Cullman, Joe

Joseph Frederick Cullman III

Cullman is the Chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. As Chairman and CEO of Phillip Morris, he started the Virginia Slims Tour at a time when that circuit firmly established womens tennis as a popular attraction. Along with Gladys Heldman, Cullman had the largest influence on the new women's tour. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1990.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. April 9, 1912

Career Highlights:
Cullman began his activity in the world of tennis in 1968, when he played a large role in televising the U.S. Open; the next two years he was the chairman of that tournament. In the early 1970s, Cullman helped women's tennis when he financed the Virginia Slims circuit, the first independent women's tour. In the 1980s, Joe continued to be a prominent tennis figure, serving as the president and chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. To show his appreciation for Yale University, his alma mater, he built a tennis complex there known as the Cullman Center.

Origin:
New York City

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