Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola will be secretary of the Army
Donald Trump added another billionaire to his team, naming Florida Panthers hockey team owner Vincent “Vinnie” Viola secretary of the Army Monday.
Viola, the founder and executive chairman of Virtu Financial, is also a former infantry officer who served in the 101st Airborne Division and graduated from West Point.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index pegs Viola’s net worth at $2.3 billion. His electronic market-making firm Virtu, which Viola founded in 2002, went public last year. Viola, who is the majority shareholder of Virtu, will step down as chairman, he “doesn’t plan to divest his holdings in the high-frequency trading firm,” Marketwatch reported.
According to a press release issued by the Trump transition team, Viola, who was the chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange during the time of the 9/11 attacks, also founded the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.
Mr. Trump said in a statement, “Whether it is his distinguished military service or highly impressive track record in the world of business, Vinnie has proved throughout his life that he knows how to be a leader and deliver major results in the face of any challenge. He is a man of outstanding work ethic, integrity, and strategic vision, with an exceptional ability to motivate others.”