Norman Braman
Encyclopedia
Norman Braman is a former American football
team owner. He was the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles
. Norman and his brother-in-law, Ed Leibowitz, officially became the owners of the Eagles on April 29, 1985. Norman owned 65 percent of the team while Ed owned 35 percent until July 16, 1986 Norman bought the rest of the team from Ed. Braman sold the team to movie executive Jeffrey Lurie
in 1994.
Braman was born in 1932 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the Cobbs Creek
section of Philly where his father owned a barbershop. Braman's parents were both Jewish immigrants from Europe
. His Romania
n-born mother was a seamstress and his Polish
father a barber. Braman was a water boy in his teenage years at the Eagles training camp, which was then in West Chester. During the season he would sneak into Shibe Park to watch the team play.
Braman attended West Philadelphia High School and graduated from Temple University
in 1955 with a degree in business administration. He began his career in 1955 in the marketing and sales department for Seagram's Distributors. In 1957, he founded Keystone Stores, a chain of self-service department stores, in Philadelphia. In 1964, he organized Philadelphia Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics, a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and was President and Chief Executive Officer. In 1972 he bought a Cadillac dealership in Tampa
. Three years later he bought another in Miami and today he is CEO of Braman Enterprises, an umbrella company for his automotive businesses that include 23 car dealerships in Florida
and Colorado
. The dealerships sell upscale cars such as Acura
, Audi
, Bentley
, BMW
, Cadillac
, Hyundai
, Kia
, Mercedes
, MINI
, Porsche
and Rolls-Royce
.
In 1982, he led a successful campaign against a city sales tax that would have renovated the Miami Orange Bowl
for Dolphins
owner Joe Robbie. From 1985 to 1994, he owned the Philadelphia Eagles
football team. Braman rebuilt the Eagles into an NFL NFC Eastern Division
champion in 1988. The team won at least 10 games for five straight years through 1993.
Braman served on the Board of Governors of various institutions. In 1999, he helped defeat then-County Mayor Alex Penelas
campaign for a one-cent sales tax that could have generated billions of dollars to spend on mass transit, while potentially hurting automobile sales. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/391275.html Currently he operates various car dealerships in both Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County, Florida
.
He recently filed a lawsuit against the Florida Marlins
and others over their plans to build a new ballpark. In all seven arguments however, Circuit Judge Jeri Beth Cohen ruled in favor of the Marlins and Miami-Dade County, allowing construction to proceed. Braman however says that he is ready to fight his case as far as the Supreme Court
.
He financially supported a recall election
against Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez
because of a huge property tax increase and pay hikes to Alvarez's top staffers. On March 15, 2011 close to 90% of the voters in Miami voted to recall the mayor. It is believed to be one of the most lopsided recall elections in the history of American elections.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team owner. He was the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Norman and his brother-in-law, Ed Leibowitz, officially became the owners of the Eagles on April 29, 1985. Norman owned 65 percent of the team while Ed owned 35 percent until July 16, 1986 Norman bought the rest of the team from Ed. Braman sold the team to movie executive Jeffrey Lurie
Jeffrey Lurie
Jeffrey Lurie is a former Hollywood producer-turned National Football League team owner. Lurie bought the Philadelphia Eagles on May 6, 1994 from then-owner Norman Braman for $195 million...
in 1994.
Braman was born in 1932 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the Cobbs Creek
Cobbs Creek
Cobbs Creek is an tributary of Darby Creek in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It forms an approximate border between Montgomery County and Delaware County. After Cobbs Creek passes underneath Township Line Road , it forms the border between Philadelphia County and Delaware County...
section of Philly where his father owned a barbershop. Braman's parents were both Jewish immigrants from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. His Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n-born mother was a seamstress and his Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
father a barber. Braman was a water boy in his teenage years at the Eagles training camp, which was then in West Chester. During the season he would sneak into Shibe Park to watch the team play.
Braman attended West Philadelphia High School and graduated from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
in 1955 with a degree in business administration. He began his career in 1955 in the marketing and sales department for Seagram's Distributors. In 1957, he founded Keystone Stores, a chain of self-service department stores, in Philadelphia. In 1964, he organized Philadelphia Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics, a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and was President and Chief Executive Officer. In 1972 he bought a Cadillac dealership in Tampa
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Three years later he bought another in Miami and today he is CEO of Braman Enterprises, an umbrella company for his automotive businesses that include 23 car dealerships in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The dealerships sell upscale cars such as Acura
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...
, Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
, BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
, Hyundai
Hyundai
Hyundai ) is a global conglomerate company, part of the Korean chaebol, that was founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung...
, Kia
KIA
-People:* Kia Abdullah , British-Asian author and journalist* Kia Asamiya , Japanese manga artist* Kia Byers , Canadian canoeist* Kia Corthron , American playwright, activist, and television writer...
, Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, MINI
Mini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
, Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
and Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles based at the Goodwood plant in West Sussex, England. It is the current producer of Rolls-Royce branded automobiles, whose historical production dates back to 1904. The factory is located across from the historic Goodwood Circuit...
.
In 1982, he led a successful campaign against a city sales tax that would have renovated the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
for Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
owner Joe Robbie. From 1985 to 1994, he owned the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football team. Braman rebuilt the Eagles into an NFL NFC Eastern Division
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
champion in 1988. The team won at least 10 games for five straight years through 1993.
Braman served on the Board of Governors of various institutions. In 1999, he helped defeat then-County Mayor Alex Penelas
Alex Penelas
Alexander "Alex" Penelas is the former mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida.-Schooling and personal life:Penelas, an American of Cuban descent, attended college at St. Thomas University...
campaign for a one-cent sales tax that could have generated billions of dollars to spend on mass transit, while potentially hurting automobile sales. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/391275.html Currently he operates various car dealerships in both Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
He recently filed a lawsuit against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and others over their plans to build a new ballpark. In all seven arguments however, Circuit Judge Jeri Beth Cohen ruled in favor of the Marlins and Miami-Dade County, allowing construction to proceed. Braman however says that he is ready to fight his case as far as the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
.
He financially supported a recall election
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
against Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez
Carlos Alvarez (mayor)
Carlos Alvarez is a Cuban American politician, and the former mayor of Miami-Dade County. He was first elected mayor in 2004, and re-elected in 2008. His mayoralty ended in March 2011 after a recall election...
because of a huge property tax increase and pay hikes to Alvarez's top staffers. On March 15, 2011 close to 90% of the voters in Miami voted to recall the mayor. It is believed to be one of the most lopsided recall elections in the history of American elections.
External links
- Norman Braman: The World's Billionaires Forbes.com
- Norman Braman: Eagles Owner Los Angeles Times
- It's the mogul Braman vs. the mayor Alvarez The Miami Herald