26 Facts About Drayton McLane

Drayton McLane is chairman of the McLane Group, a holding company with a portfolio of various diverse enterprises.

Drayton McLane was, until 1990, the CEO of the McLane Company, a grocery and food service warehouse, supply, and logistics firm, and was, from 1993 until 2011, the chairman and CEO of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros.

Drayton McLane was born on July 22,1936, in Cameron, Texas.

Drayton McLane's grandfather came from Abbeville, South Carolina, to Cameron, Texas, in the late 1800s and worked as a farm laborer until about 1885, when he was able to buy and build a small retail grocery, and in 1894 went into the wholesale grocery business in a small way.

At age nine, Drayton McLane went to work for his father's business.

Drayton McLane spent most Saturdays and summers during his teenage years sweeping floors and learning various aspects of the wholesale grocery business.

Drayton McLane earned his undergraduate degree at Baylor University in 1958 and his master of business administration degree in marketing at Michigan State University in 1959.

Drayton McLane then served 14 years as general manager of operations.

Drayton McLane became president and CEO of McLane Company in 1978 and chairman in 1992.

Drayton McLane used computer-based technology to enhance the distribution system.

Drayton McLane sold the family business to tennis partner Sam Walton for cash and Wal-Mart shares in 1990.

Drayton McLane invested much of the profits in professional baseball's Houston Astros.

In 1993, he resigned from both of these positions to devote his full-time as chairman of Drayton McLane Group, which is a holding company founded in 1992.

On July 24,1992, it was announced that Drayton McLane had come to an agreement with John McMullen to purchase the team, which included the lease on the Astrodome for a total of $117 million; approval by the league owners followed in the fall.

The Astros had to rely on creativity to cultivate a club worthy of contention, as their minor-league system provided virtually nothing from 1986 to 1996, and Drayton McLane claimed to have lost $65 million by 1995 to the point where he implored the business community and fans to increase the season ticket base by at least 12,000 in the guise of being able to remain competitive, and rumors surfaced about the team possibly moving to Northern Virginia.

Drayton McLane, who had balked at the idea of building a new stadium by the County that wanted over $200 million contributed by the Astros, had approached Bill Collins about a backup plan to sell the team to him for $150 million if the Harris County stadium referendum failed, which Drayton McLane apparently felt was going to not pass.

Drayton McLane was approached after the end of the 2008 season about selling the team, and he nearly sold to Jim Crane.

Drayton McLane announced on November 21,2010, that the Astros franchise was for sale again.

Drayton McLane countersued, accusing the Astros of deliberately tanking in 2012 and 2013 to sink the network.

Under his management, Drayton McLane hired four general managers and six managers, with Drayton McLane being described as having a special interest in running the team like a business under close watch.

Drayton McLane made moves without consulting his general managers at times, such as when Ken Caminiti wanted to return to Houston in 2000 or when he exercised Craig Biggio's contract in 2005.

Norm Miller, a player-turned-front office man, recounted how Drayton McLane approached him about signing a document about pledging to perform with the highest of Christian principles.

Drayton McLane left as the longest serving owner of the Astros.

Drayton McLane devotes his time to Drayton McLane Group, the family holding company for these corporations:.

Drayton McLane puts aside a large amount of time to serve on civic and charitable committees.

Drayton McLane is a major benefactor of both Baylor University, where the McLane Student Life Center, the acclaimed McLane carillons, and McLane Stadium are named in his honor, and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, where McLane Hall honors him.