Statement from Pacers Sports & Entertainment Owner Herbert Simon, the Simon Family, and Pacers Sports & Entertainment on the passing of Jim Morris
“There are no words that would do justice to how consequential Jim’s life truly was. To his very last day, he was hard at work bringing people together to help those most in need and make our city and our state stronger, more civil, and more united. No one loved Indiana and Indianapolis more than Jim. To us, though, Jim was family, a lifelong friend, a mentor, and the ultimate fan. He was a constant presence in Gainbridge Fieldhouse and an endless source of optimism on the future of his beloved Pacers, Fever and Indiana University. Jim will be sorely missed by all of us, and we will keep him and his family in our prayers now and always.”
ABOUT JIM MORRIS:
James T. Morris was vice chairman of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, joining the company in 2007 following a long and distinguished career as a global, national, state, and local leader and statesman. A graduate of Indiana University with a master’s degree from Butler University, Morris was one of the most influential and impactful leaders in state history and helped shape the economic, social, and cultural landscapes of Indianapolis and Indiana over his sixty-year professional career.
Upon graduating from Indiana University, Morris started his career with American Fletcher National Bank in 1965 before serving as chief of staff to Indianapolis Mayor Richard G. Lugar from 1967-73. In 1973, he joined the Lilly Endowment, ultimately becoming its president and holding that position from 1984-88. Beginning in 1989, he spent 13 years as chairman and chief executive officer for IWC Resources Corporation and Indianapolis Water Company.
Morris’ passion for service and love of children took him next to the United Nations World Food Programme, where he served as executive director for the world’s largest humanitarian agency from 2002-2007. In that role, Morris spent time in some of the world’s most impoverished areas, working alongside world leaders to care for the hungry and poor across the globe, particularly children. Additionally, he served as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the humanitarian crisis in southern Africa during those same years.
Morris also served numerous organizations in a variety of leadership roles, including as a university trustee and board chairman for both Indiana University and Indiana State University. Other significant roles he held include service on the Executive Board of UNICEF, the National Advisory Board for the Boy Scouts of America, the United States Olympic Committee (Treasurer), Riley Children’s Foundation (Chairman Emeritus, the American Red Cross (Board of Governors), Hulman & Company board of directors, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway board of directors, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Indianapolis Power and Light Advisory Board.
Morris’ awards and accolades are too many to count, including 17 honorary doctorates. Two of the most notable are the Sachem Award, given to him by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb in 2021, and the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, given to him by United States President Barack Obama in 2016.