Glen Taylor

For the Idaho Senator, see Glen H. Taylor.

Glen Taylor
9th Minnesota Senate Minority Leader
In office January 9, 1985 – January 5, 1987
Preceded by	James E. Ulland
Succeeded by	Duane Benson
Minnesota State Senator
In office January 6, 1981 – February 3, 1990
Personal details
Born	April 20, 1941 (1941-04-20)
Political party	Independent-Republican
Spouse(s)	Becky Mulvihill
Children	Jean, Terri, Taylor Moor, Jeff, and Kendahl
Residence	Mankato, Minnesota
Alma mater	Minnesota State University, Mankato Harvard University
Occupation	Businessman and Entrepreneur Owner, Minnesota Timberwolves

Glen A. Taylor (born April 20, 1941) is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team, owner of the Minnesota Lynx WNBA basketball team, and a former member of the Minnesota Senate.

Biography

Taylor grew up on a farm in Comfrey, Minnesota. He graduated from Comfrey High School in 1959, and received a B.S. from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1962. In 1982 he participated in an executive education program for business owners and presidents at Harvard Business School.

During and after college, he worked at Carlson Wedding Service (later Carlson Craft), a Mankato print shop specializing in formal invitations. When the company's owner was looking to retire, Taylor offered to pay $2 million over the course of 10 years for the company. This purchase (which he paid off early) formed the basis for the Taylor Corporation, based in North Mankato, Minnesota.

Taylor was a Republican Minnesota State Senator from 1981 to 1990, serving as assistant minority leader from 1983 to 1985 and Minority Leader from 1985 to 1987.

Taylor purchased majority ownership of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team in 1994. Taylor purchased the Minnesota Lynx WNBA basketball team in 1999. Taylor was in talks to buy the Minnesota Twins but nothing has come of it. In 2005, he was also rumored to be a possible buyer for the Minnesota Vikings, but was outbid by Zygi Wilf. He is currently the chairman of the Board of Governors for the NBA.

Taylor is also founder, chairman, and CEO of Taylor Corporation, a privately held multinational company in the printing and electronics businesses with more than 15,000 employees.

Taylor has been ranked No. 149 on the Forbes 400 and his company No. 254 on Forbes ranking of private United States corporations. His net worth was reported by Forbes to be $2.7 billion in 2007.

References

• Biography on the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities website
• Listing on 2007 Forbes 400
• Taylor Companies on Forbes private corporations list
• http://alumni.harvard.edu/ Searchable database of Harvard alumni (accessible only to Harvard alumni).