Greg Penner is in his third season as Owner & Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos in 2024. He is designated as controlling owner of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group, which was unanimously approved by the NFL to purchase the Broncos on Aug. 9, 2022.
In his role as Owner and CEO, Penner has primary responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Broncos while overseeing both football and business operations for the franchise. On the board of Denver Broncos Foundation, Penner is also heavily involved at the league level and serves on both the NFL Business Ventures Committee and the NFL Special Committee for Ownership Policies.
During his two seasons of ownership, Penner has led significant investments within the Broncos' football operations, facilities, fan experience and organizational culture.
Penner in 2023 oversaw the Broncos' hiring of Super Bowl-winning Head Coach Sean Payton, a proven leader with experience building a championship culture. He also prioritized the Broncos' sports performance efforts in 2023, aligning the team's athletic training, strength & conditioning and nutrition to create a best-in-class program to maximize player health & wellness.
Off the field, Penner and the Broncos announced plans in 2023 for a $175 million state-of-the-art training facility set to open in 2026 that brings together the team's football and business operations on the existing campus. Earlier that year, the Broncos unveiled a $100 million in upgrades to Empower Field at Mile High to enhance the fan experience that marked the largest capital improvement in the stadium's 24-year history.
Emphasizing a positive and dynamic organizational culture with high standards, the Broncos were named a Front Office Sports 'Best Employer in Sports' following Penner's first year of ownership in 2022. The national recognition highlights organizations within the sports industry that excel in leadership, commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion, employee relations and philanthropy.
With a career focused on investing in, launching and building successful business enterprises, Penner's experience with innovation, risk-taking and entrepreneurs gives him a unique point of view in managing large-scale, impactful organizations.
Penner is the founder and general partner of Madrone Capital Partners. He was elected as chairman of the Walmart Board of Directors in 2015, becoming just the third person to serve in that position, following his father-in-law, Rob Walton, and company founder Sam Walton.
Over a 20-year period, Penner has worked with Walmart in a number of capacities, including as senior vice president and chief financial officer — Japan and senior vice president of finance and strategy for Walmart.com. He was first elected to the Walmart Board in 2008 and has served as a member on the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee and as chairman of the Technology and eCommerce Committee.
Penner previously worked as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs & Co. and as a general partner of Peninsula Capital. He also served as a member of the board of directors of Baidu, Inc., from 2004-17 and on the board of directors of Hyatt Hotels Corporation from 2007-14.
One of Penner's passions is his commitment to finding ways to close the access and affordability gap in education that so many young people experience. In addition to his participation with the Walton Family Foundation, Penner has served on the board of Teach for America and The Charter School Growth Fund.
Through the Penner Family Foundation, Penner and his wife Carrie have provided $10 million in funding to Georgetown University for an endowed scholarship fund and the Penner Family Endowed Experiences Fund. These programs allow undergraduates, many of whom are first-generation college students, to travel abroad, work at unpaid internships, engage in meaningful research and participate in extracurricular service projects.
Penner earned a Bachelor of Science degree in international economics from Georgetown in 1992 and an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business in 1997.
A Colorado resident and outdoor enthusiast, Penner is a triathlete and has competed four times in Hawaii's Ironman Championship. He also has climbed five of the world's Seven Summits, including Mount Everest in 2018.
