Tilman Fertitta
| Tilman J. Fertitta | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
June 25, 1957 (age 59) Galveston, Texas, U.S. |
| Residence | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation |
|
| Known for | Restaurateur |
| Net worth |
 US$2.8 billion (January 2017)
|
| Spouse(s) | Paige Fertitta |
| Children | 4 |
Tilman Joseph Fertitta (born June 25, 1957) is an American businessman and television personality. He is the chairman, CEO, and sole owner of Landry's, Inc., one of the nation’s largest restaurant corporations. In 2013, his net worth was estimated at $2.4 billion, placing him at No. 235 on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans; Forbes calls him the “World’s Richest Restaurateur”. Fertitta is also chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Houston System. After landing a reality tv show on CNBC, Fertitta became the star of Billion Dollar Buyer. In December 2016, he purchased the Hooters franchise.
Fertitta was born and raised in Galveston, Texas, several generations after his family had emigrated to Texas from Sicily. Fertitta’s father, Vic. owned a seafood restaurant on Galveston Island, and after school, a young Tilman Fertitta would peel shrimp in his father’s restaurant. Fertitta attended Texas Tech University and the University of Houston, studying business administration and hospitality management. His first entrepreneurial experience involved selling and promoting Shaklee vitamins. In the 1980s, Fertitta founded and ran a construction and development business, and developed his first major project, the Key Largo Hotel in Galveston.
Fertitta was a partner in the first Landry’s Restaurant, Landry’s Seafood, which opened its doors in the Houston suburb of Katy, Texas, in 1980. A year later, Fertitta helped open Willie G’s Seafood & Steaks, a more upscale restaurant near Houston’s Uptown District. In 1986, Fertitta gained controlling interests of both locations, and in 1988, became sole owner of Landry’s Restaurants. In 1993, Fertitta took Landry’s, Inc. public and the company grew quickly, adding concept after concept.
...
Wikipedia