Jonathan Kraft Named NEFS Keynote
President & CEO of the Kraft Group, owner of the World Champion New England Patriots, slated to speak at NEFS
Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) President & CEO, Peter Christie, has announced that President & COO of the Kraft Group, Jonathan Kraft, has agreed to share the secrets of his success with New England Foodservice & Lodging Expo (NEFS) attendees on Sunday, April 9, 2006 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC).
Jonathan is probably best known for his accomplishments with the New England Patriots football team. When Robert Kraft purchased the New England Patriots in 1994, it was his son Jonathan whose behind-the-scenes negotiating skills helped finalize the deal and secure the risk-filled financing that was needed for the Kraft family to purchase the team for what was then the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise.
Years later, it was Jonathan once again who developed a creative financing strategy that enabled the family to privately finance the entire $325 million construction project of Gillette Stadium without the popularly utilized personal seat licenses that are used by many publicly-financed stadiums. And once again, Kraft’s business acumen, foresight and willingness to expand and take risks have made the New England Patriots one of the NFL’s most innovative and successful franchises.
In 10 seasons since the family purchased the team, Kraft’s hands-on approach has helped the organization find previously untapped financial resources that have contributed to making the Patriots one of the league’s most consistent and competitive teams in a league environment that promotes and rewards parity.
As vice chairman, he oversees the overall development of each department within the organization and assists in their strategic planning. In addition to the Patriots, Kraft also plays a leading role in each of the family’s other business pursuits as the president and chief operating officer of the Kraft Group. The Kraft Group is the holding company of Rand-Whitney Containerboard, the Rand-Whitney Group, International Forest Products, the New England Revolution and a portfolio of more than 30 private-equity investments.
Throughout the stadium initiative, Kraft engineered the organization’s efforts in the planning, development, construction and eventual opening of Gillette Stadium. He worked closely with stadium designers throughout the project in an effort to create a world-class sports and entertainment facility that would also feature designs indigenous to New England. Together, they created a fan-friendly facility that is unique to New England and will serve as a model for future stadium projects worldwide. The 68,756-seat stadium, the proud home of both the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution, is one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in the world.
An important part of the overall financing plan for the stadium was the utilization of the stadium’s Fidelity Investments Clubhouse. With over 120,000 square feet of function space in the clubhouse, Gillette Stadium operates as a year-round convention center, offering club members access to the facility for private or corporate functions 365 days per year.
In 2002, Jonathan and Robert Kraft were recipients of the 2002 Sports Industrialists of the Year award, which was presented by Sports Business Daily in recognition of one of the most successful years a sports owner has ever enjoyed. Jonathan was also named to Sports Business Journal’s “40 Under 40 Most Powerful People in Sports”. In 2002, the Krafts not only unveiled their privately-financed, state-of-the-art stadium but did so as Super Bowl champions, presenting it to their fans with a spectacular grand opening celebration on the 2002 season premiere of Monday Night Football. In October, the New England Revolution qualified for the MLS Cup, which was played at Gillette Stadium and drew 61,316 fans, the largest crowd in MLS history.
As a lifelong Patriots fan, Kraft is committed to expanding the Patriots fan base through innovative multi-media outreach. Under Kraft’s directive, the Patriots were World Wide Web pioneers, launching the first official Web site for a professional sports team, www.patriots.com, in March of 1995. In April of 1995, the Patriots began publishing the franchise’s first full-color team newspaper, Patriots Football Weekly. It was the first full-color weekly publication offered by a sports team. It appears on newsstands throughout New England and is distributed to Patriots fans throughout the world.
Prior to building Gillette Stadium, the Kraft family had owned and operated Foxboro Stadium since 1988. During that time, Kraft helped bring many world-class events to Foxborough, including international soccer events and a variety of major concerts. Past performers include The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Elton John, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd and The Dave Matthews Band. For his efforts, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. presented him with the "Spirit of Tourism" award for promoting tourism and economic activity in the Commonwealth.
A Williams College graduate, Kraft received his MBA from the Harvard Business School. He is on the board of directors for several organizations, including the U.S. Soccer Federation and Children’s Hospital Trust. He is also on the board of trustees at Williams College, the Belmont Hill School and Park School.
With his years of experience and success, Jonathan Kraft can certainly take his place among international business leaders. But for fellow New England entrepreneurs, Jonathan’s success makes for an interesting and informative “local boy makes good” story. Don't miss your chance to hear this dynamic speaker at the NEFS on April 9, 2006 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
(Article included contact and ticket information.)
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