Paul Fireman

Personal life

Fireman and his wife Phyllis and subsequently captured the bronze medal representing the U.S. in Chennai, India at the World Bridge Championships in 2015.

Career Fireman began his career at age 18 working in the family business, Boston Camping, selling outdoor sporting goods and fishing tackle for 15 years. Fireman acquired the North American sales rights to Reebok in 1979 and eventually bought the English-based parent company outright in 1984.

Fireman sold Reebok to Adidas in 2005 for $3.8 billion; Fireman himself made $800 million from the deal. He is currently the Chairman of Fireman Capital Partners, a Boston-based, consumer-focused private equity firm founded in 2008 with his son Dan, the firm's Managing Partner.

Golf course development

Fireman has been active in golf course development and in 1991 he purchased Willowbend Country Club (Mashpee, Massachusetts). The development of additional courses followed that included Rio Mar Resort and Country Club (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico), Costa Caribe Golf and Country Club (Ponce, Puerto Rico), Coco Beach Golf and Country Club (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico), The Ranch Golf Club (Southwick, Massachusetts), and Starr Pass Club (Tucson, Arizona). It site had formerly housed an ammunition depot during World War I, a prisoner of war camp during World War II, and later an oil refinery and warehouse for industrial goods, having become a "a toxic moonscape of corroded oil tanks, contaminated soil, and rusting warehouses" by 1999 (Forbes). Although Fireman has publicly taken credit for paying to redevelop the "former toxic Superfund site", It is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the world, with initial membership fees contemplated at $500,000 to $750,000 in 2004.

In 2017 Fireman spearheaded a push to expand the golf club by 3 holes by acquiring the Caven Point section of Liberty State Park, which is a migratory bird habitat, sparking a controversy amongst Jersey City community members and environmental activists. The attempted acquisition of Caven Point by private developers also inspired proposed legislation entitled The "Liberty State Park Protection Act", which would permanently protect much of the park from privatization.

Fireman responded to criticism of the proposed Liberty State Park redevelopment by supporting a communications campaign that characterized the project as a matter of social equity. A social media initiative funded by Fireman opposed the public redevelopment plan, arguing that it limited participation from communities of color and raising questions about representation in the park's decision-making process.

The golf club also received $751,452 through the federal Paycheck Protection Program, (PPP), a COVID-19 relief initiative intended to assist businesses affected by pandemic-related shutdowns.

Since its opening in 2006, Liberty National has hosted three FedEx Cup playoff tournaments (The Barclays in 2009, 2013 and The Northern Trust in 2019, 2021) and the Presidents Cup in 2017. Liberty National also hosts junior golf tournaments (AJGA Polo Junior Classic 2019, 2021) and the First Tee of New Jersey.

Other activities In 2010, Fireman placed his Winecup-Gamble Ranch up for sale for $50 million.

In 2014, Fireman proposed a $4.6 billion project on New Jersey's Gold Coast, which would include a 95-story tower with a casino and 100,000-seat motor sport stadium. The New Jersey Constitution does not allow casinos outside of Atlantic City. After numerous polls showed that Question 1 had no chance to pass, Fireman, along with Jeff Gural, pulled their financial support for the measure. Bill Cortese, the leader of Trenton's Bad Bet, a group opposed to the question, said, "Trenton's Bad Bet will not be distracted by billionaire developers throwing temper tantrums because they don't get what they want." In 2016, the New Jersey Casino Expansion Amendment (2016) ballot question was put before New Jersey voters asking them if they would allow the expansion of casino gambling outside Atlantic City via a constitutional amendment. Voters rejected the ballot question by a margin of 77% to 23% effectively ending the casino proposal.

Philanthropy and political contributions

The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation was established in 1985.

Fireman is a supporter of The First Tee whose mission is to "impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy habits through the game of golf."

In September 2024, Fireman and his son Dan established the Liberty National Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports youth, veterans, and first responders through golf-related and other charitable programs. The foundation announced a pledge of $100 million in donations over the next decade and has partnered with TGR foundation to launch a fully funded scholarship. In October, 2025 the foundation announced their Liberty National ACE Grant program had reached over $9 million in reimbursements. thumb Paul and Phyllis Fireman after donating Bullard Thermal Imaging Cameras to the Brockton City Fire Department in 2000.

Campaign contributions Fireman donated $250,000 to Republican Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, but he has also donated to Democratic Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker and several other candidate and committees of both parties. Fireman donated $1 million to the 2016 presidential campaign of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Awards

The Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award, 1987 Thurgood Marshall Corporate Leadership Award Northeastern University Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humanities, 1990 Babson College, Honorary Degree, LL.D. Doctor of Laws, 1994 Tabor Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, 2007 Suffolk University Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree, Doctor of Commerce, 2013 Mannie Jackson Award, 2015 Sports Business Journal Lifetime Achievement Award, 2015