Jerral Wayne "Jerry" Jones Sr. (born October 13, 1942) is a billionaire businessman best known as the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, a position he has held since purchasing the team from Bum Bright in 1989. Raised in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Jones was a running back in high school before becoming co-captain of the University of Arkansas' 1964 national championship football team, where he played alongside future Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson. After college, he briefly tried a Shakey's Pizza franchise funded by Teamsters loans, which failed, before joining his father's successful insurance company and later striking it rich in the oil and gas exploration business. His family also established the Buena Vista Animal Paradise on their 5,500-acre ranch in Missouri, which later became the Wild Animal Safari. As Cowboys owner, he famously hired his college teammate Jimmy Johnson as head coach, leading the team to multiple Super Bowl victories and transforming the franchise into one of the most valuable sports teams in the world.