Marie Denise DeBartolo York (born 1950) is an American billionaire businesswoman, who is the co-chairwoman of the San Francisco 49ers, as well as the English soccer team Leeds United and also owner of Scottish soccer team Rangers F.C. through 49ers Enterprises. She is the daughter of the construction magnate Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. and Marie Patricia Montani DeBartolo.
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Early life
DeBartolo grew up in a family famous for real estate development. She graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School in 1968. She attended Saint Mary's College of Indiana, a Catholic women's college near the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1972.
Career
After graduation, she joined the family business, The DeBartolo Corporation, and became its executive vice president. In 1994, following her father's death, she became company co-chairman and all 78 DeBartolo malls were sold.
In 1978, Edward DeBartolo purchased the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. and established DeBartolo York as owner and president. She presided over the Penguins 1990–91 championship season, and was the third woman to serve as president of a Stanley Cup-winning team. In 1991, following the championship, she sold the Penguins to assist the DeBartolo Corporation, which was facing challenges in the aftermath of the real estate collapse of 1987.