Perry Rogers, President, Agassi Enterprises, Andre Agassi Foundation
By the time they were barely 13 years old, two best friends from Las Vegas shared an extraordinary dream to one day do something special to make a difference in the lives of other young people, especially in the lives of disadvantaged children.
And what a difference this top doubles team has made and continues to make. Andre Agassi, 35, has become one of tennis’ greatest icons and most philanthropic athletes in the world. Perry Rogers, 37, serves as Agassi’s agent and manager and president of Agassi Enterprises. He is also the president of the Andre Agassi Char-itable Foundation and chairman of the governing body of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.
"You are only limited by what you believe," states Rogers with conviction from his beautifully appointed office overlooking the busy Las Vegas Strip. Rogers adds, "I would assume there is probably over $16 billion invested from the Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere, with over $2 billion alone in Wynn Las Vegas. This is the ultimate for the American entrepreneur. The pace is only limited by someone’s imagination and creativity. Las Vegas is still the open frontier for anyone with a dream."
Rogers, a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Arizona School of Law, says he hit the ground running. In fact, by age 25, he was in charge of negotiating Agassi’s contract with Nike, which ultimately resulted in a $120 million deal over 10 years. "I thought this was the best job in the world, and I still do.
"When Andre was just 23, he took a chance and we set up the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation. We decided we would hold a concert as a fund-raiser. Andre called Elton John to ask him if he might be able to help us and before he finished his sentence, Elton said absolutely, he was in."
In ten years, the Foundation’s annual Grand Slam for Children concert has raised more than $52 million for programs that provide recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk youth.
Leading superstar entertainers such as Billy Joel, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Robin Williams, Celine Dion, Sheryl Crow, Ray Romano and Barbra Strei-sand have participated. Under Rogers’ keen and watchful eye as president, 100% of the money raised goes di-rectly to local Las Vegas charities.
"We are very proud of the Andre Agassi Boys and Girls Club and the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. We opened the club in 1997. It now has 2,000 members, and more than 400 kids a day use the club in the summer. The charter school really developed from the Boys and Girls Club. We needed to have more time with the kids during the week and felt a charter school would make a great impact. We opened the school in 2001. Everyone in this community has embraced it. I love it."
The two also are major investors in the local business community, from a stake in Nevada First Bank to res-taurants including Nobhill, Seablue and Sedona.
In addition to Andre Agassi, Rogers represents several other world-class athletes, including Miami Heat su-perstar Shaquille O’Neal. In one corner of Rogers’ office is a photo of his young daughter sitting with Shaq, her eyes gazing in awe at the 7-foot giant who wears size 23 sneakers. From Agassi to O’Neal, to the Las Vegas community, Perry Rogers is leaving his own unique footprints and creating memorable results for all around him.
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