F. Wayne Valley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

F. Wayne Valley (center), along fellow Oakland Raiders partners Ed McGah (left) and Al Davis (right)

F. Wayne Valley (1914-1986) was an American businessman, philanthropist and football player. He attended Oregon State University in the 1930s, where he was a starting linebacker and fullback on the Oregon State Beavers football team, though he would ultimately graduate with a business degree from the University of Oregon.^[1]^[2] He would later go on to a successful career in the homebuilding industry, starting his first building business in the late 1940's. He was a very successful businessman His businesses were based in the East Bay city of San Leandro, California where he lived. He and his family and later moved to Piedmont, California in the late 1960s.

He was one of the original owners of the Oakland Raiders football team, and a founding member of the American Football League. He was the managing general partner of the team until forced out of this role by current managing partner Al Davis in 1972; Valley subsequently sold his stake in 1976.^[3] Along with his wife, Gladys L. Valley, they left the majority of their net worth the the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation, based in Oakland, California.^[4]

Valley died in 1986; his wife continued to operate the Foundation until her death in 1998. The foundation is a key donor to OSU, both academically and athletically; the Valley Library and Valley Football Center at OSU are both named in their honor.^[5]