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| John Sherman (businessman) | |
|---|---|
| Name | John Sherman |
| Birth date | 1960s |
| Birth place | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Nationality | United States |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Investor, Sports executive |
| Known for | Owner of Kansas City Royals, Founder of Siris Capital Group |
| Spouse | Dee Sherman |
John Sherman (businessman) is an American investor and sports owner known for founding an investment firm and purchasing a Major League Baseball franchise. He has been active in private equity, telecommunications, and professional sports, and engages in civic and philanthropic initiatives in Kansas City, Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio. Sherman’s business activities intersect with notable firms and institutions in finance, sports, and higher education.
Sherman was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in a family with ties to regional industry and commerce. He attended Glenville High School (Cleveland), later matriculating at Ohio State University, where he studied business-related subjects and participated in campus organizations connected to finance and entrepreneurship. After undergraduate studies, Sherman pursued graduate business training at Case Western Reserve University and completed executive programs at institutions including Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business that focused on private equity and strategic management.
Sherman began his career at Goldman Sachs, working in investment banking and mergers and acquisitions dealing with telecommunications and media transactions. He later joined DLJ and participated in leveraged buyouts alongside teams associated with Thomas H. Lee Partners and KKR. In the 1990s Sherman co-founded and led several venture-backed companies in the telecommunications and data center sectors, collaborating with firms such as Sprint Corporation, MCI Communications, and WorldCom on infrastructure projects. He subsequently founded an investment firm, Siris Capital Group, which made buyouts and growth equity investments in technology and services companies, completing transactions involving portfolio companies that partnered with Cisco Systems, IBM, and Oracle Corporation. Sherman has served on boards of directors for corporations including Equinix, DataBank, and other technology-focused enterprises, and has been a member of industry groups like the National Venture Capital Association and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Sherman led a consortium that acquired the Kansas City Royals from previous ownership, engaging with Major League Baseball leadership including Rob Manfred and negotiating with local government entities in Jackson County, Missouri for stadium and redevelopment plans. As principal owner, Sherman oversaw front office changes involving executives formerly with Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox, and invested in player development initiatives modeled on successful systems at franchises such as the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals. He has been involved in MLB committees alongside owners from teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees on revenue sharing and competitive balance matters. Beyond baseball, Sherman has participated in ownership discussions and philanthropic sponsorships tied to professional soccer teams, collegiate athletics at University of Kansas and University of Missouri, and local sports facilities development in partnership with entities such as Sporting Kansas City and the Kansas City Chiefs organization.
Sherman and his spouse have supported cultural and educational institutions including Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Museum of Art, Kansas City Art Institute, and university programs at Ohio State University and University of Missouri–Kansas City. He has underwritten scholarships, capital projects, and research initiatives, collaborating with foundations such as the Gates Foundation-style private philanthropies and regional community foundations in Missouri and Ohio. Sherman serves on advisory boards and trusteeships for institutions including Cleveland Clinic Foundation, American Red Cross, and economic development organizations like Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. His civic engagement has included participation in urban redevelopment efforts allied with municipal leaders from Kansas City, Missouri and county officials of Jackson County, Missouri.
Sherman is married to Dee Sherman; they have three children and maintain residences in Kansas City, Missouri and Cleveland, Ohio. Family interests include involvement with private foundations and patronage of arts institutions such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and support for health care initiatives at St. Luke's Health System (Kansas City). He has connections with alumni networks at Ohio State University and participates in local civic clubs and charitable boards.
Sherman's tenure as an owner and executive has drawn scrutiny in matters involving stadium financing and land-use negotiations with local governments in Jackson County, Missouri and discussions with entities like the Port Authority and municipal planning commissions. His business practices have been examined in the context of private equity industry debates that also involve firms such as Bain Capital and The Carlyle Group over leverage and corporate governance. Sherman has faced legal and regulatory inquiries related to transactions carried out by portfolio companies, with litigation touching on contractual disputes similar to matters seen in cases involving Equifax and SunTrust Banks in the financial services sector. He has addressed these issues through civil litigation forums including United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri and arbitration bodies like the American Arbitration Association.
Category:American business executives Category:Major League Baseball owners