Herman Sarkowsky facts for kids

Herman Sarkowsky (June 9, 1925 – November 2, 2014) was a successful businessman and generous giver from Seattle, Washington, United States. He was also known for breeding fast thoroughbred horses. He helped start two major sports teams in the Pacific Northwest: the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team and the Seattle Seahawks football team.

Early Life and Education

Herman Sarkowsky was born in 1925 in Gera, Thuringia, Germany. His family was Jewish. In 1934, his family moved to New York City because of the difficult political situation in Germany. In 1937, they moved again to Seattle, Washington.

During World War II, Herman served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. After the war, he went to the University of Washington, graduating in 1949. The next year, he began working in the home building and construction business.

Career Highlights

In the 1960s, Sarkowsky started a company called United Homes Corporation. This company grew to be the biggest home builder in the Northwest region of the U.S. He also helped build the Key Tower in Seattle. This is a very tall building in the city. He was also a partner in the Frederick and Nelson department store chain.

As of 2007, Sarkowsky managed his own private investment company. He was a lifelong board member of the National Association of Home Builders. He also served on the board of HLTH Corporation and later WebMD.

Starting the Portland Trail Blazers

In 1970, Herman Sarkowsky joined with two other investors, Larry Weinberg and Robert Schmertz. They paid $3.7 million to start a new NBA team in Portland, Oregon. This team became known as the Portland Trail Blazers. They started playing games in November 1970.

Sarkowsky was named the team's president and managing partner. Two years later, he bought out Robert Schmertz's share. In 1975, he sold his remaining share to Larry Weinberg.

Founding the Seattle Seahawks

While he owned part of the Trail Blazers, Sarkowsky also worked to bring a football team to Seattle. In 1972, he and Ned Skinner created an organization called Seattle Professional Football. Their goal was to bring an NFL team to the city.

In June 1974, the NFL decided to give Seattle a team. The NFL required that one person or group have a controlling share of the team. So, Sarkowsky partnered with the Nordstrom family. The Nordstroms owned 51% of the team, and Sarkowsky owned 49%. In December 1974, this group was officially granted ownership of the new Seattle team, which was named the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks played their first season in 1976. Sarkowsky sold his share of the team in 1988.

Thoroughbred Horse Racing

Herman Sarkowsky loved breeding and racing Thoroughbred horses. He started in the sport in 1960 by buying a horse for $2,000. He later invested in Northwest Racing Associates. This group built Emerald Downs, a horse racetrack in Auburn, Washington.

Some of his horses had great success in the Breeders' Cup. For example, his horse Phone Chatter won the 1993 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies race. Another horse, Mr. Greeley, placed well in the 1995 Breeders' Cup Sprint. As of 2007, Sarkowsky owned 37 thoroughbred horses.

Philanthropy and Giving Back

Sarkowsky was a very generous person. He gave a lot of money to many good causes. He was a big supporter of the University of Washington, where he went to college. He also served on the board of the UW School of Medicine.

He was a director for many other charities and cultural groups. These included the Seattle Foundation, the United Way, the Seattle Repertory Theatre, the Seattle Symphony, and the Seattle Art Museum.

Personal Life and Death

In 1951, Herman Sarkowsky married Faye Mondschein. They had two children, Cathy and Steve. Herman Sarkowsky passed away in November 2014 in Seattle. He was 89 years old.