FACT SHEET

Jerry Colangelo

Jerry Colangelo’s impact on Arizona has been so profound that the Arizona Republic named him the Most Influential Sports Figure in Arizona for the 20th Century, and the The Phoenix Business Journal named him the top businessman in the Valley for the last five years.

Colangelo has made the Phoenix Suns into one of the most successful clubs in the NBA, holding the fourth-best all-time winning percentage among NBA teams.

He brought major league baseball to Phoenix in 1998, and serves as Managing General Partner of the World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, the youngest team in baseball history to win a World Series.

He brought women’s basketball to Phoenix in 1997, when the Phoenix Mercury became one of the WNBA’s inaugural teams.

Colangelo was also a key figure in bringing the Phoenix Coyotes to Arizona.

His sporting achievements have contributed to transform downtown Phoenix into an active and thriving district. The America West Arena, Ball One Ballpark, and Colangelo’s latest pet project, the Dodge Theater, have all been credited with revitalizing the downtown area.

Colangelo’s commitment to Arizona transcends sports. In addition to serving as Chairman of the NBA Board of Directors, he is Chairman of the Board of the Council of Leadership Education and Collaboration for a New Century, and is vice president of the Downtown Partnership. He has served on many boards including the Phoenix Art Museum, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Phoenix Community Alliance, Southwest Leadership Foundation, Junior Achievement of Central Arizona, Valley Big Brothers, and the United Way. Jerry Colangelo, Phoenix Suns Charities, The Diamondbacks and the Phoenix Mercury have made generous contributions to Arizona’s three state universities.

At Northern Arizona University, Colangelo and the team charities have made substantial contributions to many programs, including:

• Skydome Fund

• Bilby Endowed Chair

• Department of Physical Therapy

• President’s Fund for Excellence

• NAU Foundation

• High Altitude Sports Complex

• School of Communication

• School of Hotel and Restaurant Management

The Phoenix Suns also hold their training camp at NAU each year, bringing exposure to the campus and capping off the training camp with a charity scrimmage each year.

Arizona State University will award Jerry Colangelo an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters at ASU’s May 9 commencement ceremony for his outstanding support.

Colangelo and his wife, Joan, served on the Executive Committee of the ASU Campaign for Leadership, which raised $560 Million. Other ASU programs that he and the team charities have supported are:

• College of Music

• ASU Athletics

• ASU Alumni Association

• College of Business

• College of Public Programs

• College of Fine Arts

• Barrett Honors College

• College of Nursing 

• He also provided funding to establish the MBA in Sports Management

The University of Arizona honored Colangelo in February for his support of the UA’s Steele Memorial Children’s Research Center and other programs at UA. The Colangelos have aligned themselves with the UA Children’s Research Center. Joan Colangelo was one of the founding members of the Phoenix Women’s Board supporting the Steele Memorial Children’s Research Center. The organization, PANDA (People Acting Now Discover Answers), has hosted three annual fashion shows featuring children helping children. The Colangelo grandchildren have modeled in all three. Colangelo is heading the effort to fund innovative clinical trials from the UA Children’s Research Center for children in the valley.

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