Charles William aka ‘Charlie’ Ergen is an American business mogul, philanthropist, and is the co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Dish Network and EchoStar Communications Corporation. He holds ownership of 52 percent of Dish and Echostar shares and also about 88 percent of the total voting power in the board.
He was born on March 1st, in the year 1953, at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. With his partner Cantey and friend Jim DeFranco, he had established EchoStar Communications back in 1980.
Here are more details about the famous Ergen Family
Ergen Parents – William Ergen & Viola Ergen
Charles’ father, William Ergen was an Austrian immigrant who used to work in Sweden as a nuclear physicist. He migrated to the United States prior to World War II. Charles’ mother, Viola used to work as an accountant. He was the fourth out of five children born to the couple.
Ergen Spouse – Cantey Ergen
Charles married Cantey Ergen and along with her, and a friend DeFranco he started EchoSphere Corporation by investing $60,000. Cantey has been an avid supporter of Charles and remains his mentor till date. The couple together has a total of five children.
Ergen Children
Not much is known about the Ergen children except that they are a total of five and constantly support their father in expanding their family business and other causes that Charles stands for.
Net Worth
As of 2015, Charles Ergen is known to have a net worth of USD 17.9 billion. This makes him the 43rd richest person in the world and the 24th in the United States.
Ergen graduated in General Business and Accounting from the University of Tennessee. He did his MBA from the Wake Forest University’s Babcock Graduate School of Management. The man is known to be the dominant leader in the satellite and telecommunications industry. Dish Network is one of the biggest network companies currently in the world that employs thousands of people. He recently was voted as the “World’s Best CEO” and is a regular on Forbes’ list of most powerful men in his sector of industry. Back in 2001, he received the “CEO of the Year in the Satellite Industry” Frost & Sullivan award.
Apart from his business related ventures, he is known to be an ardent mountain climber and hiker. He and his family support many charitable organizations too, and are known for donating millions in funds each year to support and enhance the education system in the United States and for providing the poor with better healthcare avenues.