Marcus Lemonis Wiki Bio, Wife, Net Worth, Married, Family, Wedding
• Marcus Lemonis is a philanthropist, politician, television personality and businessman from Lebanon.
• He holds the positions of CEO and chairman for Camping World, Gander Outdoors, Good Sam Enterprises, and The House Boardshop.
• He is the star of the reality show “The Profit”, which showcases him helping small businesses become successful.
• He has invested over $35 million in businesses featured on the show and supports numerous charitable institutions.
• He is highly active online through social media and resides in Lake Forest, Illinois with his wife.
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Who is Marcus Lemonis?
Marcus Anthony Lemonis was born on 16 November 1973, in Beirut, Lebanon, birthname unknown, and is a philanthropist, politician, television personality and businessman, best known for being the CEO as well as the chairman of Camping World. He also serves in the same capacity for companies such as Gander Outdoors, Good Sam Enterprises, and The House Boardshop. He is the star of the reality show “The Profit”, in which he helps stabilise small businesses with potential.
The Net Worth of Marcus Lemonis
How rich is Marcus Lemonis? As of early-2019, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $2.2 billion, earned through success in his various business endeavors. He’s also earned a significant amount of wealth through his television show, and as he continues his career, it is expected that his wealth will also continue to increase.
Early Life, Education, and Career Beginnings
Marcus was born during the civil war in Beirut, which was suffering from foreign invasions in a chaotic time. He was adopted by a Greek couple who resided in Miami, Florida. Growing up, he was exposed a lot to the automotive industry thanks to his grandfather owning two of the largest Chevrolet dealerships in the United States.
The family was also friends with Lee Iacocca, who would later become a mentor to Marcus. After matriculating from high school, he enrolled at Marquette University in Milwaukee, earning a degree in political science and criminology in 1995. After graduation, he briefly tried his hand at politics, aiming to gain a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. He was endorsed by The Miami Herald, but eventually lost to Bruno Barreiro, after which he refocused on the automotive industry.
Business Career
Lemonis began working for the South Florida-based car dealership owned by his grandfather. In 1997, the company was acquired by AutoNation, leading him to hold several managerial roles under new ownership. Iaccoca approached him with the idea of creating the largest RV chain in the country, as the business model of the industry was fractured. The two started with acquiring Holiday RV Superstores; he was the CEO of the company from 2001 to 2003 before founding FreedomRoads and continuing to acquire RV dealerships. In 2006, his company merged with Camping World, and he became CEO of the new merger.
With this new merger, he teamed up with NASCAR for the first time, alongside driver John Andretti. They began taking over sponsorship during the 2008-09 seasons, rebranding the races to the NASCAR Camping World Series. They also sponsored the Craftsman Truck series, rebranding it the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He was highly covered by the media, becoming the person who’s made the most impact in the business industry in recent memory. In 2011, the company then merged with Good Sam Enterprises, and he was again named as the leader. This new venture allowed him to launch Project Good Samaritan, to help foster corporate responsibility.
Recent Endeavors and Other Projects
In 2016, Camping World went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and was given a market value of approximately $2 billion at $22 a share. The following year, they acquired the camping, fishing, and hunting gear retailer Gander Mountain, then The House Boardshop, which is an online retailer of outdoor gear, bikes, and various boards such as skateboards.
Aside from his business endeavors, he also supports numerous charitable institutions such as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center, Ravinia Festival, and Joffrey Ballet; he’s contributed his time and wealth to National Voices for Equality as well. In the early 2010s, he began helping businesses with potential but facing failure, by giving them an investment to allow the businesses to continue. He’s responsible for reviving Rose’s Bakery & Wheat Free Café, and other businesses he’s helped over the years include Little Miss Baker, Key West Key Lime Pie Co., ProFit Protein Bars, and Betty Lou’s. Recently, he’s expanded his portfolio to include businesses in the automotive industry, including AutoMatch USA which specializes in pre-owned automobiles.
Just released @campingworld @thegoodsamclub @ganderoutdoors #2019buyersguide https://t.co/eFpy3Dtmjz pic.twitter.com/LKzEzoy28s
— Marcus Lemonis (@marcuslemonis) January 4, 2019
The Profit and Other Television Appearances
One of Lemonis’ first television appearances was for the show “Celebrity Apprentice”, in which he hosted marketing related challenges. He also appeared in an episode of “Secret Millionaire”, returning to his hometown to help local charities. In 2013, he became the star of the reality show entitled “The Profit” which showcases him hunting down small businesses which have promise but are failing in their craft. He invests his own money for part ownership of the businesses, and helps them become profitable. According to reports, he’s invested over $35 million in businesses featured on the show. In 2017, he starred in and co-produced the show “The Partner” in which he looks for a business manager to help assist in running businesses, similar to that of “The Profit”.
Personal Life and Social Media
For his personal life, it is known that Marcus married Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Raffel in 2018 and the couple resides in Lake Forest, Illinois. Similar to numerous television personalities, he is highly active online through social media, having accounts on several major social media websites, including Facebook and Twitter, on which he mainly promotes his business and television endeavors. He also has his own personal website which details some of his experiences and current projects.