Forty Under 40: Rafael “Buck” Ortega Jr.
by January 1, 2014 12:00 am 3,087 views
You know you’ve made it when you have your own Wikipedia page. Just ask Buck Ortega. The former NFL journeyman and University of Miami tight end has had a charmed life.
Deep-sea fishing off the coast of Florida. Hunting in the Ozarks. A wife, three kids and a house in Cave Springs. And, since February 2012, a fitness franchise in one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. Ortega is owner of three Planet Fitness locations in Northwest Arkansas, and a fourth is under construction.
A born city slicker, Ortega met wife Emily, a Northwest Arkansas native, through mutual friends and they moved to the area. It’s a long way from the sun and surf of South Beach, but Ortega has made the transition.
“It’s a great place to raise a family,” he said.
His gyms, with a membership of over 15,000, are designed for first-timers and those interested in general fitness, not bodybuilders.
“In my playing days, I wouldn’t have worked out at Planet Fitness,” he said.
Ortega played college ball from 2001 to 2005, appeared in back-to-back BCS national championship games and spent three years in the NFL. Though he didn’t make the All-Pro team, Ortega got a lot out of his football career, including a Super Bowl ring with the New Orleans Saints.
“You learn what it’s about to be part of a team, and when you can transfer that to the business world, that’s what it’s all about,” he said.