John Catsimatidis

John A. Catsimatidis
Born	(1948-09-07) September 7, 1948 Greece (island of Nisyros)
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, radio talk show personality
Known for	Owner, president, chairman, and CEO of Gristedes and D'Agostino Supermarkets; chairman and CEO of United Refining Company; host of The Cats Roundtable and Cats at Night; owner of Red Apple Group

John A. Catsimatidis (born September 7, 1948) is a prominent American billionaire entrepreneur and radio talk show personality. He holds the positions of owner, president, chairman, and CEO of the grocery store chains Gristedes and D'Agostino Supermarkets located in Manhattan. Additionally, he leads the Red Apple Group, a diversified real estate and aviation enterprise managing approximately $2 billion in assets throughout New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Catsimatidis also serves as chairman and chief executive officer of United Refining Company, a subsidiary under Red Apple Group.

He is the host of two radio programs: The Cats Roundtable on WABC and Cats at Night. In 2019, he initiated negotiations to acquire WABC radio, finalizing the purchase in March 2020 after receiving regulatory clearance.

Catsimatidis was the runner-up contender for the Republican nomination in the 2013 mayoral election in New York City.

Early life

Originating from the Greek island of Nisyros, Catsimatidis immigrated to America as an infant. Raised in West Harlem, his father transitioned from working as a lighthouse keeper in Greece to being employed as a busboy in New York. Catsimatidis completed his education at Brooklyn Technical High School in 1966 and opted to pursue electrical engineering at New York University instead of accepting an appointment to West Point.

During his college years, he began employment at a small supermarket owned by a friend's uncle on 137th Street. Before completing his degree—leaving eight credits unfinished—he had already purchased half ownership of that store.

Business career

In 1971, Catsimatidis launched his first enterprise on Manhattan’s Upper West Side by opening the initial Red Apple grocery outlet. Soon thereafter, he acquired another Red Apple store on 87th Street near Broadway. His business model introduced innovations such as seven-day extended hours, complimentary delivery services, and check cashing facilities.

By age 24, Catsimatidis had grown his portfolio to ten stores generating $25 million annually with personal earnings reaching $1 million. By 1981, Red Apple expanded to 27 locations across the Bronx and Manhattan, achieving $40 million in sales; this figure rose to $110 million by 1985.

In 1986, Red Apple purchased 36 supermarkets under the Gristedes brand and 11 Charles & Co. specialty food stores from the Southland Corporation. By 2009, Catsimatidis controlled 50 Gristedes supermarkets, operated 371 gas stations across three states, held $500 million in real estate assets, and was developing his oil industry ventures.

That same year marked his acquisition of United Refining Co., which owns gasoline refineries situated in Pennsylvania and Alabama. In October 2009, United Refining Energy Corp.—a publicly traded special-purpose acquisition company affiliated with United Refining—attempted a $1.6 billion takeover of Chaparral Energy; however, shareholders rejected this proposal and the transaction was subsequently called off. Catsimatidis continues to serve as chairman and CEO of United Refining Co., part of the Red Apple Group.

In 2008, he sought control over SemGroup LP, an oil, gas, and asphalt firm based in Tulsa, Oklahoma that was undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. While he secured majority control over the management committee, existing executives opposed his plans favoring asset liquidation. In February 2009, SemGroup’s leadership filed a lawsuit aiming to remove him from committee authority. By July that year, Catsimatidis reached a settlement acquiring part of SemGroup’s asphalt division and withdrew his reorganization proposal.

By 2015, Red Apple Group was ranked 156th on Forbes list of "America's largest private companies," reporting $3 billion in revenue and employing approximately 8,000 people—a decline from its previous top-100 placements.

Up until the early 2020s, Catsimatidis held a minority stake in The Hill, a political news outlet.

He recounted his business experiences in his memoir titled How Far Do You Want To Go?: Lessons From A Common-Sense Billionaire, released in February 2023.

Radio

On Sunday mornings, Catsimatidis hosts the nationally syndicated talk program The Cats Roundtable, which originally aired on WABC and is broadcast across the country. Additionally, he presents the one-hour weeknight show Cats at Night on WABC, which is also accessible as a podcast. In 2019, Catsimatidis reached an agreement to acquire WABC for $12.5 million, with the transaction completed in March 2020 following regulatory clearance. His firm, Red Apple Media, has broadened its regional footprint by purchasing stations such as WRCR and WLIR.

Political activities before mayoral campaigns

Catsimatidis and his spouse have financially supported both Republican and Democratic candidates. Their Republican donations total over $60,000 to the Republican National Committee, including contributions to notable figures like Mitt Romney, Eric Cantor, and Olympia Snowe. On the Democratic front, their support has extended to politicians such as Carolyn B. Maloney, Charlie Rangel, and Jerrold Nadler. Locally, Catsimatidis has made contributions to New York officials including Bill de Blasio during his city council tenure, Marty Markowitz, Cyrus Vance Jr., and James Molinaro. During the 1992 Democratic presidential primaries, he donated $150,000 to fellow Greek-American Paul Tsongas.

In 2006, Catsimatidis co-hosted a fundraising event alongside Michael Bloomberg supporting Senator Joe Lieberman's independent Senate bid.

Recognized as a "longtime" and "dedicated" major donor to the Clintons, Catsimatidis contributed between $100,000 and $500,000 to the Clinton Presidential Center. He was involved in Hillary Clinton's 2008 finance team and organized fundraising dinners with Bill Clinton that generated over $750,000 for her campaign. Catsimatidis shares a personal friendship with Bill Clinton, who has frequently utilized one of his aircraft; Hillary Clinton was also present at Catsimatidis' daughter's wedding.

In 2015, reports revealed that Catsimatidis donated a chartered plane valued at $70,000 to Scott Walker's Republican primary campaign.

2009 mayoral campaign

Although a contributor to Bill Clinton during the Clinton administration and still a Democrat at the time, Catsimatidis considered running in the 2009 New York City mayoral race as a Republican candidate. Beginning in 2007, he actively engaged with local Republicans and suggested a potential campaign budget ranging from $30 million to $40 million. By 2008, he had established an exploratory committee and invested nearly $300,000 on polling and consulting services in 2009. However, following Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement of his intention to seek a third term after term limit changes, Catsimatidis withdrew quietly from the race.

2013 mayoral campaign

In 2012, dissatisfied with the available candidates, Catsimatidis expressed interest in entering the mayoral race after initially endorsing NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly. He set up an exploratory committee in December 2012 and officially filed candidacy paperwork in January 2013.

Catsimatidis declared his run on January 29, 2013, branding himself as "a leader for Harlem and Wall Street," highlighting his self-funded campaign in contrast to billionaire Mike Bloomberg. By mid-May of that year, he had expended approximately $880,000 largely on advertising and promotional materials. His campaign employed Millennial Strategies LLC, a consulting firm generally associated with Democratic campaigns.

During the contest, Catsimatidis sparked controversy by likening taxing wealthy individuals to Nazi persecution and voiced strong support for New York City's stop-and-frisk policy. He even ran advertisements defending the program following the Boston Marathon bombing. While proposing future technological alternatives to stop-and-frisk, he insisted on maintaining it in the meantime.

Throughout his campaign, he asserted that he could have defeated Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election and engaged in contentious exchanges with Republican audiences. His unconventional platform included ideas such as equipping police officers with tricycles for improved mobility; allowing casinos within hotels; initiating free pet food programs for those adopting homeless animals; and reviving the 1964 New York World's Fair. He also advocated restricting street vendors to designated zones to protect local retail businesses.

In the September 2013 Republican primary, Catsimatidis was defeated by Joseph J. Lhota but won Staten Island's vote. Although qualified to appear on two additional ballot lines—including one he created—he withdrew from the general election shortly after the primary results were announced.

Since 2013

Catsimatidis and his wife donated $515,000 to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign, demonstrating their strong allegiance to Trump. According to a 2020 report by the New York Times, Catsimatidis and his family effectively govern the Manhattan Republican Party; his daughter Andrea holds the position of chairwoman, while Catsimatidis, his wife Margo, and son John Jr. occupy vice-presidential roles. From February to July 2020, Catsimatidis personally contributed $50,000 of the party’s total $52,000 revenue.

He contemplated entering the 2021 New York City mayoral election, initially hinting at a Democratic candidacy before later suggesting he might run as a Republican or represent the Liberal Party. In April 2023, Catsimatidis dismissed the idea of supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 Republican primaries, citing insufficient communication.

During an April 2024 interview with Steve Bannon, Catsimatidis alluded to a potential campaign in the 2025 New York City mayoral election, highlighting priorities such as law enforcement, cleaning city streets within two months, opposing pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University, and endorsing nuclear power.

On March 7, 2025, speaking on WABC radio’s Sid & Friends in the Morning—part of his Red Apple Media network—he denied plans for a mayoral run but did not rule out pursuing the governorship in 2026.

Personal life

On October 2, 1988, Catsimatidis wed Margaret "Margo" Vondersaar at New York’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity; they first met when she joined as his secretary in 1972. He had been previously married but divorced. At their wedding, Margo was leading her own advertising firm, MCV Advertising Associates, and served as president of The Hellenic Times.

The couple has two children: Andrea and John Jr. Andrea married Christopher Cox—grandson of former President Richard Nixon—on June 4, 2011, at the same Greek Orthodox cathedral, with family and political dignitaries attending. Reports indicate Catsimatidis spent over $1 million on the event. Andrea and Cox divorced in 2014.

In the 2024 Forbes 400 ranking of America’s wealthiest individuals, Catsimatidis was placed 299th with an estimated fortune of $4.5 billion; worldwide, he was ranked No. 734 on Forbes’ billionaire list.

Philanthropy

Catsimatidis has been a prominent supporter of cancer research and established the Brooklyn Tech Endowment Foundation benefiting his alma mater. Since 1988, he has sponsored the John Catsimatidis Scholarship Fund at the New York University Stern School of Business, which awards two scholarships annually. He served five years as president of Manhattan’s Boy Scouts of America Council and has held board memberships with the Police Athletic League of New York City and Drum Major Institute.

His charitable efforts also include involvement with the National Kidney Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Young Men's Philanthropic League, and Alzheimer's Foundation of America. Catsimatidis served as vice-chairman of NECO’s Ellis Island Awards Foundation and was honored with its Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, he created the WABC Radio Foundation to deliver humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians affected by the conflict.