- Frank DuRoss
Frank DuRoss is the owner of multiple professional sports franchises in the United States. His most recent acquisition is
Carolina RailHawks F.C. ,USL First Division soccer team located inCary, North Carolina .DuRoss began his climb in the corporate community in 1976 when he entered a partnership with hisbrother Jim and was named vice president of Oneida Building Services, Inc. – a company the DuRossbrothers would sell in 1986 to International Service systems, Inc.
In 1980 Frank again teamed up with his brother to create Oneida Asbestos Removal, Inc. This highlysuccessful property had $24 million in annual sales, and at the time, was one of the 350 fastest growing privately held companies in the country.
In 1987, DuRoss ventured into the sports industry when he was named President of the
Utica Devils of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL). Four years later he co-purchased theMaine Hockey Club and moved them toProvidence, Rhode Island where it became one of the league’s strongest franchises, winning theCalder Cup Championship in1999 . OnApril 10 ,2001 Frank purchased 100% of theProvidence Bruins from his former partner Ed Anderson. He serves on the Executive Committee of both the American Hockey League and theUnited Soccer Leagues .Frank DuRoss has owned the
Rochester Raging Rhinos soccer team, aUSL First Division since the team’s inception in1995 . A native ofUtica, New York , DuRoss has been the catalyst in the Rhinos drive forPAETEC Park , a new multi-purpose outdoor stadium in Rochester, New York. Frank’s tireless efforts, including working with local and state political leaders, has secured funds for the new stadium, a 17,500 seat soccer specific stadium. The State ofNew York has committed $15 million for the project.DuRoss, along with partners
Steve Donner andChris Economides , formed the Rhinos in the fall of 1995. They founded the team in the then independentA-League and quickly turned the franchise into a juggernaut in the minor league sports industry. The club was a league-leader in attendance from 1996-2004 and was named one of the Top Five Minor League Sports Franchises byStreet & Smith’s Sports Business Journal . Their success at the gate is matched by the teams’ three league titles (1998 ,2000 and2001 ) and the 1999Lamar Hunt US Open Cup title, in which they defeated three MLS teams en route to the historic championship. The Rhinos ownership trio was inducted into theUSL Hall of Fame in 2005 as builders.DuRoss a co-founder in
Major League Lacrosse operates theRochester Rattlers lacrosse team, a member of the ten-team league.DuRoss was part of an investment group that managed the restaurants, concessions and noveltyoperations of the
ESL Sports Centre , a four-arena, multi-purpose complex on the campus ofMonroe Community College in Rochester, New York. Co-founder of theNational Lacrosse League (NLL), DuRoss at one time owned the Boston Blazers.Presently DuRoss owns Sylvan Strands Realty Corporation and DuRoss Realty Corporation,commercial real estate property development companies, he formerly owned various media propertiesincluding radio station (WOWZ FM-97.9) in Utica and the rights to a television station in Des Moines, Iowa and Greenville, SC.
Frank and his wife Liz have two children, a daughter Noelle and son-in-law Tom Arcuri, a son FrankJr., and daughter-in-law Anne and five grandchildren, Taylor, Alyssa Bella, Olivia, Tommy and Tessa.
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