David Tepper

David Alan Tepper (born September 11, 1957) is an American billionaire investor and hedge fund manager who founded Appaloosa Management in 1993, specializing in distressed debt and equity investments. After rising through roles at Goldman Sachs, where he headed the high-yield bond desk, Tepper launched Appaloosa with $57 million in assets, growing it into a powerhouse that delivered exceptional returns, including a reported $4 billion profit in 2009 from contrarian bets on recovering financial institutions amid the global financial crisis. He later transitioned Appaloosa into primarily managing his personal capital, with $17 billion under management as of recent estimates.

Tepper expanded into sports ownership by acquiring the NFL's Carolina Panthers in 2018 for a record $2.3 billion, along with the MLS expansion team Charlotte FC. His tenure as Panthers owner has drawn scrutiny for frequent coaching changes, meddling in operations, and a poor on-field record of 36-82 through 2025, culminating in incidents like a $300,000 NFL fine for tossing a drink toward fans in 2023. Despite such controversies, Tepper's investment acumen has amassed a net worth of $23.7 billion as of the 2025 Forbes 400, ranking him among the wealthiest Americans, bolstered by philanthropy including major donations to Carnegie Mellon University, which named its business school after him.

David Tepper was born on September 11, 1957, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Jewish parents Harry and Roberta Tepper. His father worked as an accountant, while his mother was an elementary school teacher. As the middle child among three siblings, Tepper grew up in the Stanton Heights neighborhood, a working-class area characterized by modest brick homes built around 1950.