John L. Nau

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John L. Nau III is an American businessman who leads Silver Eagle Beverages as chairman and CEO. The company is one of the largest Anheuser-Busch distributors in the United States, with more than 500 employees serving the San Antonio area and 12 counties in southwest Texas. Silver Eagle also distributes Grupo Modelo beers, a wide range of national and local beers, and several non-alcoholic drinks.

Nau has held many public and civic roles. He was the chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation from 2001 to 2010, a position appointed by the U.S. president, and he served as chairman of the Texas Historical Commission from 1995 to 2009. He sits on numerous boards, including the National Park Foundation, the American Battlefield Trust, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation, the Andrew Jackson Foundation, Baylor College of Medicine, and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The Corcoran Department of History at the University of Virginia is named Nau Hall in recognition of his significant support, including a lead gift of $11 million as part of a larger $44 million commitment to the study of democracy and history. In 2023, he was reappointed to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors by Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Politically, Nau has been a major donor to the Republican Party, especially in Texas. He has served as the national finance chairman for Senator John Cornyn and has contributed to American Crossroads and Governor Greg Abbott. He lives in Houston, Texas, with two daughters and five grandchildren. He also owns a large ranch in West Texas, about 87,000 acres, managed by Roy Avila.