Early Life
J. Wayne Weaver was born on January 14, 1935, in Columbus, Georgia. Information about his early life and childhood is limited.
Rise to Success
Weaver began his career at Brown Group, Inc., a clothing company, where he worked his way up the corporate ladder. In 1978, he founded his own shoe corporation, which he later sold. He is also known for owning the shoe store chains Shoe Carnival and Nine West. Weaver was the first owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL, from 1993 to 2011. He sold the team to Shahid Khan in 2011 for $760 million.
Key Business Strategies
Weaver's key business strategies involved climbing the corporate ladder, founding his own shoe corporation, and owning the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is the chairman of Shoe Carnival. Together, Weaver and his wife Delores are the largest individual shareholders of Shoe Carnival, with a 29% stake.
Philanthropy
Wayne and Delores Weaver co-founded the Jaguars Foundation, which grants over $1 million annually to initiatives that assist economically and socially disadvantaged children and families. Delores Weaver, as the Chairman and CEO of the Jaguars Foundation, has led the organization to grant over $1 million annually to assist disadvantaged youth and families, earning several awards for her community leadership and philanthropy.