Civic leaders praise Jim Morris for life of unselfish accomplishment

The first time former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels crossed paths with James Morris was in 1969, when Daniels was serving the first of two stints as a summer intern for then-Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar.

Daniels recalls already being impressed at Morris’ commitment to the city as a deputy mayor—by that point, Morris had already helped oversee the city’s move to Unigov and the launch of IUPUI—but Daniels said he couldn’t have imagined the impact Morris would have during the 55 years that followed.

On Saturday, Daniels was one of countless current and former local and state officials and businesspeople remembering Morris for his role as a civic leader. Morris died Friday night at 81 years old, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, where Morris served as vice chair, announced Saturday.

“We haven’t seen, and I don’t expect to see, anyone else who accomplished more of a positive nature without ever having held elected office,” Daniels told IBJ. “Jim Morris, as a private citizen, contributed more to making life better for other people than anyone else I can name, or certainly anyone else I’ve known.”

Daniels, who served as Indiana governor from 2005 to 2013, said he considered Morris one of his closest friends. Morris had a way about him of building genuine connections with nearly everyone he interacted with, and helping those people run in the same circles. It’s an art, Daniels said, that went far beyond networking for personal gain.

“The important distinction is that the networking was never about him and his career, but rather it was always about getting that next project done, or simply helping people know each other,” he said. “Jim brought people together with each other, and often that was personal and [related] to his project of the day, but just as often it led those people to do things with each other and it just happened naturally. Those are things to me that … have always made Jim Morris a singular figure in the life of our city and state.”

Among those Daniels met through Morris was Patricia Miller, co-founder of Vera Bradley Sales LLC, and Earl Goode, a longtime business, banking and telecommunications executive. Both individuals were brought in by Daniels as key councilors and confidants during his administration, with Miller serving as the state’s first secretary of commerce and Goode initially being tabbed to oversee an overhaul of the Department of Administration, before becoming chief of staff for Daniels and current Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Goode said Saturday that it’s “hard to imagine Indianapolis without” his close friend of more than 35 years. He said he believes Morris has had a deeper impact on the city and the state than most anyone else in Indianapolis history.

“I think the reason that he could influence people is because he did it not for any self-serving reason, but for the right reasons,” Goode said, pointing to the work Morris did with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Lilly Endowment, UNICEF, the World Food Program and Indiana Sports Corp. “That’s so meaningful and somewhat rare. If it was important to Jim, that means it’s the right thing to do and something we ought to support.”

He said the relationships Morris built during his decades of civic service were born of genuine interest in cultivating bonds with others and understanding what moved and motivated them, to help make their experiences better.

“Being a friend is not easy—it’s hard work, and he gives it the time,” he said. “It’s such a widespread group of folks that he was interested in. And, in spite of all the other things he might be involved with over his long life, that’s always been important to him.

“We moved here in 1984, and obviously, I didn’t know Jim Morris from anyone, but we weren’t in the community very long until somehow Jim Morris sort of took me under his wing. He’d just find people that were new that he wanted to involve in the community. He wants to connect them. And he does, and he works at it.”

Melissa Proffitt, an attorney with the Indianapolis office of Ice Miller, said she “never left a speech or a conversation with Jim without feeling hopeful, inspired and empowered” by the message he would share. But she added she feels Morris’ “greatest gift” was his work with each of his friends and colleagues on a personal level.

“He was uniquely capable of making each person he met feel special, cared for and empowered,” she said. “He did this for me and countless others. His selfless love was felt by so many. There is never a good time to lose such a wonderful man and strong leader, but now—in these times—it is even more impactful. We all need to learn from him and carry on his legacy. But, more importantly, we need to carry on his actions by continued unwavering love and support for our city and for each other.”

Like Proffitt, Daniels said he is hopeful that younger generations will follow Morris’ lead and look for ways to advance the city and work with one another toward common goals.

“Young people who want to make this a better community, a better state, better world, ought to study his life. He achieved so much and … he did it just through his own idealism and energy. And he never had the clout of an elected office to make these things happen.”

Goode, Daniels and Proffitt certainly weren’t alone in sharing their warm reflections of Morris in the hours after his passing. Individuals including Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, former Indianapolis Mayors Steve Goldsmith and Greg Ballard, former Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, longtime sports agent and consultant Milt Thomposon and numerous local and state politicians were among those who share their gratitude for Morris’ service and recalled his work in Indianapolis over the years.

Rick Fuson, who retired this year after 40 years with Pacers Sports & Entertainment, said Morris was one of four men—along with his father, Wayne, longtime politician and civic leader Larry Conrad, and Pacers owner Herb Simon—who have guided him most during his time in Indianapolis.

“Our society has lost the most dedicated and loving servant,” he said. “Jim … set me on a path of helping to make Indianapolis great. I am forever indebted to Jim for his love and kindness. I miss him dearly.”

Likewise, Morris’ longtime friend Fred Glass, who formerly worked as athletic director at Indiana University and as president of the Capital Improvement Board of Marion County, shared his thoughts with IBJ when reached by text message, stating he was “devastated” by the news.

“Beyond Jim’s truly amazing record of selfless service and transformative accomplishments, I’ll most remember his kindness, civility, and relentless efforts to bring all kinds of different people together,” Glass said. “Like so many, I was fortunate to have Jim as a friend and mentor, especially in connection with his loves of Indianapolis and Indiana University, as well as being a worldwide leader in the fight against hunger.”

And the Indiana Sports Corp., which Morris helped establish in 1979 as the nation’s first city sports commission, issued a statement in response to the news.

“It is impossible to convey the impact Jim has had on so many including the Sports Corp,” the statement said. “His vision for the sports strategy all those years ago is why any of us are where we are today. We simply would not be the Indianapolis we know and love without the dedication and passion of Jim Morris. To echo Herb Simon’s words, ‘No one loved Indiana and Indianapolis more than Jim.’”