Robert Rowling

Robert Rowling is the founder of TRT Holdings, the holding company of Omni Hotels and Gold's Gym. "Forbes" magazine in 2007 lists him as the 49th wealthiest American.

In 1972, Rowling began working for Tana Oil and Gas, which was owned by his father, Reese Rowling, and William Colson. In 1989 Texaco acquired Tana for $476 million, thereby providing money that was used to form TRT Holdings. Five years later, TRT Holdings sold Corpus Christi National Bank for $131 million. TRT Holdings would later purchase Omni Hotels for $500 million and Gold's Gym for $180 million.

Rowling also serves as a regent to the University of Texas System and has been given the title of "Bush Pioneer" for his contributions to the Bush campaign.

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Rowling has an undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Southern Methodist University.

External links

* [http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Member_Directory&template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&ContactID=242044]
* [http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2004/07/22/TopStories/Texas.4thRichest.Man.Appointed.Regent-695023.shtml Texas' 4th-richest man appointed Regent] (from The Daily Texan)
* [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/54/richlist07_Robert-Rowling_Q4SB.html Forbes Profile of Robert Rowling]
* [http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2006/09/26/Opinion/Viewpoint.Meet.Your.Regents-2308185.shtml Regent Robert Rowling] (from The Daily Texan)
* [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-Rowling_24bus.ART.State.Edition1.4ddcaca.html Robert Rowling is the billionaire Dallas doesn't know] (from The Dallas Morning News)