A buzz of excitement and joy seems to have been born once again in the city of Atlanta. For the first time since 1985, the Atlanta Hawks will get to select the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft. Although, the news does come in between complicated times. It is believed that the franchise’s ace, Trae Young, could be wanting a move-out.

But with the number one pick in hand, the Hawks front office and management have some difficult decisions to make. Do they keep the coveted pick and look forward to rebuilding? Do they sacrifice the selection to add a third star besides Young and Dejounte Murray? A lot rides on the organization’s methods of handling their advantageous position.

Amongst the decision-makers are, of course, the owners. Owned by a billionaire couple, one-half of them made their rise to fame in the entertainment industry. Renowned as a talented actress, let’s learn more about Hawks’ owner Jami Gertz.

Jami Gertz began her career as an actress

Born out of Chicago, Gertz first realized her ambitions of wanting to be an actor when she was just in the fifth grade. She played the role of Dorothy during the production of Wizard of Oz, which kick-started her acting career. The turning point was when she won a talent search sponsored by Norman Lear.

She made her film debut in 1981, playing the lead in the movie Endless Love. In the following years, her innate talent and composure in front of the camera landed her some major roles. The 58-year-old is known for her roles in sitcoms Still Standing and The Neighbors. She has also made cameos in popular shows such as The Modern Family.

The unusual love story of Gertz and Tony Ressler

From a singular look at their current profiles, one would believe Gertz only ‘married the rich guy’. However, this is a story of pure and compassionate love between two people. While at the height of her fame, her publicist introduced her to Ressler. The now-billionaire was only a simple banker back then, not a loaded businessman.

“I made more money — way more money — than Tony when I met him,” the actress recalled in 2018. “I paid for our first house. I paid for our first vacation. I married him because I fell in love with him,”.

After meeting at a party, Ressler sent flowers to Gertz’s dressing room after asking her for brunch. From there began their love story. Two years after maintaining a healthy and loving relationship, they decided to commit to their future. They tied the knot in 1989 and have been happily together ever since. The couple also has three sons and a daughter – Oliver, Nicholas, Theo, and Abigail, respectively.

Since Ressler imploded with his successful ventures, Gertz is estimated to have a net worth of $8 billion.

The Atlanta Hawks and other successful businesses between the couple

As mentioned above, Tony Resler didn’t always have a $11.1 billion fortune. His break came in 1990. Joining hands with his brother-in-law, Ressler started Apollo Global. Later it would amount to the beginning of Ares Management, one of the most successful asset management companies in the world. As of 2018, they were handling assets worth around $125 billion.

In 2015, Ressler set his eyes on the Atlanta Hawks. He purchased the team for $720 million. Being camera shy, he rarely appears in front of the camera. Hence, Jami Gertz involved herself in media and promotion-related activities. She has represented the franchise during the draft lottery on three occasions and always makes an appearance during media day.

The couple is also part of the investment group that owns the Milwaukee Brewers. Apart from such investments, the pair also dedicate their resources to philanthropic activities. They started the Ressler Gertz Family Foundation in Atlanta to provide aid to Black-owned businesses.