Jerry Colangelo

Gerald J. Colangelo

• School University of Kansas, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• High School Bloom High School

• Born November 20, 1939 in Chicago Heights, IL USA

Biographical Information

Jerry Colangelo was team president and lead owner of the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks when they began play in 1998. In 2005, Jeffrey Moorad, who earned his fortune as a baseball agent, took over as president of the team and Colangelo moved to the background, though he still is a minority partner. His club won the World Series in 2001. He was the founding owner of the Phoenix Suns of the NBA and is considered one of the most powerful owners in basketball.

Under his management, the Diamondbacks pursued many long-term contracts for aging players like Matt Williams and Jay Bell. Colangelo and GM Joe Garagiola repeatedly cited the players' character as a primary motivator in signing the players. Many of these contracts have deferred aspects that the Diamondbacks were paying off into the 2010s.

Colangelo also worked with the city of Phoenix on the contruction of Bank One Ballpark. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.