Robert Rowling Biography & Net Worth

Robert Rowling is an American businessman and investor. He is the man behind the establishment of the successful TRT Holdings which owns the Omni Hotels and the Gold’s gyms. When he wanted to start his career, this intelligent man decided to play it smart by taking up an employment position at Tana Oil and Gas which was owned by his father, Reese, and his business partner William Colson. In 1989, Tana Oil was purchased by Texaco for the sum of $476 million, and that money was used in establishing the TRT Holdings. After five years of standing tall and waxing on strongly, TRT Holdings sold the Corpus Christi National Bank for $131 million. Later on, TRT Holdings bought Omni Hotels for $500 million and also acquired the Gold’s Gym for $180 million. Through Robert Rowling’s leadership, the holding company has also purchased the Amelia Island Plantation Resort for $67 million due to its bankrupt status. Robert Rowling has maintained an astute resolute in the business sphere where he has been dominating competitors for years. He is one of the wealthiest men on the planet today, and this article contains the details of his life, professional endeavors, and current financial situation.

Early Life: Childhood, Education

Robert B. Rowling, born in 1953, is a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. His father was an oil magnate named Reese Rowling.

He attended the University of Texas at Austin for his undergraduate degree, before bagging a doctorate in jurisprudence from Southern Methodist University.

Professional Life

In 1972, Robert Rowling, nineteen years old at that time, began working for Tana Oil and Gas, a flourishing oil company that was owned by his father, Reese Rowling, and his business partner named William E Colson.

In 1989, Texaco paid the sum of $476 million in the acquisition of Tana Oil, thereby providing the funds that was used to set up TRT Holdings.

In 1994, NationsBank acquired the Corpus Christi National Bank from TRT Holdings for $131 million. Later on, TRT Holdings purchased Omni Hotels and Gold’s Gym for $500 million and $180 million respectively.

In August 2010, Mr. Rowling made the winning bid to purchase the bankrupt Amelia Island Plantation Resort for the sum of $67 million. Three years later, he purchased six resorts from KSL Resorts.

He served as a regent to the University of Texas System for years until February 2009 when he stepped down from his position over a controversy regarding bonuses remunerated to the UTIMCO investment staff.

Mr. Rowling is a conservative Republican who has on many occasions donated heavily to the party. He is one of four billionaire supporters of American Crossroads, a conservative political action group. He gave more than 2 million dollars as a private donation totally independent from his company, TRT Holdings. His company has also given an additional 2.5 million dollars from its treasury to recent election cycles, according to public filings.

TRT Holdings is a holding company established in Dallas, Texas, that owns many investments including Omni Hotels, Origins Behavioral Healthcare, and other companies. Robert Rowling co-founded TRT, and today serves as its owner, president, and CEO. The company has made various acquisitions over the years, including the popular Omni Hotel chain, Gold Gym International, and Cresta Construction in Irving, Texas. Gold’s Gym was sold to German fitness company RSG Group In August 2020for $100 million.

Personal Life

Rowling has been married to Terry Hennersdorf Rowling for many years now, and they have two children. The family lives in Dallas, Texas, where the businessman’s major businesses are all based.

Apart from his involvement in business, Mr. Rowling has been observed to be an active supporter and financial sponsor of the Republican Party. He is also a huge donator to several causes related to education and children’s healthcare.

Robert Rowling Net Worth

Robert Rowling has a net worth of $6 billion dollars. One of the living Texas billionaires, he made his wealth from a number of investments that have paid off over the years. Although this man may not have been featured by any publications linking him to receiving any prestigious awards in business, you can take a brief look at his history in the last couple of decades in his career to see exactly why many people in the United States consider this man to be a serial achiever who, by all means, completely deserves his reputation and the wealth he is currently enjoying. He is one of the wealthiest people on the planet today, and as he continues to work hard and promote his business activities, we strongly believe that his fortune will just keep on increasing.