The mission of The Jim Moran Foundation is to improve the quality of life for the youth and families of Florida through the support of innovative programs and opportunities that meet the ever-changing needs of the community.
Long before JM Family Enterprises was recognized as a world leader in the automotive business, Jim Moran began making his mark in this industry and in his community. With a career that spanned more than six decades, Jim Moran was truly an automotive pioneer. Before his passing on April 24, 2007, his lifetime achievements were recognized by his 1996 Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Award and his 2005 induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame, the single greatest honor in the international motor vehicle industry.
Born on August 8, 1918, Jim's career started as a young man who had very little money, but he made up for it with a lot of hard work and a strong desire to succeed. In 1939, after saving every penny he could, he put together $360 to purchase a Sinclair gas station that soon became the largest volume outlet in Chicago. After serving his country in World War II, Jim Moran returned to Chicago and sold his first car - a used 1936 Ford Coupe - off the apron of the Sinclair station for $275. A whole new world opened up for him that day.