Brad Kelley

Brad Kelley: Career Highlights

Growing up on a farm that cultivated tobacco, Kelley's early business ventures were largely influenced by the changing landscape of the tobacco industry. He recognized an opportunity in the market and began purchasing vacant warehouses in Kentucky, transforming them into various usable spaces, and subsequently leasing them out.

In 1991, Kelley founded Commonwealth Brands, a tobacco company that specialized in producing low-cost cigarettes. This venture proved to be highly successful, and in 2001, he sold Commonwealth Brands to Houchens Industries for an impressive sum of US$1 billion.

Kelley's business acumen extended beyond the tobacco industry. In May 2012, he became the operator of the renowned Calumet Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. He also held the distinction of being the largest shareholder and a board member of Churchill Downs, a prominent horse racing facility.

In the realm of horse racing, Kelley achieved a notable victory when his colt Oxbow won the prestigious Preakness Stakes in May 2013. This triumph further solidified his reputation in the equestrian world.

Kelley's vast business empire includes extensive landholdings. He is ranked as America's ninth-largest private landowner, boasting ownership of approximately 1 million acres of American ranching land spread across Texas, Florida, and New Mexico.

In recent years, Kelley has engaged in significant real estate transactions.

He sold several of his Texas ranches, including a substantial 49,723 acres in San Jacinto and an additional 10,000 acres near Alpine.

Expanding his business portfolio, Kelley ventured into the publishing industry by acquiring Lonely Planet, a renowned guidebook publisher, through his company NC2 Media in March 2013. However, in December 2020, he sold Lonely Planet to Red Ventures.