Community leader and Pacers executive Jim Morris has passed away.
James Morris, vice chair of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and a key figure in central Indiana’s business and civic community for over six decades, passed away Friday night at the age of 81.
“Last night, Indianapolis lost a true giant with the passing of my dear friend Jim Morris,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a statement on Saturday. “Jim’s outsized impact on Indianapolis and our state will be felt for decades to come.”
Pacers officials announced the news on Saturday morning, recognizing Morris as one of the most influential leaders in state history who helped shape the economic, social, and cultural landscapes of Indianapolis and Indiana throughout his 60-year professional career.
Morris played a pivotal role in implementing Unigov during his six years as chief of staff for then-Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar from 1967 to 1973 and contributed to the creation of IUPUI, which recently split into Indiana University-Indianapolis and Purdue University in Indianapolis.
He also was instrumental in the development of Market Square Arena, the establishment of the Indiana Sports Corp., and served as president of Lilly Endowment Inc., where he allocated $25 million for the construction of the Hoosier Dome and raised funds for projects like the Indianapolis Zoo.
From 1989 to 2002, Morris was chair and CEO of Indianapolis Water Co./IWC Resources, and from 2002 to 2005, he served as executive director of the World Food Programme.
Morris returned to Indianapolis to join the Indiana Pacers in 2007 as president before transitioning to the role of vice chair of PS&E in 2014. He retired from the Indiana University board last year, having served on and off for several decades, twice as chair.
“There are no words that would do justice to how consequential Jim’s life truly was,” Pacers owner Herb Simon said in a statement. “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.”
A graduate of Indiana University with a master’s degree from Butler University, Morris began his career with American Fletcher National Bank in 1965 before serving as chief of staff to Lugar from 1967 to 1973. He joined the Lilly Endowment in 1973, ultimately becoming its president from 1984 to 1988.
Beginning in 1989, Morris spent 13 years as chairman and CEO of IWC Resources Corp. and Indianapolis Water Co. He served as executive director for the World Food Programme from 2002 to 2007.
