Robert Kraft is the chairman, founder and CEO of the Kraft Group. He is an American philanthropist, investor and entrepreneur with numerous businesses in different fields, including venture investing, real estate, sports and entertainment, and paper and packaging. Kraft’s holdings include Gillette Stadium, Boston Uprising, New England Revolution, New England Patriots, Rand-Whitney Group, International Forest Products, and a portfolio of other numerous private-equity investments.

Robert Kraft is a lifelong football fan and has contributed hugely to the success of the New England Patriots, since purchasing the team in 1994. Under his leadership, the Patriots have won more conference crowns (10) and division titles (19) than any other NFL team, recorded at least nine wins in 23 of 27 seasons, and are tied with Pittsburgh for the fewest losing seasons (3). During Kraft’s tenure, the Patriots also claimed their sixth Super Bowl championship in 2018, the most for any team in NFL history.

Kraft began his career in the paper and packaging industry with Rand-Whitney Group of Worcester, Massachusetts. Robert Kraft later acquired Rand-Whitney Group and also founded International Forests Products, a global marketer and distributor which does business in more than 100 countries annually, in 1972. Kraft made risky investments during his professional career such as the pursuit of Patriots ownership, a team which had an immersive poor record prior to his purchase. He also oversaw the construction of Gillette Stadium to provide the Patriots with a premier entertainment venue. The construction of the stadium earned him several accolades, including Sports Executive of the Year and Sports Industrialists of the Year.

Robert Kraft was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. He attended public schools and with the help of an academic scholarship, enrolled at Columbia University. After his graduation, he went on to do his master’s degree in business administration at Harvard Business School. Kraft has also served on the board of directors for MIT’s Apollo Theater and The Engine. His work has earned him many achievements and awards such as the Theodore Roosevelt Award and Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award.

Kraft and his family are also recognized for their philanthropic efforts, contributing to a wide range of causes, nonprofits, and charities. This includes the initiatives and donations that they supported during the COVID-19 pandemic, including assisting Massachusetts Military Support Foundation’s Food4Vets program in providing more than 6.5 million meals to veterans, military and their families. Visit this page for more information.

Learn more about Kraft on https://www.forbes.com/profile/robert-kraft/