Hall of Fame Induction Year
1995
Preview
Inductee Biography
Jack A. Smith, is a member of the Sporting Goods Hall of Fame and NOVA Southeastern University Hall of Fame. Jack was raised in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and despite moving around the country for his career, remained loyal to his hometown until his final day. Often seen sporting a Philadelphia Phillies red baseball cap and matching t-shirt, Jack was a lifelong devoted fan of the franchise. He was at the final games of both the 1980 and 2008 World Series with his son, fellow Philly native, Howard. Smith began his storied retail career working for Singer Sewing Machines in the early 1960s. He would go on to work for Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Wards, Jefferson Department Stores, WR Grace and Herman’s Sporting Goods before ultimately opening up a sporting goods mecca of his own, The Sports Authority. Jack grew The Sports Authority from 1 Ft. Lauderdale location in 1987 into one of the most iconic sports brands of all time. At its height, Sports Authority was a global household name with over 300 stores from the USA to Japan. Jack retired as CEO in 2000 and switched his focus to helping other businesses reach the same level of success he had achieved with his own venture. He sat on the board of directors for Darden Restaurants, Fiesta Restaurant Corp., and Beverages & More, to name a few.
Digital Collection
Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame
Disciplines
Business
Rights
Educational use only, no other permissions given. U.S. and international copyright laws may protect this item. Commercial use or distribution of this digital object is not permitted without written permission of the Nova Southeastern University Archives.
Copyright
© Nova Southeastern University