Thomas A. James

2009 BCA Leadership Award Honoree

Thomas A. James
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Raymond James Financial
St. Petersburg, FL

Tom James is chairman and chief executive officer of Raymond James Financial, Inc., a diversified holding company that provides financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities through subsidiary companies. He joined the firm in 1966, and became CEO in 1970.

Tom James is president of the board of trustees of The Salvador Dalí Museum where he is presiding over the fundraising and construction of a new 60,000-square-foot museum building in St. Petersburg, FL. He was a former board member of the national Business Committee for the Arts and Raymond James was recognized in 2003 and 2008 with leadership awards from the Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts.

During his almost four decades as head of Raymond James, the company has given approximately $25 million to community causes and organizations. The company is committed to ensuring that creative expression remains a central part of the Tampa Bay landscape. For the past five years, it has been the title sponsor of the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. In addition to its financial support, Raymond James coordinates more than 300 volunteers during the festival. The firm is also a major supporter of The Florida Orchestra, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, St. Petersburg’s Mahaffey Theater, and Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Additionally, Raymond James has long supported the American Stage Theatre Company—recognized as Tampa Bay’s best professional regional theater troupe—through ongoing sponsorship and, in 2009, provided the lead gift for construction of the Raymond James Theatre, the new home of American Stage.

The firm’s corporate headquarters is home to The Tom and Mary James/Raymond James Financial Art Collection consisting of more than 1,800 artworks. Nearly 95 percent of the collection is owned by Tom and Mary James, and Tom selected almost every piece of artwork himself. Many of the works he chooses are by living artists because he believes buying works from living artists helps sustain them in their profession. The collection is open by invitation to the public for docent tours that annually draw about 3,000 people.

“Office space is the next best thing to a museum because we have a high traffic area with about a million square feet here,” says James. “While I might have 35 or 40 western works in my house in Florida and another 30 in my Colorado house, I’ve got about 1,400 of them, as well as 500 pieces portraying other subject matter, in the home office.” Many of Raymond James’ employees who were never interested in art have become collectors or proudly bring friends to the headquarters and it is often voted one of the best places to work because of the creative environment.

The annual Associate & Affiliate Art Show typically attracts more than 400 works in various media from the firm’s employees and associates across the country. The artwork is displayed in the home office and online, with cash prizes going to winners in four categories and a People’s Choice Award voted on by all associates.

For the past ten years, The Wildlife & Western Visions Art Show has been co-sponsored by Raymond James and The Plainsmen Gallery of Clearwater, and is hosted at the Raymond James Financial headquarters each April. During the two-day show, hundreds of visitors enjoy meeting the artists and viewing their original paintings, bronze sculptures, limited edition prints, and fine Native American jewelry, all of which are available for sale.