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2022 BRONCOS SPECIAL SECTION | Broncos ownership: Meet the star-studded group leading franchise into 2022 season and beyond

The next era of Denver Broncos football has arrived with a new ownership group leading the franchise.

A diverse six-member powerhouse is tasked with steering the team back toward Super Bowl contention, filling the giant shoes left by the late Pat Bowlen. No small task for a Broncos team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015.

Get to know the Walton-Penner ownership group and what makes it, perhaps, the most star-studded front office in professional sports.

Rob Walton, principal owner

Age — 77

Education — Columbia Law School; University of Arkansas

Job history — 1992-2015: Walmart chairman of the board of directors; 1969-1991: Walmart general counsel, corporate secretary, vice chairman and senior vice chairman.

Net worth — $57.2B (per Forbes)

Random fact — He owns one of the rarest and expensive cars in the world: a 1962 Ferrari 250.

Quotable — “We think diverse organizations are more successful organizations.”

Bottom line — Walton, born into one of the most successful families on earth, is by far the richest NFL team owner. His wealth will ultimately shape the franchise’s big-picture direction.

Greg Penner, CEO and co-owner

Age — 52

Education —Georgetown University; Stanford Graduate School of Business

Job history — 2015-Present: Walmart chairman of the board of directors; former financial analyst at Goldman Sachs and general partner at Peninsula Capital.

Net worth — $1B (per media reports)

Random fact — His parents, Clifford and Joyce, are Christian sex therapists.

Quotable — “Our Broncos fans have high expectations. We know that and we embrace it.”

Bottom line — Penner will handle the day-to-day responsibilities of running the team as CEO. He’s an experienced businessman and financial guru taking his first plunge into sports team ownership.

Carrie Walton-Penner, co-owner

Age — 52

Education — Georgetown University; Stanford Graduate School of Education

Job history — Serves on Walton Family Foundation K-12 Education Program Committee and boards of The Aspen Institute and KIPP Foundation; Stanford Board of Trustees member.

Net worth — $5B (per media reports)

Random fact — She is Rob Walton’s daughter and self-described as a “K-12 education advocate.”

Quotable — “We’ll draw on the extraordinary depth of our partners to help the Broncos succeed on the field, in the NFL and across our community.”

Bottom line — Walton-Penner’s expertise as a non-profit advisor will be essential in the Broncos’ mission to remain among the more charitable organizations in professional sports.

Mellody Hobson, co-owner

Age — 53

Education — Princeton University

Job history — Chair of board of directors at Starbucks; President and CEO of Ariel Investments.

Net worth — $120M (per media reports)

Random fact — She is married to Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas and was formerly chair of the board at DreamWorks Animation.

Quotable — “I want to acknowledge the bond with the players who, like me, have had to overcome a lot in their lives.”

Bottom line — Hobson brings more than just needed diversity to the ownership group. She is a proven business leader across several industries.

Condoleezza Rice, co-owner

Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice speaks during a luncheon at the NCAA Convention in San Antonio in 2016. AP file photo. (Eric Gay)
Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice speaks during a luncheon at the NCAA Convention in San Antonio in 2016. AP file photo. (Eric Gay)

Age — 67

Education — University of Denver; Notre Dame

Job history — 2005-2009: U.S. Secretary of State under George W. Bush; former National Security Advisor and Stanford Provost.

Individual wealth — $12M (per media reports)

Random fact — One of the first two female members admitted to Augusta National Golf Club in 2012 after the Masters site had excluded women as members for 80 years.

Quotable — “My dad was a football coach when I was born. I was supposed to be his All-American linebacker.”

Bottom line — Rice’s DU roots, passion for sports and political acumen combine for an excellent addition to the ownership group.

Sir Lewis Hamilton, co-owner

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates Nov. 29, 2020, after winning the Formula One race in Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. Hamilton is now a “Sir” as well as a seven-time Formula One champion after being knighted Wednesday in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year honors list. (The Associated Press)
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates Nov. 29, 2020, after winning the Formula One race in Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. Hamilton is now a “Sir” as well as a seven-time Formula One champion after being knighted Wednesday in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year honors list. (The Associated Press)

Age — 37

Education — Cambridge Arts and Sciences

Job history — Formula One driver with a joint-record seven World Drivers’ Championship titles.

Individual wealth — $285M (per media reports)

Random fact — Knighted by the Prince of Wales last year, Hamilton, an avid snowboarder, has a home near Beaver Creek.

Quotable — “Honored to work with a world-class team and serve as an example of the value of diverse leadership across all sports.”

Bottom line — Hamilton is arguably the greatest athlete in his sport’s history. The Broncos need his winning mentality to trickle down to coaches and players.

The new Broncos ownership group, from left to right: Greg Penner, Condoleezza Rice, Rob Walton, Mellody Hobson and Carrie Walton Penner pose for a picture during a press conference Wednesday, at the UCHealth Training Center in Centennial. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)
The new Broncos ownership group, from left to right: Greg Penner, Condoleezza Rice, Rob Walton, Mellody Hobson and Carrie Walton Penner pose for a picture during a press conference Wednesday, at the UCHealth Training Center in Centennial. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)


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