Billionaire Businessman Wayne Huizenga Dies At 80

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — He had a complicated relationship with Miami sports fans. Some will remember H. Wayne Huizenga as the powerful wind that carried both the Marlins and Panthers to South Florida and one of the few people who could say they owned professional sports franchises in baseball, hockey and football when he added the Miami Dolphins to his sports empire. Others will remember how Huizenga famously dismantled his championship baseball team after their improbable Game 7 World Series victory over the Cleveland Indians, a sin that many longtime Marlins fans still haven't forgiven.

The 80 year-0ld billionaire passed away on Thursday night in his home on the New River surrounded by family after a decades-long battle with cancer.

Most Americans know Huizenga for his business acumen, becoming the first person in the country to be responsible for six companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to have founded three Fortune 500 companies.

His business trifecta included Waste Management, Inc., Blockbuster Entertainment and AutoNation, Inc. He also founded Boca Resorts, Inc. and co-founded Extended Stay America.

Huizenga brought Major League Baseball to South Florida in 1993 and served as chairman of the then Florida Marlins through 1998. He also brought the National Hockey League to South Florida as founding owner of the Panthers for the team's first eight years, including a trip to the Stanley Cup finals during the 1995-96 season.

"The Florida Panthers organization is heartbroken by the news of H. Wayne Huizenga’s passing. Mr. Huizenga’s lifelong commitment to our community, his philanthropy and his entrepreneurial spirit ensure that the Huizenga family legacy will live on in South Florida," said current Panthers owners Vincent J. Viola.

"I’m continually inspired by Wayne’s example, from his vision and his civic-minded leadership, to his success fostering an environment of on-ice excellence, which continues to have a shaping influence on every step we take in the South Florida community," said Viola. "He will be remembered always by our Panthers family.”

People who knew the businessman said he simply wanted to be called “Wayne" — whether you were a Fortune 100 CEO or a valet.

National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman called Huizenga an "entrepreneurial visionary" who was devoted to his South Florida community.

"Those all were vividly reflected in his founding of the Florida Panthers, the construction of a world-class arena in Sunrise and his leadership of the franchise to an appearance in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final in just its third year in existence," Bettman said.

The Miami Marlins posted a photo of Huizenga on social media and remembered him for his role in bringing baseball to South Florida.

"Today, we mourn the passing of the original Florida Marlin, Mr. H. Wayne Huizenga, who will be remembered as much for his contributions to South Florida professional sports as he was for his many charitable endeavors in the surrounding community," the team said.

Dolphins current owner Stephen Ross described Huizenga as a seminal figure in the cultural history of South Florida.

"He completely changed the landscape of the region’s sports scene with his purchase of the Dolphins coupled with his pursuit of expansion teams in both Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League," asserted Ross. "Sports fans throughout the region owe him a debt of thanks for his stewardship of the Dolphins and for his vision and initiative to positively impact our community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.”

Legendary Dolphins Head Coach Don Shula said no one was a bigger fan of the team than Huizenga and no one wanted to see the team win more than Huizenga.

"He supported the team in every way possible, and no one could have asked to work for a better owner," said the Hall of Fame coach. “But as wonderful as he was as an owner, he was even better as a person. He was truly a great friend who showed compassion and caring for everyone he knew and many he didn’t, as evidenced by his wonderful work in the community."

Former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jimmy Johnson also worked for Huizenga when he coached the Dolphins.

“Wayne was not only an outstanding owner, he was someone everyone loved working for, but he was one of the nicest men I ever knew," said Johnson.

“I am saddened to hear about the passing of my long-time friend Wayne Huizenga," added legendary Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. "My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Huizenga family.”

Former Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor recalled meeting Huizenga for the first time as a wide-eyed rookie.

"It is hard to put into words how much I learned from him, both from our direct interaction, and simply by watching and marveling at his prowess as a businessman and a team owner," said Taylor who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.

"It is not a coincidence that every coach during his time as the Dolphins owner raved about working for him, and I can say from experience that as players, we felt the same way," explained Taylor. "Mr. H. was class personified in the often cutthroat world of professional sports, and the mark he made on the Miami Dolphins, and the landscape of South Florida sports as a whole, can never be forgotten.”

University of Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban called Huizenga the classiest man he ever met.

"I had as much love and respect for Wayne as a man as anybody I’ve ever met other than my own father," said Saban, another former Dolphins head coach. "He was always supportive and treated us like members of his own family during our time in Miami. Even during a difficult transition when we left Miami, we were able to maintain our friendship and positive relationship, which shows you what kind of man he was.”

Huizenga was recognized by the Horatio Alger Association, which presented him with the organization's top honor. He had also been honored by various business and academic groups seven times as "Entrepreneur of the Year." He was honored by Ernst & Young as both U.S. Entrepreneur of the Year and World Entrepreneur of the Year.

In addition, he was named five times by Financial World Magazine as "CEO of the Year" and by Georgetown University's business school as "Business Leader of the Year." He was the recipient of Yale University's Gordon Grand Fellow Award and the University of Missouri-Kansas City's "International Entrepreneur of the Year."

Born in the Chicago area on Dec. 29, 1937, he moved to Fort Lauderdale as a young man and attended Pine Crest School. He fell in love with Fort Lauderdale and made it his permanent home, raising his family and building multiple businesses in the place he called “home."

He began his business career with the purchase of a single garbage truck in 1962 that led to his co-founding Waste Management in 1971. Ten years later Waste Management was the largest waste company in the world.

He “retired” from that company and soon formed what became Huizenga Holdings. He purchased a series of service companies in South Florida. But his next big venture was Blockbuster which he headquartered in Fort Lauderdale.

Over a period of seven years he created thousands of jobs while growing the company from 19 stores to more than 3,700 in 11 countries. Waste Management and Blockbuster both became Fortune 500 companies that were listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

After selling Blockbuster in 1994 and generating attractive returns for his shareholders, he acquired control of Republic Waste Industries, a small regional garbage company in Atlanta Georgia, in 1995. Naturally, he relocated the company to Fort Lauderdale and grew it into the third largest waste disposal company in the United States.

Over a 13-month period, he served as chairman of four New York Stock Exchange companies: Republic Services, AutoNation, Extended Stay America and the Florida Panthers. During this same time, he was owner and chairman of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers.

Huizenga was well known for his charitable endeavors. Together with his wife Marti, he donated more than $150 million to local causes and participated in a number of civic organizations, including the Florida Council of 100, the Florida Council of Economic Education, the Salvation Army of Broward County and the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County.

In South Florida, he was a member of Nova Southeastern University's Board of Trustees and provided the resources to establish the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at the University. More recently, he also provided the resources to build the Huizenga Sales Institute there.

He was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Miami Sports Hall of Champions and the Broward County Hall of Fame.

Huizenga lived in Fort Lauderdale with his wife Marti, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his four children: Wayne Jr., Pamela, Scott and Ray; 11 grandchildren: Savannah, Tres, Gerritt, Ainsley, Jacob, Shelby, Chloe, Matthew, Hanah, Josh and Gabriella; sister Bonnie; niece Holly Bodenweber; nephew Steven Hudson and brother-in-law Whit Hudson. His beloved wife Marti died in January 2017.

A memorial service will be held in the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Performing Arts Center promptly at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 29. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cleveland Clinic of Florida Maroone Cancer Center, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, Junior Achievement of South Florida and the Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Scholarship Fund.

Huizenga (right) takes a bow with current Panthers owner Vincent J. Viola. Photo courtesy Florida Panthers.