Janice McNair
Janice Suber McNair (born 1936) is the current owner and co-founder[1] of the Houston Texans, having assumed the position after the death of her husband and team founder Bob McNair in 2018.
Janice McNair | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1936 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Columbia College |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Known for | Owner of the Houston Texans |
| Spouse(s) | Bob McNair (1937-2018) |
| Children | 4 |
Football career | |
| Houston Texans | |
| Position: | Senior Chair (Principal owner) |
| Career history | |
| As executive: | |
| |
Early life
McNair was born and was raised in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and attended Columbia College, a private women's liberal arts college.[2] It was in her college years in which she met her future husband Bob McNair.[3]
Career
Janice McNair has been the right-hand to her husband in much of his career when he founded Cogen Technologies, which Bob McNair sold in 1999 to Enron and CalPERS. Including, being the co-founder of the NFL team the Houston Texans. Her husband Bob was the principal owner of the Texans from its founding in 1999 to his death in 2018.
Following Bob McNair's death in 2018, Janice became the Senior Chair and principal owner of the Houston Texans. Her son Cal McNair is the current team CEO, and handles most day-to-day operations.[3] However, Janice represents the Texans at NFL owners meetings and other league functions.
McNair is one of ten female NFL team owners. The others are Virginia Halas McCaskey (Chicago Bears), Kim Pegula (Buffalo Bills), Carol Davis (Las Vegas Raiders), Dee Haslam (Cleveland Browns), Amy Adams Strunk (Tennessee Titans), Gayle Benson (New Orleans Saints), Sheila Ford Hamp (Detroit Lions), Denise DeBartolo York (San Francisco 49ers) and Jody Allen (Seattle Seahawks).[3]
McNair's reported net worth is believed to be at $4 billion USD.[4] She is also currently the richest female sports owner in the United States.[5]
Philanthropy
In 1989, Janice McNair and her husband established the Robert and Janice McNair Educational Foundation. The goal of the foundation was to remove some of the financial barriers that were preventing Rutherford County High school graduates from attending college. The first beneficiaries were the class of 1990. To date, the McNair foundation has awarded approximately $2.6 million in financial aid.
In August 2019, McNair donated $5 million to Pro Vision Inc, a community building project in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Houston. It was reported to be the largest donation ever done by an NFL owner.[6]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Houston, McNair donated $1 million to the Houston Rent Relief fund to help apartment residents in Houston facing eviction during the pandemic economic recession.[7]
References
- "Official Site of the Houston Texans". www.houstontexans.com.
- "7 billionaires on Forbes list have Charleston ties". Post and Courier.
- McClain, John (March 29, 2019). "Texans owner Janice McNair: 'You play to win'". HoustonChronicle.com.
- Jr, Tom Huddleston (November 10, 2019). "These are the NFL's 10 richest billionaire owners". CNBC.
- Badenhausen, Kurt. "America's Richest Sports Team Owners 2019: Steve Ballmer Leads As David Tepper Leaps Atop NFL List". Forbes.
- Wilson, Aaron; Chronicle, Houston (August 12, 2019). "Texans' Janice McNair donating $5.5 million to Pro-Vision Inc". Houston Chronicle.
- https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/texans/article/Texans-owner-Janice-McNair-1-million-rent-relief-15460769.php