Florida Panthers owner Vincent "Vinnie" Viola has been nominated to serve as Secretary of the Army under President Donald Trump.
The billionaire financier is a 1977 graduate of the United States Military Academy and served as an officer in the 101st Airborne Division before going to law school and taking a job on Wall Street. He later founded Virtu Financial and spent 2001-04 as chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
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After the 9/11 terror attacks, Viola founded the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.
"Viola’s business experience makes him well positioned to help guide a Fortune 10-sized company, the U.S. Army, to accomplish its broad mission in the most innovative and efficient way possible," a news release from Trump's transition team said.
The 60-year-old Brooklyn native was estimated to be worth $2.2 billion by Forbes last year. He bought the Panthers in September 2013.
“If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to provide our President with the land force he will need to accomplish any mission in support of his National Defense Strategy," Viola said in a release. "A primary focus of my leadership will be ensuring that America’s soldiers have the ways and means to fight and win across the full spectrum of conflict. This great honor comes with great responsibility, and I will fight for the American people and their right to live free every day.”
