Introduction
Charles Ergen is an American billionaire businessman who has made a fortune.
Ergen was co-founder and chairman at Dish Network and EchoStar. Joseph Clayton succeeded Ergen as Dish’s CEO in May 2011.
Clayton retired in March 2015. Ergen was appointed CEO again and served as CEO until December 2017.
Charles Ergen’s net worth is $10 billion, as of July 2022.
Early Life
Charles William Ergen, a son of Charles William Ergen, was born in Oak Ridge (Tennessee) on the 1st and March 1953.
Ergen was raised in an Episcopal family. His parents divorced in 1944. They then moved to New Jersey. Ergen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. There, he was also a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
His mother was among the first female accountants to be licensed in Minnesota. His father, an Austrian immigrant from Austria, was a nuclear physicist in Sweden and had left Europe before World War II.
Career
Jim DeFranco and Ergen, his wife Candy, started an innovative business called EchoSphere Corporation. They invested $60,000 in two C-Band antennas that would be used to target rural Colorado. They sold satellite dishes out of the backseat of their truck, driving around Denver on a tight budget.
He raised $335 million in junk bonds to boost EchoStar’s profile and purchased orbital slots for satellites. EchoStar was granted a DBS license by the Federal Communications Commission two years later. This gave the company its geostationary orbital slots.
Dish was the first satellite TV provider to offer high-speed two-way internet access. It also introduced a digital video recorder inside a set-top box. Ergen was also instrumental in making satellite receivers affordable for less than $200.
Dish filed suit to obtain a declaratory judgment affirming the validity of the judgment. Fox denied Dish’s request for a preliminary injunction to stop the service. Ergen stated that Dish is currently focusing on acquiring a large share of the spectrum for cellular wireless service.
How Does Charles Ergen Spend His Money
Charles Ergen invests some of his funds in real estate and other purchases.
Ergen lives in The Village of Castle Pines with his wife, Cantey McAdam.
Ergen is an avid mountain climber. Professional equipment is required to climb. He is a member and climber of the Colorado Mountain Club.
Highlights
Here are some highlights from Charles Ergen’s career:
- Co-founder and chairman of Dish Network and EchoStar
- Rocky Mountain News’ Business Person of the Year Award (1996) – Won
- Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame (2012)
Favorite Quotes From Charles Ergen
In my 30 years of experience, I have only encountered two types of employees. There are those who get results and those who make excuses. Dish is not for you if you are in the latter camp.
Some people resist change. However, the advertising model will continue to evolve with or without the Hopper. To broadcasters, we are saying “There is a way for your head to not be in the sand.”
I don’t want to kill advertisements. Advertising is my favorite form of advertising. I also know that television, advertising and subscription have multiple revenue streams. I’m not going to ignore the fact that the world is changing and I don’t want to lose my mind.