René Fontès
{{Short description|French sports executive and politician (1941–2019)}}
File:René Fontès 01.jpg, 2010]]
René Fontès (11 June 1941 – 17 March 2019) was a French rugby union executive and politician. He was the club president of Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne from 2004 to 2013. He was also mayor of the Eygalières commune in Bouches-du-Rhône from 2008 until his death in 2019.
Biography
Born in Saint-Martin-de-Crau, Bouches-du-Rhône, Fontès joined the tyre manufacturer Michelin in 1964 as an electrical engineer. He spent a total of 40 years at Michelin, and, from 1986, was director of the company's European operation before leaving in 2004.{{Cite web|url=https://www.institut-numerique.org/3-une-omnipresence-de-michelin-dans-le-club-4df0df2803522|title=3. Une omniprésence de Michelin dans le club|lang=fr|date=9 June 2011|accessdate=6 April 2019|work=Institut Numérique}}{{Cite news|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/puy-de-dome/clermont-ferrand/asm-clermont-ancien-president-rene-fontes-est-decede-1640106.html|title=ASM Clermont : l’ancien président René Fontès est décédé|lang=fr|first1=Cyrille|last1=Genet|work=France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes|date=17 March 2019|accessdate=6 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/article/19980706/ISSUE/307069988?template=printart|title=Michelin to build addition to earthmover tire plant|work=Tire Business|date=6 July 1998|location=Lexington, South Carolina, US|first1=Brad|last1=Dawson|accessdate=6 April 2019}} He succeeded Jean-Louis Jourdan as club president of rugby union club Clermont Auvergne in July 2004.{{Cite news|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/puy-de-dome/clermont-ferrand/jean-louis-jourdan-ancien-president-asm-clermont-auvergne-1996-2004-est-decede-1512921.html|title=Jean-Louis Jourdan, ancien président de l'ASM Clermont Auvergne de 1996 à 2004, est décédé|lang=fr|first1=Laurent|last1=Pastural|work=France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes|date=15 July 2015|accessdate=6 April 2019}} During his time as president, Clermont were victorious in their 2006–07 European Challenge Cup campaign, and also won their first domestic league title in 2009–10.{{Cite web|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/featured-post/16550/bath-chief-bruce-craig-will-be-director-of-new-champions-cup/|title=Bath chief Bruce Craig will be director of new Champions Cup|date=28 May 2014|accessdate=6 April 2019|first1=Peter|last1=Jackson|work=The Rugby Paper}} He also oversaw expansion of the club's stadium, Stade Marcel-Michelin, while serving as president. Fontès left his role at Clermont in June 2013, and was subsequently replaced by Éric de Cromières.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2015/06/04/2117914-clermont-eric-de-cromieres-un-president-trop-discret.html|title=Clermont : Eric De Cromières, un président trop discret ?|lang=fr|work=La Dépêche du Midi|date=4 June 2015|accessdate=6 April 2019}}
Fontès was elected mayor of the Bouches-du-Rhône commune of Eygalières, in March 2008. He was re-elected in March 2014, and died in office in 2019. From 2011 until his death, Fontès was a board member of the National Rugby League (LNR),{{Cite news|url=https://www.epcrugby.com/2019/03/18/quarter-final-tribute-for-key-epcr-figure/|title=Quarter-final tribute for key EPCR figure|publisher=European Professional Club Rugby|date=18 March 2019|accessdate=6 April 2019}} and represented the LNR on the committees of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) and the French Rugby Federation (FFR).{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/gallery/what-you-need-know-rugby-7468925|title=What you need to know about the Rugby Champions Cup|work=Wales Online|first1=Gareth|last1=Rogers|date=21 July 2014|accessdate=6 April 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/La-liste-de-bernard-laporte-en-tete-a-l-election-du-comite-directeur-de-la-federation-francaise-de-rugby-ffr/756014|title=La liste de Bernard Laporte en tête à l'élection du comité directeur de la Fédération française de rugby (FFR)|lang=fr|work=L'Équipe|date=3 December 2016|accessdate=6 April 2019}}
Fontès was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 2011.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferrand/2011/12/11/rene-fontes-est-a-la-tete-du-club-clermontois_123664.html|title=René Fontès est à la tête du club clermontois|lang=fr|work=La Montagne|date=11 December 2011|accessdate=6 April 2019}} On 17 March 2019, he died of a sudden heart attack in Eygalières, at the age of 77.
References
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Category:ASM Clermont Auvergne
Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour
Category:French rugby union chairmen and investors
Category:French sports executives and administrators