Randolph “Randy” D. Lerner is probably best known as the owner of the English Premier League football club, Aston Villa. But before 2006, he was actually the owner of the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns. In 1984, he graduated from Columbia University. He also has an LLB from Columbia Law School and is a bona fide member of New York and Columbia bar association. Prior to entering the business world, he practiced his law in the courts of New York.
Lerner is extremely committed to ‘The Villains’ and actually has a Villa logo tattooed on his ankle. Not to mention the £2.5 million converted farmhouse located in Bodymoor Heath which is extremely close to the training grounds of Aston Villa Football Club.
Randy Lerner Family
Lerner’s Parents – Alfred “Al” Lerner and Norma Wolkoff
Randy’s father, Alfred “Al” Lerner purchased the Cleveland Browns in 1998 from the National Football League paying $530 million. Before that, he had a 5% stake in the Cleveland Browns franchise. His father was born to Russian immigrants and lived in Brooklyn during his childhood years. He was a pilot in the US Marines for a while before his career as a furniture salesman. He saved and saved till he earned enough money to purchase an apartment in Cleveland and in 1990, his real estate portfolio grew immensely. He was an extremely down to earth person and was majorly responsible for rebuilding the reputation of the Cleveland Browns. He, unfortunately, succumbed to his long drawn out battle with cancer at the age of 69 at the Cleveland Clinic.
Norma Lerner (nee Wolkoff) still survives her husband and is extremely close to her children and grandchildren.
Randy Lerner’s Siblings – Nancy Lerner
Randy only has one sibling – his sister Nancy. She is an attorney for the City of Cleveland, Ohio and has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the MBNA Foundation.
Randy Lerner’s Ex-Wife – Lara Lerner
Lara Lerner and Randy Lerner got divorced in 2011 due to personal differences and external financial battles. Three of their children live in New York with Lara; and Randy currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio – home of the ‘Cleveland Browns’. Randy wanted to be closer to his son Max who was studying at St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland and so he moved there. He still travels back and forth between New York and Cleveland.
Randy Lerner and his ex-wife Lara Lerner established the Amangansett Applied Arts School of Visual Arts. They wanted to help turn someone’s dream into a reality and wanted to give back to society as well.
Children of Randy Lerner and Lara Lerner
They have four children. Only three names are currently known in the public domain – one is their daughter Chase Lerner and the other two are sons, Max Lerner and Nick Lerner.
Randy Lerner’s Net Worth
According to Forbes, Randy Lerner has a net worth of about $1 billion. However, he is all set to sell the ownership rights to Aston Villa Football Club and had officially declared it earlier in 2014.