Jim Kavanaugh is the CEO and Co-Founder of World Wide Technology. Kavanaugh and his proven management team have guided WWT from a small start-up technology company into a world-class organization.
In the early years, Kavanaugh solidified WWT’s financial position through profitable growth and a $27.5M venture capital investment which was repaid in 2005. Kavanaugh currently focuses his time in the areas of technology innovation, long term planning, strategic acquisitions, financial performance, employee development, and passionately overseeing WWT’s unique corporate culture. Prior to founding WWT, Kavanaugh worked at Future Electronics and played professional soccer. He received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Saint Louis University (SLU) in 1986.
Kavanaugh has won numerous business, entrepreneurial and charitable awards over the years and earned a position in the Saint Louis University Business Hall of Fame. He was recognized by Glassdoor as the #2 ranked CEO in 2017 for all large businesses in the U.S. Kavanaugh is an investor and board member of cybersecurity firm Privoro. Deeply committed to giving back to the community, Kavanaugh has served as president of the board for St. Patrick Center, an organization that provides homeless services for Missourians. He also has been a trustee of the board for his alma mater, Saint Louis University since 2010. He is Chairman and Founder of Saint Louis FC, which plays in the United Soccer League, Chairman of Scott Gallagher Soccer Club and investor owner in the St. Louis Blues. Additionally, he has been involved in supporting many local and nationwide charitable organizations such as ALS Association, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Toys for Tots, Cardinal Glennon, Junior Achievement and United Way. Kavanaugh serves as a Vice Chair of the CEOs Against Cancer of Missouri — St. Louis Chapter through the American Cancer Society. Kavanaugh recently led a global fundraising initiative in which he agreed to shave his head if WWT employees raised more than $500,000 in six months. To date, the initiative has raised more than $1.4 million.