{{short description|American businessman (born 1960)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Ellis Short | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|10|06}} | birth_place = Independence, Missouri, US | citizenship = American, Irish | education = Missouri University of Science and Technology (1983) | occupation = Owner of ''Kildare Partners'' | spouse = Eve Zimmerman Short | children = | website = }}
'''Ellis Short''' (born October 6, 1960)<ref name="Hickman">{{cite news|last=Hickman |first=Niall |url=http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/431725/It-s-theatre-of-the-absurb-as-ham-fisted-Ellis-Short-has-to-share-the-blame-at-Sunderland |title=It's theatre of the absurb as ham-fisted Ellis Short has to share the blame at Sunderland |work=Daily Express |access-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name="The Guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/may/28/ellis-short-sunderland-owner-profile |title=Ellis Short: all you need to know about Sunderland's man at the helm | Football |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref> American businessman and founder of Kildare Partners, a private equity fund investing in distressed European real estate assets.<ref>{{cite news|last=Halpin |first=Padraic |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ireland-property-funds-idUSL6N0GU2QD20130829 |title=Ex-Lone Star executive's fund to set up Irish unit – source |agency=Reuters |date=August 29, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2016|newspaper=Reuters }}</ref> Short was also the owner and chairman of English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from September 2008 to April 2018.<ref name="Irish Independent">{{cite news |author=Nick Webb |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/irish-billionaire-short-pumps-50m-into-sunderland-fc-28818231.html |title=Irish billionaire Short pumps €50m into Sunderland FC |website=Independent.ie |access-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name="The Times">{{cite news|author=Deirdre Hipwell |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/business-big-shot-ellis-short-of-sunderland-football-club-gnjq2sl6g5t |title=Business big shot: Ellis Short of Sunderland Football Club |newspaper=The Times |date=May 14, 2013 |access-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref><ref name="safc.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.safc.com/news/ellis-short-assumes-control.html? |title=Sunderland AFC today revealed that majority shareholder Ellis Short is to assume 100% control of the club. |access-date=May 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529015851/http://www.safc.com/news/ellis-short-assumes-control.html |archive-date=May 29, 2009 |date=2009-05-27}}</ref>
==Early life== Ellis Short was born in Independence, Missouri to Patricia and Ellis Short III.<ref name="The Guardian"/> and attended William Chrisman High School. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in 1983.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://issuu.com/clwilsonlibrary/docs/rollamo_1983_ccf36da81e25b9 |year=1983 |title=Rollamo |publisher=University of Missouri–Rolla |page=323 |access-date=January 18, 2018 }}</ref>
==Career== After graduating, Short worked for General Electric<ref>{{Citation |author=David Ross |date=April 30, 2003 |title=Quiet American may be new Skibo owner |work= The Herald (Glasgow) |page=4 }}</ref> beginning in 1983. In 1995, Short joined Lone Star Funds, a Dallas-based private equity firm, becoming president of the fund and heading its Asian operations.<ref name="The Times"/><ref name="The Daily Telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/sunderland/3082097/Ellis-Short-takes-controlling-interest-in-Sunderland-Football.html |title=Ellis Short takes controlling interest in Sunderland – Football |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=September 25, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref> In 2003, Short paid £23 million for Skibo Castle, which operates as a members-only hotel and country club in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northeastlifemag.co.uk/people/the_north_east_life_glitz_list_who_are_the_region_s_richest_and_most_influential_people_1_1571286 |title=The North East Life Glitz List – who are the region's richest and most influential people? – People – North East Life |website=Northeastlifemag.co.uk |access-date=April 21, 2016 |archive-date=May 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531161745/http://www.northeastlifemag.co.uk/people/the_north_east_life_glitz_list_who_are_the_region_s_richest_and_most_influential_people_1_1571286 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The castle is famous for hosting Madonna's wedding to Guy Ritchie in 2000.<ref name="The Guardian"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Stritof |first=Sheri |url=http://marriage.about.com/cs/celebritymarriages/p/madonnaguy.htm |title=Madonna & Guy Ritchie Marriage Profile |website=Marriage.about.com |access-date=April 21, 2016 |archive-date=June 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627093547/http://marriage.about.com/cs/celebritymarriages/p/madonnaguy.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2013, Short formed a new company, Kildare Partners, to invest in distressed property assets and non-performing debt.<ref name="The Times"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/financial-services/finnan-leaving-investec-to-join-kildare-partners-1.1511229 |title=Finnan leaving Investec to join Kildare Partners - Financial Services News | Business News | the Irish Times - Sat, Aug 31, 2013 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=November 30, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203013651/http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/financial-services/finnan-leaving-investec-to-join-kildare-partners-1.1511229 |archive-date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref>
===Sunderland AFC=== In September 2008, Short gained a controlling interest in Sunderland A.F.C.<ref name="The Guardian"/><ref name="The Daily Telegraph"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/sunderland/3082097/Ellis-Short-takes-controlling-interest-in-Sunderland---Football.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926153233/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/sunderland/3082097/Ellis-Short-takes-controlling-interest-in-Sunderland---Football.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 26, 2008 |title=Ellis Short takes controlling interest in Sunderland – Football |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=September 25, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref> In December of that year, Short worked on completing a deal with the Drumaville Consortium for their remaining shares in the club.<ref name="The Daily Telegraph"/> After the Sunderland A.F.C. ownership change, football manager Roy Keane left the club.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0221/1224241589471.html | newspaper=The Irish Times | title=The box office awaits the return of a matinee idol | date=February 2, 2009}}</ref> Short assumed ownership of the club in May 2009.<ref name="safc.com"/><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/oct/03/niall-quinn-sunderland-ellis-short | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=New role for Niall Quinn as Ellis Short becomes Sunderland chairman | date=October 3, 2011}}</ref> His purchase of the club made Sunderland the fourth club in the Premier League to have American owners, alongside Aston Villa, Manchester United and Liverpool.
In November 2011, Short sacked Steve Bruce after a poor run of results, which Short labelled 'not good enough'.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/sunderland/8926625/Sunderland-sack-Steve-Bruce-as-manager-as-Ellis-Short-says-results-simply-not-good-enough.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Luke | last=Edwards | title=Sunderland sack Steve Bruce as manager as Ellis Short says results "simply not good enough" | date=November 30, 2011}}</ref> Nine days later, Martin O'Neill was appointed Bruce's successor. O'Neill himself was succeeded by Italian ex-footballer Paolo Di Canio in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wardle|first=John|title='I am unique one' says Paolo Di Canio on arrival as Sunderland manager|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/apr/02/paolo-di-canio-sunderland-manager|access-date=April 2, 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=February 4, 2013}}</ref> Di Canio, in turn, was dismissed in September 2013 after a poor start to the Premier League season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Paolo Di Canio: Sunderland sack head coach after 13 games|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24199626|newspaper=BBC Sport|access-date=September 23, 2013|date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> Gus Poyet was put in charge of the first team and guided Sunderland to Premier League safety, but he was replaced late in the 2014–15 campaign by Dick Advocaat, who helped the team avoid relegation and secure its top-flight status for 2015–16. Advocaat's replacement, Sam Allardyce, left the club in July 2016 and was replaced by David Moyes, who in turn resigned after Sunderland finished last in the 2016–17 season and were relegated to the EFL Championship.
Simon Grayson was appointed manager in June 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=Simon Grayson: Sunderland appoint Preston North End boss as manager|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40444054|newspaper=BBC Sport|access-date=June 29, 2017|date=June 29, 2017}}</ref> After a dire run of results, Grayson was dismissed after a 3–3 home draw with fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers. Ex-Wales manager, Chris Coleman was appointed as the new Sunderland manager on November 19, 2017. However, after Ellis decided to spend no money during the mid-season transfer window, Sunderland were relegated on April 21, 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/21/sunderland-burton-albion-championship-match-report| title=Sunderland relegated as Liam Boyce's injury-time winner gives Burton hope |first=Louise |last=Taylor |date=April 21, 2018 |work=The Guardian }}</ref> Coleman was sacked and the club sold on April 29, 2018, to a consortium headed by Stewart Donald, chairman of Eastleigh F.C.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/29/chris-coleman-sackedd-manager-sunderland |title=Sunderland sold by Ellis Short as Chris Coleman is sacked |date=April 29, 2018 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> ===Property=== He owns a property in the Kukio neighborhood on the Kona coast of Hawaii.<ref name="c119">{{cite web | last=Carlyle | first=Erin | title=Hawaii's Most Exclusive Community: Inside The Billionaire Getaway Kukio | website=Forbes | date=2014-04-18 | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2014/04/18/hawaiis-most-exclusive-community-inside-the-billionaire-getaway-kukio/ | access-date=2025-11-02}}</ref>
==Personal life== He is married to former tennis player Eve Zimmerman.<ref name=STRL>{{cite news|title=Sunday Times Rich List|work=The Sunday Times|issue=34|date=April 26, 2015}}</ref> In 2021, the Sunday Times Rich List estimated his net worth at £880 million.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Sunday Times Rich List 2021|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list|access-date=2021-11-22|website=The Times|language=en}}</ref> Short was a resident of London, England for many years but returned to the United States in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=James |title=Ellis Short still 'invested' in SAFC - despite moving back to USA |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderland-owner-ellis-short-moved-13809581 |access-date=26 May 2022 |work=ChronicleLive |date=25 October 2017 |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Short, Ellis}} Category:1960 births Category:American billionaires Category:American businesspeople in finance Category:American people of Irish descent Category:English football chairmen and investors Category:Living people Category:Missouri University of Science and Technology alumni Category:People from Independence, Missouri Category:Sunderland A.F.C. directors and chairmen Category:Irish billionaires Category:American emigrants to Ireland Category:Irish businesspeople in finance Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:21st-century Irish businesspeople