Robert Rowling

Robert B. Rowling is the founder of TRT Holdings, the holding company of Omni Hotels and Gold's Gym. A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Rowling has an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Southern Methodist University. In 1972, Rowling began working for Tana Oil and Gas, which was owned by his father, Reese Rowling, and William Colson. In 1989 Texaco acquired Tana for $476 million, thereby providing money that was used to form TRT Holdings. Five years later, TRT Holdings sold Corpus Christi National Bank for $131 million. TRT Holdings would later purchase Omni Hotels for $500 million and Gold's Gym for $180 million. In August 2010, Rowling made the winning bid to acquire the...