Russell Weiner

Russell Goldencloud Weiner (born 1970)[2][3] is an American businessman and political fundraiser.

Russell Weiner
Russ Weiner (right) with Rod Stewart (left)
Born1970 (age 50–51)
United States
NationalityAmerican
EducationRedwood High School
Alma materSan Diego State University
OccupationFounder, Rockstar energy drink
Net worth$4.4 billion (November 2017)[1]
Parent(s)

Early life and education

Weiner is the son of Michael Weiner, better known as conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage, and Janet Weiner. He is Jewish.[4][5]

Weiner graduated from Redwood High School in Larkspur, California and graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in political science.[6] He organized events for the Paul Revere Society and worked as a travel consultant.[7]

Career

He is the creator of the Rockstar energy drink. Weiner is also the founder and CEO of his own company, which is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In 2016, he entered the Forbes list of the 500 richest Americans at position 494, with an estimated worth of 3.4 billion dollars.

Politics

With his father, he co-founded the Paul Revere Society. In 1998, he ran as a Republican for the 6th district seat in the California State Assembly, receiving an endorsement from the president of the NAACP branch in Oakland, California.[6] In June 1998, Weiner won the Republican primary election by five votes.[8] Among his campaign issues included advocacy for Proposition 227, the ballot initiative eliminating bilingual education in public schools, and protection of old-growth forests. Receiving 13.3% of the vote, Weiner lost to incumbent Democrat Kerry Mazzoni.[9] After he lost the election, election posters depicting him were vandalized in an anti-Semitic manner.[4]

In 2009, Weiner donated $25,000 to the California gubernatorial campaign of Gavin Newsom, who was the Democratic mayor of San Francisco.[10] Newsom returned the donation and Weiner gave it to charity.[11]

Personal life

Weiner has also engaged in the real estate industry by buying and selling houses. In 2006, he bought the West Hollywood home of basketball player Carlos Boozer for $10 million.[12] In 2008, he listed his home there for under $3 million (originally nearly $15 million based on replacement costs) and sold it for $8 million in 2009. [13]

Weiner lives in Delray Beach, Florida.[1]

References
  1. "Russ Weiner". Forbes. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  2. Burros, Marian (January 4, 2006). "In Oregon, Thinking Local". The New York Times. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  3. de la Viña, Mark (July 20, 2003). "The man behind the 'Savage Nation'". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2003.
  4. Faingold, Noma (November 13, 1998). "Flurry of North Bay anti-Semitic graffiti concerns ADL". JWeekly.com. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  5. Jewish Telegraph Agency: "Forbes’ billionaires list features new and old Jewish faces" By Gabe Friedman March 2, 2015
  6. "Russ Weiner". SmartVoter.org. League of Women Voters. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  7. "Other North Bay races". San Francisco Chronicle. May 24, 1998. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  8. "GOP Assembly Nomination Won by 5 Votes". San Francisco Chronicle. June 19, 1998. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  9. "Member of the State Assembly; District 6". League of Women Voters. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  10. West, Jackson (May 21, 2009). "Michael Savage's Son Donates to Newsom". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  11. Marinucci, Carla (May 22, 2009). "Newsom to return $25,000 contribution from Savage's son". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  12. Ryon, Ruth (November 26, 2006). "She's not wedded to the beach". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  13. Brenoff, Ann (January 24, 2009). "For Beck, Malibu's no longer where it's at". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
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