Robert McNair | |
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Born | 1937 (age 79–80) Tampa, Florida |
Residence | Houston, Texas |
Nationality | American |
Education | University of South Carolina |
Occupation | Businessman |
Known for | Owner of the Houston Texans |
Net worth | US$3.3 billion (September 2015) |
Spouse(s) | Married, 4 children |
Robert C. "Bob" McNair (born 1937) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and the owner of the Houston Texans.
McNair grew up in Forest City, North Carolina, a town of about 7,500 in the foothills of western North Carolina. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where he was initiated into the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree. His wife, Janice, attended nearby Columbia College.
The McNairs have been residents of Houston, Texas since 1960. He founded the cogeneration company Cogen Technologies, which was sold in 1999 to Enron and CalPERS. Today, McNair retains ownership of power plants in New York and West Virginia. McNair now serves as chairman and chief executive officer of The McNair Group, a financial and real estate firm that is headquartered in Houston, Texas. He is also the owner of Palmetto Partners, Ltd., a private investment company that manages the McNairs' public and private equity investments, and is Chairman of The McNair Foundation. In June 2000, McNair formed a biotechnology investment firm, Cogene Biotech Ventures, where he serves as company chairman.
Bob has been rumoured to be interested in buying a soccer club in the UK, and has twice been to visit St Andrews, home of Championship team, Birmingham City who have been up for sale for the past two years. On January 3, 2014, a consortium headed by McNair made a bid to purchase Reading F.C. of the Championship.