John J. Fisher
John J. Fisher (born June 1, 1961) is an American businessman. He is the owner of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics and has stakes in Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes and Scotland's Celtic F.C. He is the son of Gap Inc. founders Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher.
John J. Fisher | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Joseph Fisher June 1, 1961 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | BA Princeton University MBA Stanford University |
| Occupation | Retail executive |
| Known for | Majority owner of the Oakland Athletics and the San Jose Earthquakes |
| Net worth |  $2.4 billion (September 2015)[1] |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Laura Meier Fisher |
| Parent(s) | Donald Fisher Doris Feigenbaum |
| Family | Robert J. Fisher (brother) William S. Fisher (brother) |
Early life and education
Fisher is the son of Doris Feigenbaum Fisher and Don Fisher, the co-founders of Gap, Inc.[1] Fisher attended Phillips Exeter Academy[2] and Princeton University, where he received a bachelor's degree[1] in 1983.[2] After college, Fisher worked in the mailroom at the Republican National Committee and worked as a fund-raiser for former President Ronald Reagan and then-Vice President George H.W. Bush.[2] He then attended graduate school at Stanford University School of Business where he earned a master's degree in Business Administration.[1] Fisher, who is Jewish,[3] has two brothers: Robert J. Fisher and William S. Fisher.
Career
After graduate school, he took a job for a real estate company that did business with his parents' company, the Gap. The business was not successful and he became president of Pisces Inc., the Fisher family's investment management company.[2] He established a relationship with Lewis Wolff to jointly purchase several Fairmont hotels in San Francisco which led to his investment in the Oakland Athletics.[2] He also has stakes in Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes and Scotland's Glasgow Celtic football club.[2]
Fisher has been the majority owner of the Athletics since he and Wolff closed on their joint purchase of the team in 2005 and is now also the managing general partner. In November 2016, Wolff sold his 10% share[4] in the Athletics to Fisher giving Fisher full ownership of the team.
Philanthropy
Fisher chairs the board of the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP Foundation), dedicated to training teachers for the KIPP public charter school network.,[1] and co-chair of the Charter School Growth Fund.
Political views
In 2019, it was revealed that Fisher, together with his mother Doris F. Fisher, as well as brothers William S. Fisher and Robert J. Fisher, had donated nearly $9 million to a dark money group which opposed Barack Obama in the 2012 election.[5]
Personal life
He is married to Laura Meier Fisher.[6][7] The couple lives in San Francisco.
References
- Forbes: The World's Billionaires - John Fisher May 2015
- San Francisco Gate: "A's NEW ERA / JOHN FISHER / Son of Gap founder is the money behind the deal" by Todd Wallack March 31, 2005
- Palevsky, Stacey (October 1, 2009). "Gap Founder Donald Fisher Leaves Stamp on Community". J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
- Ozanian, Mike (November 18, 2016). "Fisher Family Buys Remaining Stake Of Oakland Athletics From Wolff". Forbes. Forbes. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
- Tindera, Michela (October 26, 2019). "At Least 20 Billionaires Behind 'Dark Money' Group That Opposed Obama". Forbes. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- Princeton University news: "Fisher family funds dormitory for Princeton's Whitman College" by Ruth Stevens June 12, 2006
- Stanford University Bulletin: "Laura Fisher" Archived 2013-07-06 at the Wayback Machine retrieved July 29, 2013