Who are the new owners of the Denver Broncos, Sam Walton, Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner?
The Denver Broncos were put on the market by the Bowlen family in February. In August the sale of the franchise to the Walton-Pinner group was approved.
The sale of the Denver Broncos to the Walton-Penner group was finalized in August, making Sam Walton, Greg Penner, and Carrie Walton-Penner among others the new owners of the Mile High franchise.
Walton family taking over in Mile High City
The Walton-Penner group’s $4.65 billion offer was submitted in early June, and was pending a vote of all 32 owners in the NFL. There was a two-thirds vote (24) needed to carry through with the sale. The vote was unanimous according to a statement made by commissioner Roger Goodell.
You have probably heard the name Sam Walton, or maybe not. But one thing is for sure, every person has at least once used his product at one time in their life. These are all the heavy hitters of the Walton-Penner group that were involved in the purchase of the Broncos.
Sam Walton
Samuel Robson Walton is the son and heir of Walmart founder Samuel Moore Walton. The younger Walton became a part of the law firm that worked for Walmart once he graduated from Columbia Law School. He left law to become the senior vice president of Walmart. When his father died, he became chairman of the retail mega chain until 2015. The 77-year old is a car enthusiast with a parking garage full of Ferraris and McLarens, but he now has a new toy to play with. He spearheaded the operation to buy the Broncos with his daughter and son-in-law.
Greg Penner
Greg Penner is married to Carrie Walton-Penner, who is Sam Walton’s daughter. Penner got his start in finance with Goldman Sachs after graduating from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He got his introduction to Walmart as a store employee, but quickly skyrocketed up the company ladder, being named CFO of Walmart Japan. He took over the chairman’s role in 2015 when Sam Walton stepped down, but before that he was on the Walmart Board of Directors in 2008, and six years later was named vice-chairman until he stepped into the role of chairman that he still holds today. He serves on the Board of Directors of six different companies, including Walmart, Baidy, eHarmony, Hyatt Hotels, Teach for America and Charter School Growth Fund.
Carrie Walton-Penner
Carrie Walton-Penner is heavily involved in the world of education serving as an evaluator for the National Foundation of Teaching and Entrepreneurship, and was a research analyst for Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers for Woodside Research Consortium. She is the heiress to the Walmart fortune, and is married to the current chairman of the company, Greg Penner. Walton-Penner serves on the board of the KIPP Foundation, Alliance for School Choice and Charter School Growth fund.
The group also has a number of other famous names, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is currently working as the director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford. Before taking the role at the Stanford-based political institution, she was named Secretary of State. She broke loads of political barriers in her career, both as an African-American and as a woman. During George H.W. Bush’s presidency she became the first woman to be named national security advisor, and the first female African-American to serve as Secretary of State. Rice attended the University of Denver for her undergrad studies, and then went to the football crazed University of Notre Dame. So, her connection to the city of football and the sport is undeniable.
Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time world champion Formula 1 driver who is the top dog on the Mercedes team. He became the first black driver to race in Formula 1, and ever since he came on the scene he has dominated the sport. His seven World Drivers’ Championships are tied with Michael Schumacher, and has the record for most wins (103), pole positions (103) and podium finishes (188) in the sport. He is an outspoken activist against racism, an environmentalist, and a philanthropist. He has worked with UNICEF for the last decade, helping raise millions of dollars. For his efforts on and off the track, Hamilton was knighted in 2021.