J. Wayne Weaver (born January 13, 1935) is the majority owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He built the wealth that allowed him to purchase the expansion franchise as the owner of the shoe store chains Shoe Carnival and Nine West. After winning the expansion bid on November 30, 1993, Weaver then negotiated (what was then) the most lucrative deal with a host city amongst NFL franchises, including rights to virtually all parking and concession sales in the city-owned and operated stadium.

[edit] Biography

Weaver was born in Columbus, Georgia. Weaver worked his way up the corporate ladder at the St. Louis-based clothing company, Brown Group, Inc. In 1978, he left to found his own shoe corporation, which he sold in the 1990s. After his partnership was awarded an NFL franchise, Weaver and his wife, Delores, moved from Darien, Connecticut^[1] to Jacksonville, where they built a new 22,228 ft² home on four riverfront acres in the Lakewood area. The six bedroom, twelve bath house was assessed at $8.6 million in 2008. In 2006, they moved to a smaller, $2.4 million condo in the Riverside area of Jacksonville.^[2] but as of April, 2009, they still owned the first home they built in Jacksonville.^[1]

Wayne Weaver married Delores Barr in 1955. Their children are grown and have families of their own. Delores is Chairman and CEO of the Jaguars Foundation, which grants over $1 million annually to organizations that assist "economically and socially disadvantaged youth and families", according to the foundation's mission statement.^[3]

Delores Weaver was named Episcopal Children's Services (ECS) Children's Champion 2007 in recognition for her years of leadership at the Jaguars Foundation that have had a profound impact upon Jacksonville youth. The honor was created in 2006 to recognize a Jacksonville resident who has committed their time and resources to help first coast children.^[4]

[edit] References

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