Robert Hernreich 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,[1] as well as part-owner of Washington DC's DC United soccer club.[2] He is Chairman of the Board of Remonov + CO,[3] a real estate development firm in the Vail Valley of Colorado.
Hernreich was born and raised in Arkansas, before receiving a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Washington University's Olin Business School.
He was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War, but was not deployed overseas.[4]
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.[5]
From 1991 to 1993 Hernreich served as chairman of United States Repeating Arms, maker of Winchester rifles.[6] He is also a past director of Ride Snowboards, K2 Inc.[7] and the Miss America Organization[8]
In 1994, Hernreich founded Remonov and began developing real estate in Colorado's Vail Valley.
As part of a new ownership group led by the Maloof family, Hernreich bought a 12% stake in the Sacramento Kings in 1999.[10] In 2013, Microsoft’s Steve Balmer and hedge fund manager Chris Hansen tried to buy the Kings and move them to Seattle,[11] 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.[12] 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.[12]
In 2005, Hernreich purchased the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League.[13] 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.[14]
Hernreich has served on the board of directors of the Vail Valley Foundation (VVF), Beaver Creek’s Vilar Center for the Arts[15] and the Eagle Valley Land Trust. He was past chairman of the Colorado Board of Parks and Outdoor Recreation.
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. 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.[16]
He has served as Trustee of his alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, MO for 30 years.[17]