in 1968, and his MBA from the
University of Southern California in 1970.
Hicks became interested in leveraged buyouts as a member of First National Bank's
venture capital group. Hicks and Robert Haas formed Hicks & Haas in 1984; the next
year that firm bought Hicks Communications, a radio outfit run by Hicks' brother Steven -
the first of many media companies bought or created by the buyout firm, often with Steven
Hicks' involvement.
Hicks & Haas' in the mid-1980s bought several soft drink makers, including Dr
Pepper and 7 Up. The firm took Dr Pepper/7 Up public just 18 months after merging the two
companies. In all, Hicks & Haas turned $88 million of investor funding into $1.3
billion. The pair split up in 1989; Hicks wanted to raise a large pool to invest, but Haas
preferred to work deal by deal.
In 1989, Hicks co-founded the investment firm, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst with
former Prudential Securities banker John Muse. The firm raised $250 million, with early
investments including Life Partners Group (life insurance, 1990; sold 1996). In 1991
Morgan Stanley's Charles Tate and First Boston's Jack Furst became partners. Hicks was
chairman from 1989 to 2004, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst raised $12 billion of private
equity funds, consummated over $50 billion of leveraged acquisitions, and was one of the
most active private investment firms in the country.
But the business hit a rough patch by the early 2000s, when investors in Equity
Fund IV were burned by a $1.2 billion plunge into telecom investments in 1999. Hicks
announced that he would leave the firm on March 8, 2004 to spend more time with his family
and his sports teams.
Hicks has developed a deep interest in sports franchises, and has invested in their
facilities and team much to the delight of fans. Hicks moved from the business pages to
the sports section in December 1995 when he bought the National Hockey League Dallas Stars
for $82 million.
Dallas Stars
Seven Division Championships, three Western Conference crowns, two Presidents'
Trophies as the team with the best regular season record, two consecutive trips to the
Stanley Cup Finals and the 1999 Stanley Cup Championship are the highlights of the Dallas
Stars' rapid ascent in the 11 years since Thomas O. Hicks contracted to purchase the
hockey club in December 1995. Mr. Hicks serves as the Stars' Chairman of the Board and the
club's representative on the NHL Board of Governors, and also played an instrumental role
in the development and planning of American Airlines Center.
Texas Rangers
In June 1998, Hicks became the Chairman and Owner of the Texas Rangers Baseball
Club of the Major League Baseball’s American League. Hicks purchased the team for $250
million from an investment group that included then-Texas Governor George W. Bush. After
the purchase, Hicks changed his large political donations to Bush for the 2000
Presidential election. Under Hicks ownership, the Rangers won the American League West
Division crown in 1996, 1998 and 1999, but failed to deliver a World Series. After
retirement from Hicks Muse Tate and Furst, and with the Rangers finished in last place in
its division in 2003, Hicks promised to rebuild the team, shipping Alex Rodriguez ($252
million over 10 years) to the New York Yankees. Hicks serves on the Board of Directors of
MLB Advanced Media, the internet-based subsidiary of Major League Baseball.
On February 1, 2007, it was made known through the English press that he was behind
a consortium along with friend and Montreal Canadiens owner George N. Gillett Jr. to
complete a takeover of the English Premiership club Liverpool F.C; this takeover bid was
thought to be the front runner after Dubai International Capital pulled out the bidding.
On February 6, 2007, Hicks & Gillett's joint offer for Liverpool was formally
accepted, valuing the club at J218.9m (J5,000 per share and ?44.8m in debt).
Статьи
, интервью
Update 28.01.2008 |
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