Ken Kendrick
Ken Kendrick | |
|---|---|
| Born | Earl Gentry Kendrick Jr. September 2, 1943 Princeton, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, baseball executive |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Known for | Principal owner and managing general partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks; founder of Datatel, Inc. |
Earl Gentry "Ken" Kendrick Jr. (born September 2, 1943) is an American billionaire entrepreneur and serves as the principal owner and managing general partner of the National League's Arizona Diamondbacks. He became a part-owner when the franchise was established in 1995 and has held the role of managing general partner since 2004, managing everyday operations and representing the club at Major League Baseball owners' meetings.
Prior to his involvement with the Diamondbacks, Kendrick founded Datatel, Inc., a company specializing in software development, and held executive positions in Texas banking. As of June 2022, his estimated net worth stands at $1 billion.
Business career
Originally from Princeton, West Virginia, Kendrick earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from West Virginia University in 1965. His professional journey started at IBM, and three years later he established Datatel, Inc. The company focused on creating software solutions for infrastructure management tailored to higher education institutions. In 2011, Datatel purchased SunGard Higher Education for $1.75 billion; the combined organization was rebranded as Ellucian and subsequently sold in 2015 to TPG Capital for $3.5 billion.
Throughout the 1980s, Kendrick served as president of a Texas-based financial services technology firm. In 1989, he became the lead investor in Woodforest National Bank, located in The Woodlands, Texas—recognized as one of the largest predominantly employee-owned banks in the United States. Woodforest National Bank functions as a $9 billion subsidiary under Woodforest Financial Group, employing approximately 5,000 people.
Diamondbacks tenure
Under Kendrick’s leadership, the Diamondbacks have secured two National League West Division titles (2007, 2011), reached two NLCS appearances (2007, 2023), and advanced to the World Series for the first time in over two decades. Through strategic equity and debt restructuring initiatives led by Kendrick, the franchise has successfully eliminated more than $350 million in debt.
The team hosted the All-Star Game at Chase Field in 2011 and inaugurated their Spring Training complex at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, which is widely acclaimed as one of baseball’s premier facilities.
ESPN ranked the Diamondbacks sixth overall among Major League Baseball teams in its Ultimate Standings—a comprehensive evaluation of both on-field performance and organizational success—while Yahoo! has recognized them as the "best workplace in sports."
In 2020, Kendrick was named to the Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Personal life
Kendrick lives with his wife, Randy Kendrick, and their two children, Cal and Catie, in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
He owns Bumble Bee Ranch, which provides western-themed experiences benefiting children’s charities across Arizona, along with Ironbridge Golf Club located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Baseball card collection
An avid collector throughout his life, Kendrick possesses the famed T206 Honus Wagner baseball card, previously owned by Wayne Gretzky, considered the most valuable trading card globally. His assemblage known as "The D-backs Collection" features 34 additional rare cards and has been displayed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
In February 2021, Kendrick partnered with notable figures including Larry Fitzgerald, NBA star Kevin Durant, and former tennis champion Andy Roddick to acquire Collectors Universe—the parent company of Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), a leading authority in memorabilia authentication and grading.
Philanthropy
Kendrick plays a leading role in charitable initiatives, serving as Chairman of the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, which has contributed upwards of $80 million since its inception.
He is a board member for several institutions, including the Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health, TGen Foundation, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and Phoenix Children's Hospital. Additionally, the University of Georgia named him to its Board of Visitors.
In 2016, Kendrick initiated a relief campaign that raised more than $1 million to assist flood victims in West Virginia. In 2022, he committed $20 million to West Virginia University to enhance economics programs through the Chambers College.
Amid the 2020 pandemic, Kendrick allocated over $2 million in donations to support nonprofits serving vulnerable populations and created a fund to aid Chase Field gameday employees impacted by event cancellations.