Jim Warsaw is recognized worldwide for his pioneering work in the sports industry. In 1928 his father, David Warsaw, founded Sports Specialties Corporation, which was the first company to sign a licensing contract with a professional sports team. While creating and manufacturing sports souvenirs at his Chicago-based company, he came up with the idea for ashtrays in the shape of Wrigley Field and selling them to Cubs fans.

He approached Cubs owner Phil Wrigley for permission to sell them at Wrigley Field and won him over when he agreed to pay him a “royalty” on every ashtray sold. As his business grew, so did his ideas. In addition to the ashtrays, David patented a miniature ceramic baseball player, whose head bounced on a small spring. Today this doll is known around the world as the “bobble-head doll”.

Jim entered the family business in 1969 along with his brother, Robert. Together the Warsaw family grew Sports Specialties into the world’s leading licensed sports headwear company. In 1963, Sports Specialties became the first official licensee of the National Football League, and also was the first to be named as an official championship locker room headwear supplier for special sports events such as Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, All-Star Games and the NCAA Final Four. During the 1970's, Jim headed company offices in Hong Kong, Manila and Chicago and from 1981 to 1993 he served as president.

Under Jim’s leadership Sports Specialties secured the first “Authentics” license agreement in professional sports when the NFL “ProLine” was created in 1984. In addition, the company’s signature 100% wool sized caps, The “Pro”, were the first contracts for “on field” authentic headwear for the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, and Major League Baseball, the 1992 Olympic Basketball Dream Team, as well as over 80 countries in the International Baseball Association.

Like his late father, David, and his mother Anne, Jim has always had great vision and a commitment to the community at large and higher education. It was these same strengths and commitment to young people that inspired him to support the launch of the James H. Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon, his alma mater. The educational foundation for the Center was nurtured during his undergrad years at the U of O, and its growth has been fostered by Jim’s vision of a Center whose values are based on passion, integrity and leadership. Jim’s philosophy that greater opportunities stem from a more diverse and well educated work force gives him optimism that the performance and image of the industry will be enhanced in the years to come.

For Jim Warsaw, the greatest reward for a decade worth of success is witnessing the growth of current students and alumni and their impact on the sports business. “Our mission of passion, integrity, and leadership is a statement that represents who we are,” says Jim. “It also represents our values and philosophy. I know we are making the industry better, one graduate at a time. If the word ‘character’ has meaning, I know it stands strong here.”

Since 1988, Jim has served on the Business Advisory Council at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business, and has served on the U of O’s Board of Trustees since 1996. He currently serves on many boards across the country including the Los Angeles Sports Council, the Giving Back Fund, the University of California, Irvine Athletic Advisors Board, the National Board of Governors of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation, the Brain Imaging Center at the University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine, the Byron Scott Children’s Charities and consults on sports business issues around the world. He is the founder of James H. Warsaw Foundation to Cure Parkinson’s Disease, Co- founder at the Cure Parkinson’s Program at the Giving Back Fund, and is a leading national patient advocate to cure Parkinson’s Disease. Jim’s energy enthusiasm, and optimism is an inspiration to all.

Jim and his wife of 27 years, Ellyne, have three sons Bryan, Zak, and Kyle who are the pride of their family. His family resides in Newport Beach, California.