Peter Holt

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Peter Holt's path to sports ownership began with his family's deep roots in heavy machinery. He is the great-grandson of Benjamin Holt, developer of the first practical track-type tractor. His family established their San Antonio presence in 1933 when his great-uncle William K. Holt started a Caterpillar dealership. After his father B.D. Holt moved to Corpus Christi in 1961 to open his own branch, Peter served two years in the U.S. Army, including a one-year tour as an infantryman in Vietnam. He left the service with the rank of sergeant, earning a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart. After working briefly in California's investment banking and restaurant sectors, he rejoined his father in 1983. By September 1987, they purchased Holt Machinery Co. in San Antonio, reuniting the original dealership founded in 1933. In 2002, he expanded further by acquiring Darr Equipment Company of Dallas.

In Their Own Story

In 1993, Holt made a pivotal decision to invest in the San Antonio Spurs with one clear goal: keeping the team in San Antonio. He and his wife Julianna became principal owners, later expanding their holdings to include the Austin Toros (now Austin Spurs), the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League, and the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars. To secure the franchise's future, Holt led a successful effort for a ballot measure providing public funding for a new arena. Ground broke on the AT&T Center in August 2000, opening for the 2002 season as the new home for the Spurs and the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. During his tenure as owner, the team secured five NBA championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. With each franchise addition, the team colors were unified to silver and black.

Reader's Guide

Peter Holt retired as owner in 2016, succeeded by his wife Julianna, who was later succeeded by their son Peter J. Holt. Since 2018, Peter John Holt and Corinna Holt Richter have shared leadership of the family's Caterpillar business, HoltCat. The family also owns the Austin Spurs (NBA G League), winning championships in 2012 and 2018 under the Holt ownership umbrella. Beyond sports and machinery, Holt served as Chairman of the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, a trustee for the Palmer Drug Abuse Program, and chairman of St. Mary's Hall board. A frequent Republican donor, he contributed over $500,000 to Governor Rick Perry's campaigns, leading to his appointment as a commissioner for the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife. He was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2004.

Did You Know?

• Holt served as an infantryman in Vietnam and ended his military duty as a sergeant with a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart.
• He led the effort to pass a ballot measure for public funding that built the AT&T Center, which broke ground in August 2000.
• Under his ownership, the Spurs won five NBA championships: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014.
• His family re-united the original San Antonio Caterpillar dealership in September 1987, which had been started by his great-uncle William K. Holt in 1933.