Charles "Charlie" Ergen is an American businessman and the co-founder and chairman of DISH Network and EchoStar Communications Corporation.
Born in 1953 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Ergen earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and his MBA from Wake Forest University.
DISH Network Corporation is a U.S.-based telecommunications company primarily known for its direct-broadcast satellite television services. Founded in 1980 by Charlie Ergen, Candy Ergen, and James DeFranco, DISH Network started as a satellite television equipment distributor called EchoStar. In 1996, the company launched its own satellite and started providing direct-broadcast satellite (DBS) services under the brand name DISH Network. The company is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.
Key aspects of DISH Network include: