Cliff Viner
Clifford G. Viner | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948 (age 75–76) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Education | B.S. University of Pennsylvania M.B.A. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | hedge fund founder |
| Known for | owner of the Florida Panthers |
| Spouse(s) | Eda Viner (divorced) Jill Viner |
| Children | Elyse Viner Cromer Amanda Viner Eric Viner Nicole Knopf |
Clifford G. Viner (born 1948)[1] is an American businessman who founded the III Finance hedge fund[2] and is a co-owner of the Florida Panthers.
Biography
Born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York,[3] Viner graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.[1] After school, he worked as an analyst at Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance and then as a government securities trader at William Blair & Company in Chicago. In 1982, he co-founded III Offshore Partners, a hedge fund based in Boca Raton, Florida[1] with Warren Mosler.[4]
In 2001, Viner was part of a group of investors led by Alan Cohen that bought a majority interest in the Panthers from Wayne Huizenga (who kept a minority interest).[5] In November 2009, he became co-general partner with Cohen.[1] In 2010, Viner gained control as general partner of the Florida Panthers with minority partners including Stu Siegel, Alan Cohen, and Huizenga.[6][7] In late 2013, they sold the franchise for $250 million to Vincent Viola.[6][8]
Viner is a Registered General Securities Principal, General Securities Options Principal, and General Securities Representative of FINRA, a CFTC-Approved Principal, and an Associate Member of the NFA.[1] Viner is heavily involved with the Florida Panthers Foundation which focuses on pediatric oncology causes.[3]
Personal life
Married to Eda Viner since 2013. Together, they founded the Eda and Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation with a mission to educate and inspire compassionate young leaders to develop strong character with a vision for success.
Eda sits on the board of Florence Fuller Child Development Centers and together they chaired the 2015 and 2016 Wee Dream Ball and raised over $500,000 in Boca Raton, Florida.
Cliff sits on the board of the Urban League of the Palm Beaches and is currently the first president of the Urban League Foundation.
Together they have four children: Elyse Viner Cromer, Amanda Viner, Eric Viner, Nicole Knopf
References
- ^ a b c d e BusinessWeek: "Clifford G. Viner" retrieved May 7, 2015
- ^ New York Times: "Elyse Viner and Joshua Cromer" October 7, 2012
- ^ a b The Coastal Star: "Coastal Star: He’s all heart — and character, too!" by Deborah Hartz-Seeley March 30, 2011
- ^ III Capital Management retrieved May 7, 2015
- ^ USA Today: "Panthers announce new majority owners" November 16, 2009
- ^ a b Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Panthers' $250M sale includes arena operations" by Craig Davis September 26, 2013
- ^ NHL.com: "Cliff Viner Becomes Florida Panthers General Partner, Chairman & CEO - Stu Siegel returns to former role as Limited Partner after helping to shape the organization’s strategy for future success" July 23, 2010
- ^ USA Today: "Report: Vincent Viola, N.Y. businessman, buys Florida Panthers" September 26, 2013