Bob McNair

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Lore & Background

McNair's early life in Forest City, North Carolina, a town of about 7,500, shaped his character. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree, where he was initiated into the Sigma Chi fraternity. His wife, Janice, attended nearby Columbia College. The McNairs became residents of Houston, Texas beginning in 1960. He spent most of his 20s and 30s as a struggling salesman and unsuccessful entrepreneur whose businesses all failed. He eventually broke through to success when he founded the cogeneration company Cogen Technologies in 1984, which he sold in 1999 to Enron. At the time of his death, McNair retained ownership of power plants in New York and West Virginia. According to Forbes, he had a net worth of $3.8 billion in November 2017.

In Their Own Story

On October 29, 2017, in a game against the Seattle Seahawks, the majority of the Texans' players kneeled during the national anthem after McNair had commented about having the 'inmates running the prison' during a league owner meeting regarding the ongoing protests by NFL players during the anthem. McNair apologized, stating that he was not referring to the players, but rather to the 'relationship between the league office and team owners.' It was the first time a Texans player had knelt during the anthem.

Reader's Guide

The Houston Texans won their first AFC South title in 2011, en route to four titles in six seasons. McNair was influential in bringing Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl LI to Houston's NRG Stadium in 2004 and 2017, respectively. McNair served as chairman and chief executive officer of The McNair Group, a financial and real estate firm headquartered in Houston, Texas, and as the owner of Palmetto Partners, Ltd., a private investment company. In June 2000, McNair formed a biotechnology investment firm, Cogene Biotech Ventures, where he served as company chairman. In 1997, McNair was interested in bringing a National Hockey League (NHL) expansion team to Houston alongside Houston Aeros owner Chuck Watson but the bid ultimately failed. He was rumored to be interested in buying a soccer club in the United Kingdom, and twice went to visit St Andrews, home of Championship team, Birmingham City F.C. On January 3, 2014, a consortium headed by McNair made a bid to purchase Reading F.C. of the Championship, but were unsuccessful.

Did You Know?

• McNair spent most of his 20s and 30s as a struggling salesman and unsuccessful entrepreneur whose businesses all failed before founding Cogen Technologies in 1984.
• He donated over $1 million towards the completion of McNair Field, which hosts his hometown Forest City Owls, and threw out the first pitch on its opening night (May 29, 2008).
• On September 12, 2007, McNair gave $100 million to Baylor College of Medicine to recruit top scientists and physicians.
• According to one tally, McNair was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's largest donor from January 1, 2009, to September 30, 2015, contributing $1,502,500.
• In 1997, McNair was interested in bringing an NHL expansion team to Houston alongside Houston Aeros owner Chuck Watson, but the bid ultimately failed.

From Humble Beginnings to Energy Tycoon

Born in the small North Carolina town of Forest City, Robert C. McNair's journey to wealth was far from linear. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a science degree and joining the Sigma Chi fraternity, he relocated to Houston in 1960. His early professional decades were marked by significant struggle; throughout his twenties and thirties, he worked as a salesman and attempted various entrepreneurial ventures that ultimately failed. The turning point arrived in 1984 when he founded Cogen Technologies, a cogeneration firm. This venture proved immensely successful, leading to its sale to Enron in 1999 while McNair retained ownership of power plants in New York and West Virginia. By the time of his passing, he had built The McNair Group into a major financial and real estate powerhouse and established Cogene Biotech Ventures. His perseverance transformed him from an unsuccessful entrepreneur into one of Houston's most prominent business leaders, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $3.8 billion in late 2017.

Restoring Football to Houston

Driven by a deep desire to return professional football to Texas after the Oilers departed for Tennessee in 1996, McNair formed Houston NFL Holdings in 1998. His persistence paid off on October 6, 1999, when the NFL awarded him the league's 32nd franchise, which debuted as the Houston Texans in 2002. Under his ownership, the team achieved significant milestones, including winning their first AFC South title in 2011 and securing four division championships within a six-year span. Beyond on-field success, McNair was instrumental in hosting Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 and Super Bowl LI in 2017 at NRG Stadium. His tenure was not without controversy; in October 2017, his comment describing the situation as 'inmates running the prison' regarding player anthem protests sparked a backlash. This led to the majority of Texans players kneeling during a game against Seattle, prompting McNair to apologize and clarify he referred to league office dynamics rather than the athletes themselves.

A Legacy of Philanthropy and Education

McNair's influence extended far beyond business and sports through extensive philanthropic efforts aimed at education and medical advancement. He was a major benefactor for Baylor College of Medicine, donating $100 million in 2007 to recruit top-tier scientists and physicians. His commitment to his alma mater included establishing the McNair Scholar Program at the University of South Carolina in 1998 and receiving an honorary doctorate from the institution later that year. Locally, he supported numerous cultural institutions like the Houston Grand Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts. In honor of his hometown, he donated over $1 million to build McNair Field for the Forest City Owls collegiate summer team, even throwing out the first pitch at its 2008 opening. Additionally, the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, established in 2015, has funded entrepreneurship centers at universities across the United States, while their earlier Educational Foundation provided millions in financial aid to help Rutherford County high school graduates attend college.

Personal Life, Politics, and Succession

Robert McNair's personal life was anchored by his marriage to Janice, with whom he raised four children: Cal, Cary, Ruth, and Melissa. Politically active, he was a significant donor to the Republican Party, notably serving as Mitch McConnell's largest contributor between 2009 and 2015. However, his political involvement faced scrutiny in 2015 when he donated funds to oppose an equal rights ordinance in Houston; following public criticism, he withdrew the contribution. In his final years, McNair battled various forms of cancer, a diagnosis that began with skin cancer in 1994, leading him to withdraw from daily team operations shortly before his death on November 23, 2018. Following his passing, Janice assumed principal ownership and represented the franchise at owner meetings. Their son Cal McNair took over as president and CEO, eventually becoming the principal owner of the Texans in 2024 after a transfer from his mother.