Highlights
H. Wayne Huizenga is South Florida's best known entrepreneur billionaire. Starting with a single garbage truck in 1962, he built three Fortune 500 companies: Waste Management Inc., Blockbuster Entertainment Inc. and AutoNation Inc. He brought two professional sports franchises, the Florida Marlins baseball and Florida Panthers hockey teams, to South Florida and still owns the Miami Dolphins football team and Dolphin Stadium. Born Dec. 29, 1937 in Chicago, Huizenga moved as a teenager to Fort Lauderdale in the 1950s with his parents, G. Harry and Jean, and sister Bonnie. The rest of the Huizenga clan stayed in Chicago where they ran a garbage hauling business. Huizenga went to Pine Crest Sch...
H. Wayne Huizenga is South Florida's best known entrepreneur billionaire. Starting with a single garbage truck in 1962, he built three Fortune 500 companies: Waste Management Inc., Blockbuster Entertainment Inc. and AutoNation Inc. He brought two professional sports franchises, the Florida Marlins baseball and Florida Panthers hockey teams, to South Florida and still owns the Miami Dolphins football team and Dolphin Stadium. Born Dec. 29, 1937 in Chicago, Huizenga moved as a teenager to Fort Lauderdale in the 1950s with his parents, G. Harry and Jean, and sister Bonnie. The rest of the Huizenga clan stayed in Chicago where they ran a garbage hauling business. Huizenga went to Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale where schoolmates still recall his penchant for hard work and his entrepreneurial drive. He attended Calvin College, but dropped out and returned to Fort Lauderdale where he worked in construction and managed a garbage hauling company. He married Joyce Vanderwagon in 1960, and borrowed $5,000 from his father-in-law in 1962 to buy a garbage truck and route in Pompano Beach. Huizenga worked non-stop and rode the growth boom in South Florida, adding trucks and routes. (He and Joyce, who had two children, Wayne Jr. and Scott, divorced in 1966.) By 1968, he had 40 trucks and a big slice of the garbage business in Broward County. In the late 1960s, Huizenga forged a partnership with the family garbage business in Chicago, which had been renamed Waste Management and run by his cousin BJ's then-husband, Dean Buntrock. Waste Management went public in 1971 and Huizenga was the primary dealmaker, buying up garbage operations across the nation with company stock. Huizenga married his former secretary, Marti Goldsby, in 1972. (Marti was a widow with two children, Ray and Pamela, who Huizenga adopted.) Huizenga commuted between Fort Lauderdale and Chicago. Waste Management shares were traded on the NYSE by 1973 and revenues reached $132 million by 1974. Waste Management expanded internationally and continued to grow. It attracted the attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission which launched an investigation. To settle the case, Huizenga signed a consent decree in March, 1976, neither admitting nor denying fault. (Huizenga says he regrets signing it, that they had done nothing wrong, but it was best to put the case behind them.) In 1984 when Huizenga left Waste Management to focus on his ventures in Florida, the company had $1 billion in revenue. Huizenga invested in a smattering of companies: portable toilets, pest control, bottled water, parts-cleaning and a savings and loan later seized by the government during the S&L crisis. (No regulatory action was taken against the institution or directors.) To oversee his interest in these firms, he hired Steve Berrard, who would later be his chief lieutenant in building Blockbuster and AutoNation. One of Huizenga's investments - through a circle of Waste Management executives and friends, including John Melk - was in a small video-rental chain named Blockbuster Entertainment. Huizenga had no intention of running it but the original founder quit in April, 1987, leaving Huizenga in a position to have to protect his $17.5 million investment and that of his friends. Once in charge, recognizing the potential and following the growth-by-acquisition playbook honed in his Waste Management days, Huizenga snapped up dozens of other video chains across the nation and embarked on an ambitious building program. By the end of 1989, Blockbuster had more than 1,000 stores and was building a strong brand. By 1990, Blockbuster's system-wide revenues, including franchises, surpassed $1 billion. The stock zoomed - Huizenga took $1 a year as a salary the first three years, opting for stock options instead. His $17.5 million investment in Blockbuster, along with options, was worth $600 million when he stepped down as CEO in 1994. Though Blockbuster expanded internationally and invested in Republic Pictures and Spelling Entertainment, along with other ventures, Huizenga and Berrard were wary of changing technology that could eventually make video tape rental obsolete. They found an exit and struck a deal in January, 1994 to sell Blockbuster to Viacom Inc. in a deal valued at $10 billion. Huizenga's ventures in professional sports began mostly with an interest in the stadium. He negotiated with Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie in 1989 and when Robbie died in January, 1990, struck a deal in March with the Robbie family to buy half of Joe Robbie Stadium and a 15 percent interest in the Miami Dolphins with an option for 10 percent more. The real interest was in baseball and in getting more events at the stadium. He was awarded one of two baseball expansion franchises in 1991. He was awarded a National Hockey League expansion franchise in 1992. He bought out the Robbies' interest in the Dolphins and stadium in 1994 and became the only man in America to own three professional sports teams. The Florida Panthers snagged the Stanley Cup in 1996 and the Florida Marlins won the World Series in 1997. But Huizenga made no secret of his view of sports franchises as businesses and his disappointment over the financial performance of both teams. The man who was a hometown hero for bringing the franchises to South Florida became the object of fan disappointment and anger when the championship teams were dismantled to cut costs. In 1999, Huizenga sold the Marlins to commodities trader John Henry (the team was later sold in 2002 to Jeff Loria.) After expressing interest in selling the Panthers, Huizenga instead took the team public in 1997, folding into the public company four resorts to create a company called Boca Resorts Inc., which owned the Boca Raton Hotel & Club, Hyatt Pier 66 and Radisson Bahia Mar among other properties. The hockey team was sold in 2001 and in 2004, Huizenga sold the Boca Resorts to the Blackstone Group for $1.24 billion. In 1995, Huizenga began what he called "the fourth step" of his corporate career, gaining control of a waste-hauling company Republic Waste Industries. The company snapped up waste hauling firms and security companies. Meanwhile, Huizenga had started with a group of partners, including Berrard, a company they vowed to take on the used car business. Republic Industries bought AutoNation in 1996 and also bought Alamo Rent A Car. The concept was to operate a chain of used-car superstores with a 'no haggle' philosophy. AutoNation and Republic split in 1998 and the buying spate for both companies continued. AutoNation snapped up car dealerships across the nation, but the strategy on the used-car superstores faltered. Berrard left and Huizenga persuaded Mike Jackson, a former president and CEO of Mercedes Benz USA, to join AutoNation and turn the company around. The used car superstores were closed and the company focused on building strong regional car dealership operations - it remains the nation's largest car retailer. Huizenga resigned as a director of AutoNation and Republic Services in 2004, but remains a major shareholder. Huizenga said new government regulations on publicly held companies made it 'less fun' to serve on public company boards with directors focusing more on governance than on the business. Huizenga has been honored with numerous awards for his prodigious achievements, including the Horatio Alger Award and was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2006. Wayne and Marti Huizenga and family members are major contributors to charities, mostly in South Florida. Nova Southeastern University named its business school the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship and has received $4 million from the Huizenga Family Foundation and $2 million from Huizenga's brother-in-law, Whit Hudson, who worked with Huizenga in Waste Management, AutoNation and Republic Services. Huizenga still has business interests but also collects antique cars and spends time with his family in Fort Lauderdale and at an estate in Martin County.
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Kanell to enter Broward County Sports Hall of Fame
Special CorrespondentDanny Kanell used to walk Julius Boros' dog and played catch with Dan Marino when he was growing up in Fort Lauderdale. Tonight, Kanell will join those sports greats as he will be inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame at the Greater Fort...Tags: New York Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, Schools, High Schools, New York Yankees
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Past inductees of the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame
Broward County Sports Hall of Famers
Archery: Pat KramerAuto racing: Andy Granatelli
Baseball: Edward "Whitey" Ford, Ralph Houk, Oddibe McDowell, Pat McQuaid, Mike Stanley, Earl Weaver and Ed Waters
Basketball: Greg Samuel, Richard "Butch" Ingram,...Tags: Wine, Beer, and Spirits, John Nelson, Rocky Marciano, Eddie Jones, Chris Evert
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Annual Blues Festival staged in Davie
South Florida Sun-SentinelAlmost 8,000 music enthusiasts flocked to the second annual South Florida International Blues Festival held over three days at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. The event was free and featured an eclectic mix of talent from local acts like the Blue...Tags: Music, Hialeah, Schools, Festive Event, Nova Southeastern University
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Rolling out a TARP for entitled athletes
There's no helping H. Wayne Huizenga, last heard whining about what Barack Obama's tax plan would cost him, though his net of that portion of his Dolphins sale would still exceed the combined median incomes of 9,000 American workers. There's no saving...Tags: New York Knicks, National Football League, Terrell Owens, Basketball, National Basketball Association
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Huizengas' donation helps Palm City church with expansion
TCPalm.comHis NFL team might have a huge following on Sunday afternoons, but it's the Sunday morning crowd that has an interest in H. Wayne Huizenga's latest philanthropic effort. The Miami Dolphins owner and chairman of investment firm Huizenga Holdings is...Tags: National Football League, Football, Family, Miami Dolphins
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Fort Lauderdale lawyer builds powerful new firm, expands influence
I'll turn to the Yiddish of my grandparents to describe Scott Rothstein, a fast-talking, fast-rising Fort Lauderdale lawyer, businessman and political juggernaut. In a town that has long been dominated by good ol' boys, the Bronx-born Rothstein has...Tags: Legal Services, Ken Jenne, Miami (Miami-Dade, Florida), Broward County, Executive Branch
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Wayne Huizenga may rush sale of Dolphins for fear of Barack Obama raising taxes
South Florida Sun-SentinelDolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga said Sunday no date has been set for selling up to 45 percent more of the team to Stephen Ross, but the presidential election is among the issues weighing on his decision. That's because a Barack Obama administration is...Tags: Dolphin Stadium, National Football League, Football, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan
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49ers bench ex-Terp Davis in Singletary's first game
From Sun news servicesMike Singletary put his stamp on his coaching debut for the San Francisco 49ers, benching turnover-prone quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan in the second quarter and then sending volatile tight end Vernon Davis (right), a former Maryland star, to the locker room...Tags: National Football League, San Francisco 49ers, Brian Russell, National Government, Condoleezza Rice
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Ross outlines ownership transfer
Dolphins Managing General Partner H. Wayne Huizenga and Stephen Ross are discussing when Ross will buy another 45 percent of the team, Ross said Sunday. A transfer could come before the end of the year if the Dolphins' season is over, but, Ross said, "I'...Tags: Dolphin Stadium, National Football League, Football
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Dolphins reach 5-4 after thrilling win
Sentinel ColumnistFor our next installment in the 2008 Believe-It-Or-Not sweepstakes, we give you the Miami Dolphins. They beat Seattle 21-19 Sunday. Some people said the Tampa Bay Rays would go to the World Series or an African-American would be elected president...Tags: Dolphin Stadium, Cam Cameron, National Football League, Rosie O'Donnell, Ricky Williams
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Huizenga, Obama and taxes
The Business of Sports | Sun-Sentinel BlogsDolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga???s concern that Barack Obama will raise capital-gains taxes if he???s elected president, has created a little stir. As Huizenga explained briefly before Sunday???s Dolphins victory over the Buffalo Bills at Dolphin...Tags: Dolphin Stadium, National Football League, Baseball, Football, Major League Baseball
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Ross to expand Dolphins ownership before next season
The Business of Sports | Sun-Sentinel BlogsStephen Ross says Dolphins Managing General Partner H. Wayne Huizenga ???has nothing to worry about??? when it comes to the eventual transfer of another 45 percent of the Dolphins. Ross said he???s able to complete the purchase, which would give......Tags: Dolphin Stadium, National Football League, Football, Barack Obama, Seattle Seahawks
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