All About the Boston Celtics Owner: Wealth, Family, and Background

Founded in 1946, the Boston Celtics became one of the most successful teams in the NBA as they are part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics hold the record for the most NBA championships with 18 titles, including an incredible run of 11 championships in 13 seasons from 1957 to 1969, led by Bill Russell and coach Red Auerbach. They always formed a strong team featuring legends like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, and now Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, most recently winning the 2024 NBA Championship.

Team ownership is incredibly vital in the NBA because owners are the ultimate decision-makers and the financial backbone of a franchise. Beyond money, ownership sets the team culture and vision, influencing everything from front office hirings (General Managers, coaches) to long-term roster construction. Engaged and respected owners, like the late Jerry Buss of the Lakers or the recent run with the Boston Celtics' ownership, build environments where players and staff can thrive. So let us explore who the Boston Celtics Owner is.

Who is the Boston Celtics' Owner?

The Boston Celtics recently underwent a significant ownership change. While Wycliffe "Wyc" Grousbeck has been the prominent lead owner and Governor for over two decades, leading the group known as Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C. that purchased the team in 2002, a new primary Boston Celtics Owner has emerged.

For answering the question Who is Boston Celtics Owner, in March 2025, a group led by William Chisholm agreed to acquire a majority stake in the Boston Celtics in a deal that valued the franchise at a record $6.1 billion. This makes Chisholm the new Principal Owner and Governor-designate. Chisholm's group includes other notable businessmen like Rob Hale and Bruce Beal Jr., as well as the private equity firm Sixth Street, which is committing over $1 billion as an equity partner. The deal involves Chisholm's group acquiring an initial 51% majority stake this summer (2025), with the remaining shares owned by the Grousbeck family to be fully sold by 2028. Wyc Grousbeck, however, is expected to remain as CEO and Governor of the Celtics until the end of the 2027-28 NBA season, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity in leadership.

If we talk about William Chisholm, he is a Californian entrepreneur and the managing partner of Symphony Technology Group (STG), a private equity firm. As a lifelong Celtics fan, becoming an owner of the team is a dream come true moment. His business background is rooted in private equity, focusing on technology and media investments. William bought the team for approximately $6.1 billion from the Grousebeck family group. Under their management, the Celtics won two NBA championships (2008, 2024).

William Chisholm Personal Life

William "Bill" Chisholm, the new Principal Boston Celtics Owner and Governor-designate of the Boston Celtics, boasts a strong academic background. He earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Dartmouth College in 1991, where he also played on the soccer team. He further continued his education by receiving a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Beyond his impressive professional career, Chisholm was always a die hard fan of the Celtics. He was born and raised in Georgetown, Massachusetts, and has been a Celtics fan his entire life, even admitting to possessing an "encyclopedic knowledge" of the team.

He is married to Kimberly Ford Chisholm and has three children, all of whom have also attended Dartmouth College, showcasing a strong family tradition tied to their alma mater. While his primary residence is in Atherton, California, he maintains a summer home in Nantucket and has expressed intentions to purchase a home in Boston, emphasizing his commitment to the team's home city.

William Chisholm Wife

William Chisholm wife is Kimberly Ford Chisholm. They met during their undergraduate years at Dartmouth College, where both are alumni from the Class of 1991. While the exact date of their marriage isn't widely publicized, their relationship spans decades, rooted in their shared college experience. Other than being a mother of three children, she is also a writer and literary lecturer, and she holds advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley.

The couple has three children, Will, Quentin, and Aidan, all of them have followed in their parents' footsteps by also attending Dartmouth College. Their family maintains strong ties to their alma mater and the New England area, despite primarily residing in California. She is also famous for her philanthropic efforts in support of Type 1 diabetes research.

William Chisholm Kids

As mentioned above, William Chisholm and his wife, Kimberly Ford Chisholm, have three children. William Chisholm kids are Will, Aidan, and Quentin. William Chisholm's kids followed in their parents' footsteps by attending Dartmouth College, the same alma mater as Bill and Kimberly.

The family is known for their philanthropy work, as their son, Will, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a young age. In 2013, Will represented California at the Breakthrough T1D Children’s Congress, advocating for research funding. His brother Aidan raised over $12,000 through two “Fawn Fashion” shows. Their entire family joined the Silicon Valley Walk. Their children's involvement in these efforts, alongside their academic achievements, demonstrates a family dedicated to both education and giving back to the community.

Boston Celtics Owner Net Worth

While the Boston Celtics Owner net worth has not been publicly disclosed, various sources estimate it to be in the high hundreds of millions to potentially several billion dollars. Some reports, particularly around the time of the Celtics' acquisition, placed estimates in the range of $7.5 billion to $10 billion, though these figures can fluctuate and are often based on the assets under management of his firm. Forbes noted his estimated net worth as “north of $3 billion”.

The vast majority of Chisholm's wealth stems from his career in private equity, specifically in the technology sector. As per known before, he is the co-founder, managing partner, and Chief Investment Officer of Symphony Technology Group (STG), a prominent private equity firm based in Menlo Park, California. STG specializes in investing in and building leading software and software-enabled technology services companies, particularly in the mid-market.

​Under Chisholm's leadership, STG has been involved in numerous strategic acquisitions and mergers. For example, STG acquired McAfee Enterprise and FireEye's enterprise business, combining them to create the cybersecurity company Trellix. They also acquired RSA Security, transforming it into an independent cybersecurity entity, and have made significant investments in companies like Avid Technology, Dynatrace (which went public with a multi-billion dollar valuation), and SurveyMonkey (Momentive). As of March 2025, STG reportedly managed approximately billion in assets for its clients.

Before co-founding STG in 2002 (as Symphony Technology Group, later reorganized to STG Partners), Chisholm also co-founded The Valent Group, an early-stage venture firm, and held positions at prestigious firms like Bain & Company and PaineWebber, Inc.

Ownership History of the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics was founded in 1946 by Walter A. Brown, who also managed the Boston Garden. Brown was a pioneering figure in early basketball, instrumental in the merger that formed the NBA. He remained the Boston Celtics' Owner until the late 1970s.

In 1978, the Celtics saw an unusual ownership swap when Irv Levin, owner of the team at the time, essentially traded franchises with John Y. Brown Jr., who owned the Buffalo Braves. This deal allowed Levin to pursue a team in California. John Y. Brown Jr. then controlled the Celtics during a period of rebuilding that eventually led to the drafting of Larry Bird. Later, in 1983, control of the team was sold by Harry Mangurian (who had acquired Brown's interest) to a group led by Don F. Gaston, Paul R. Dupee Jr., and Alan N. Cohen. This group made history in 1986 by taking the Celtics public, selling limited partnership shares to the general public, making it the first sports franchise to do so.

This public ownership period lasted until 2002, when a group known as Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C., led by Wyc Grousbeck, H. Irving Grousbeck, and Stephen Pagliuca, purchased all outstanding shares and returned the team to private ownership for $360 million. This ownership group presided over the Celtics' 2008 and 2024 NBA championships. Most recently, in March 2025, control of the team began transitioning to a new group led by William "Bill" Chisholm, in a record-breaking $6.1 billion deal. Wyc Grousbeck is expected to remain involved for a transition period. In the table below, we have presented the Boston Celtics Ownership History:

Impact on the Team’s Success

As it's pretty clear that who owns an NBA team makes a huge difference, especially when we look at the Boston Celtics. The Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C., led by Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca from 2002 to 2025, exemplified this. They made some super smart moves, like giving their GM, Danny Ainge, the green light to go big and trade for stars like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2007, and we know that move has instantly led to the 2008 NBA Championship. More recently, they kept showing that commitment, promoting Brad Stevens to a top executive role and then pulling off major trades for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. That dedication paid off big time with the 2024 NBA Championship! While the Celtics play at the TD Garden, which they do not own, the ownership has invested in state-of-the-art training facilities, enhancing player development and recruitment. Under their tenure, the Celtics have made 6 NBA Finals appearances (2008, 2010, 2022, 2024) and reached the playoffs in 18 out of 23 seasons, consistently maintaining the team's status as an NBA powerhouse. And now with the new Boston Celtics Owner, we look forward to knowing about his guidance for the team.