Jim Kavanaugh

James P. Kavanaugh (born 1963) is an American businessman, and the CEO and co-founder of World Wide Technology.

Jim Kavanaugh
Born	1963 (age 60–61) United States
Alma mater	Saint Louis University
Occupation	CEO of World Wide Technology
Board member of	St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club Saint Louis University Stifel[1] Privoro[2]
Children	3
Website	www.wwt.com/people/jim-p-kavanaugh/

Early life

Kavanaugh received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Saint Louis University in 1986.^[3]

Sports

Kavanaugh played soccer at Saint Louis University. In 1983, he was selected as Missouri amateur player of the year and competed for the United States in the 1983 Pan American Games.^[4] Kavanaugh was also on the U.S. men's team at the 1984 Summer Olympics.^[5][6]

In 1986, Kavanaugh was drafted to the Los Angeles Lazers, a Major Indoor Soccer League team, as the second overall pick.^[7] The following year, he was traded to the St. Louis Steamers.^[8] Kavanaugh was CEO of the United Soccer League's Saint Louis FC from 2014 – 2020, as well as president of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club.^[9][10] In 2012, Kavanaugh purchased a minority stake in the St. Louis Blues hockey team.^[9] He is also a minority investor in St. Louis City SC, a Major League Soccer franchise launched in 2023.^[11]

Career

Kavanaugh with President George W. Bush in 2008

Kavanaugh worked as a sales manager for Future Electronics.^[12] In 1990, Kavanaugh and David Steward co-founded World Wide Technology (WWT), a company that provides technology products and services. He was chief executive officer (CEO), while the company grew to billions of dollars in revenue.^[13] By 2015 it had become one of the largest companies in the St. Louis area.^[14] In 2021, WWT revenues were over $13 billion.^[15]

Awards

• 2022: Junior Achievement of Greater St. Louis Hall of Fame^[16]

References

1. "Jim Kavanaugh", Stifel, retrieved 2023-01-25
2. "Our Team", Privoro, retrieved 2023-01-25
3. "Jim Kavanaugh Honored by St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame", Saint Louis University, 2014-09-26, retrieved 2023-01-25
4. Lyons, Joe (July 26, 2015). "Questions with St. Louis FC's Jim Kavanaugh". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
5. Browne, Ryan (2024-09-19). "Billionaire tech CEO says bosses shouldn't 'BS' employees about the impact AI will have on jobs". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
6. Debter, Lauren (2019-08-08). "The Billionaires Behind The Secret Tech Mecca In America's Heartland". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
7. "Lazers Trade Garcia, Kavanaugh". Los Angeles Times. February 21, 1987. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
8. Debter, Lauren (August 8, 2019). "The Billionaires Behind The Secret Tech Mecca In America's Heartland". Forbes. Retrieved February 15, 2023. In 1986, her was drafted by the Los Angeles Lazers and mov across the country with $25 in his pocket. The next year he was traded to the St. Louis Steamers.
9. Lyons, Joe (July 26, 2015). "5 Questions with St. Louis FC's Jim Kavanaugh". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 15, 2023. Kavanaugh, 52, is also president of the board for St. Louis Scott Gallagher, CEO of St. Louis FC and an investor/owner of the St. Louis Blues.
10. "Jim Kavanaugh Honored by St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame". Saint Louis University. September 26, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2023. Kavanaugh remains highly active in the soccer world. He is president of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club (SLSG).
11. Lyons, Joe (August 25, 2020). "St. Louis FC to shut down after 2020 season". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved February 15, 2023. According to a story posted by Sports Illustrated on Tuesday morning, STLFC will shut at the end of the 2020 season. The club's owner, World Wide Technology CEO and former St. Louis University soccer standout Jim Kavanaugh, is also a minority investor in the new MLS team, St. Louis City SC... St. Louis City SC is expected to begin MLS play in 2023 at a 22,500-seat stadium downtown.
12. Anthony Donaghue (December 10, 2017). "CEO Spotlight: World Wide Technology's Jim Kavanaugh". Born 2 Invest. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
13. Feldt, Brian (January 13, 2017). "How World Wide Technology used innovation to become a $9 billion giant". St. Louis Business Journal. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
14. Barker, Jacob (June 14, 2015). "World Wide Technology readies strategy for continued growth". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
15. Joann S. Lublin (January 2, 2021). "How WWT's Jim Kavanaugh Got the Goal He Wanted: The former professional soccer player reveals the mentors he turned to while building a successful high-tech company". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
16. "Junior Achievement of Greater St. Louis names two to Hall of Fame". Illinois Business Journal. May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022. David Farr, former CEO of Emerson, also serving as the 2022 Junior Achievement Hall of Fame event chair, has announced that Jim Kavanaugh, co-founder and CEO of World Wide Technology and Rob Vitale, president and CEO of Post Holdings Inc., will be inducted into the JA Business Hall of Fame.