How he got his money

Last update: August 11, 2008 - 1:02 AM

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How he got his money: Taylor turned a college job at a Mankato print shop into ownership that he built into the Carlson Craft wedding-invitation empire and eventually Taylor Corp., a 100-plus-company, 12,500-employee corporation involved in everything from printing, marketing, electronics and agribusiness to pro basketball.

Net worth: $2.7 billion, according to Forbes magazine's 2007 list of the 400 richest Americans (No. 149); ranked fourth among Minnesotans

Purchase price of team: $88.5 million in 1994

Current value of team: $308 million, according to Forbes' 2007 NBA team valuations

Management style: An inquisitive, empowering leader who has become more involved in staff meetings and stepped forward to close the deal with fellow NBA owners on last summer's Kevin Garnett trade and the draft-night trade that swapped O.J. Mayo for Kevin Love and Mike Miller.

Biggest success as a sports owner: Bought the team from expansion owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner, saving it from being sold to a group that intended to move the franchise to New Orleans.

Biggest failure as a sports owner: Did not parlay superstar Garnett's presence for 12 seasons into anything more than one unforgettable season, a springtime run to the 2004 Western Conference finals.

Summing it up: "I can go a month without talking to Glen and then I talk to him every day for three weeks, depending on what's going on. He's not a guy who's going to call up every day and wonder if there's anything new from yesterday." -- Kevin McHale, Wolves vice president of basketball operations

Jerry Zgoda

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