Jim Craig
Olympic Gold Medalist Goalie, 1980 USA “Miracle on Ice” Hockey Team
Jim Craig has been called the backbone of a team that accomplished one of the most extraordinary and memorable sports victories of all time. He went on to play professionally and transitioned to tremendous success in the business world which he still enjoys today.
Olympic Gold Medalist and Hall of Fame Athlete Jim Craig is in demand from coast to coast and internationally as a motivational speaker, teamwork and life coach, spokesperson, and marketing and sales strategist. Speaker bureaus and event management groups consistently evaluate and rank Jim is among the most effective speakers and corporate coaches in America.
Jim is president and founder of Gold Medal Strategies, a promotions and marketing firm that also manages and represents Jim and his appearance business.
For more than 30 years, Jim has inspired, instructed, and provided strategic and winning direction for employees and associates from more than 500 organizations, including AbbVie, AFLAC, Bank of America, Bayer Corporation, Caterpillar, Conagra, Dell, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Coca-Cola, Dunkin’ Donuts, GE Access, John Hancock, Kellogg’s, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Ocean Spray, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Santander Bank, Walt Disney, Welch’s – and other companies that hold some of the world’s most recognized and respected brands.
Jim is the co-author of the highly acclaimed business book, Gold Medal Strategies: Business Lessons From America’s Miracle Team (2010, John Wiley & Sons); he wrote the forward for The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team (2005, Crown Publishers), the New York Timesbestseller written by Wayne Coffey. Jim also has had acting roles in prime-time network TV sitcoms and in product TV commercials.
An All-American goalie at Boston University and standout for the Terriers’ 1978 NCAA championship squad, Jim was selected as the starting goaltender for the U.S. 1980 Olympic hockey team. At the Lake Placid games his performance was phenomenal. Indispensable to Team U.S.A.’s epic – what some have called miraculous – upset of the Soviet Union was the play of Jim Craig. In the game against the Soviets, the Americans were outshot 42-16, but Jim made 39 saves, many of the spectacular variety, and his teammates scored four goals to secure the victory. Two days later, against Finland, Jim was again superb, and Team USA won, 4-2, to take home Olympic gold. 10/16/14
How incredible was the victory over the Soviets? It has been called the most memorable sports moment of the 20th century. “It may just be the single most indelible moment in all of U.S. sports history,” said Sports Illustrated of Team USA’s win over the Soviet Union. “One that sent an entire nation into frenzy.”
Following the Olympic Games, Jim Craig was the starting goalie for the Atlanta Flames, Boston Bruins, and Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. While in net for the North Stars, Jim sustained a career ending injury. He is enshrined in the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame, the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame, the United State Hockey Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
When Jim retired from pro hockey, he pursued a marketing and sales career with the same passion, focus, work ethic, and dedication that he put forth on the ice. He signed on as marketing and sales consultant for Valassis Inserts, owned by Australian media magnate Kerry Packer’s Consolidated Press Holdings and the largest freestanding newspaper insert company in the U.S. While with Valassis, Jim took an operating unit that had $300,000 in annual sales and over a 10 year period built it to unit that generated $50 million in annual sales, the top sales-producing division of the corporation. During these years, Jim received “Salesman of the Year” awards from the Marketing Corporation of America and Valassis Communications.
Jim left Valassis in 2005 and became the top salesman of Hat Trick Group, a company that creates and produces promotions, incentive marketing, and custom premium programs and products. Under his stewardship and guidance, Hat Trick Group developed new products and services and increased annual dollar sales by 80 percent and its number of clients by 30 percent in just two short years.
In 2007, Jim directed his competitive zeal and devotion to innovation and teamwork to launch Gold Medal Strategies. With Jim at the helm, in the seven years that GMS has been in business, it has grown rapidly and steadily as it serves organizations across many different business sectors – with all its clients receiving personalized attention, premium value, and competitive advantage.
A primary focus of Jim’s – across all varieties of his appearances and the services he delivers – is teaching and describing how individuals and organizations can enlist and employ the winning tactics and strategies of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to improve outcome and performance of their own organizations.
Jim actively volunteers and contributes to many philanthropic organizations and causes, including taking to the ice with the Boston Bruins Alumni to play in benefit games.
Jim and his wife, Sharlene (Charlie), have been married for 28 years. They have a two children; J.D., an account executive for Bausch and Lomb; and Taylor, a senior at Colgate University and valuable component of the Colgate Raiders NCAA Division 1 women’s varsity hockey team.
The Power of Teamwork
Very few things great are done alone. Epic achievement is almost always the result of successful and enduring collaboration. Jim explains and details the elements of winning teamwork. He provides specific examples from the experience of the U.S. “Miracle on Ice” hockey team, and how it confounded the experts, made history … and made it to the top of the podium.
Victim or Victor
You are what you see, you always have a choice to be the victim or the victor. Jim will make you understand that intense discomfort is the price tag for personal greatness.
Risk Taking
Risk takers make history. If there is no risk, there is no great achievement. Jim talks about the risk taking enterprise that was the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. He shares more examples of risk taking … in sports, business, and other areas of human endeavor that enabled greatness.
Recruiting for Results
How do you find and identify the people who have the “stuff” and potential that will work for your system, culture, and mission? What is meant by the importance of not necessarily finding the “best” players but the “right” ones. Jim discusses and breaks down the elements of successful and winning recruiting.
Accountability for Action
Great Teams Hold Themselves and Others Accountable – this is one of the nine “Gold Medal Strategies” that Jim teaches. Accountability, as Jim explains and breaks down, is an exercise in looking inward and demanding accountability of yourself – and then working together as a team to make sure that every person on the team is accountable … and, as a team, helping people to be accountable and to better perform their job.
Fundamentals of Winning
Jim talks about the “stuff” and marrow of winners. Jim covers what winners’ share in the way of character, how they prepare, their priorities, and how they handle victory and defeat. Jim discusses what truly drives the greatest winners.
Staying Young to Create the Future
Don't confuse being busy with being productive, success can be your biggest enemy. Jim believes that you should not limit yourself to small goals or underestimate your personal ability to become more successful.
The Difference Between Loyalty & Leadership
Not everyone has the talent to be a true leader. Jim will explain what it takes to be a great leader and how leaders have the ability to make or break the team. Leaders always do what is right for the betterment of the team. They have the ability to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each individual and put them in positions to succeed.
How and Why Great Companies Win
The impossible becomes possible when you believe. Jim knows what it takes to be a winner and will explain what it really means to be a true professional. He will talk about winner’s character, how they prepare, their priorities, and how to handle victory & defeat. As Jim often tells audiences, “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Jim shares the elements and fundamental components of goal setting, defining missions – and then going confidently … and smartly … in the direction of your dreams.
Innovation and Transformational (Change) Management
Jim believes that getting comfortable is being uncomfortable. He will talk about how he and his teammates had to change the way they thought, trained, and played under the guidance and vision of Herb Brooks. He will show you how transformation change can be executed and how this can aid your organization to perform more effectively.
Winning Underdogs
Jim uses his past experiences in both the athletic and business worlds to show how to use the underdog status as a powerful tool. He explains why failure isn't fatal but being afraid to fail is.
Commitment to Excellence
Jim has studied … and continues to study and research … what inspires the pursuit of excellence in those who achieve greatness. He describes what is it that separates those content with good enough, and with all right, and with the okay … and those who have an unquenchable thirst and drive to make history and establish the highest standards.
Your message, and the way you wove in John’s leadership philosophy and our team’s vernacular, was just incredible. We sincerely appreciate your time – you and your team certainly “prepare to win” – and the impact you’ve made on OneNA. To say the team is fired up is an understatement!
Dell Technologies & the OneNA team
Working with Jim and his team is an absolute pleasure! We consistently have an amazing experience and Jim always gets outstanding feedback from our clients. We highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a phenomenal speaker!
Ingram Micro Event
Our virtual keynote with Jim Craig was a huge success. I was personally very impressed with the Gold Medal Strategies team from the beginning, where they took the time to truly prepare and get to know our organization’s aims and strategic objectives, ensuring Jim’s message would perfectly align. On the day of the event, Jim was very well spoken and natural behind the camera, and I believe his message was empowering for everyone tuned in. Jim did an excellent job at bringing everyone together during a time of great uncertainty. After speaking with passion about motivation and inspiration for about half an hour, Jim then engaged the team in a Q and A session, answering in an open and thoughtful way. I have received nothing but positive feedback and can’t recommend Jim and the Gold Medal Strategies team enough to bring your team together when the world is currently keeping them apart.
Mizuho Americas
Jim’s speech was everything I hoped for and more. It is one thing to impart the right messages, but a true motivator inspires action and that Is what Jim accomplished. Having Jim as the keynote speaker for our team was a great decision with overwhelmingly positive results. I would strongly suggest to any company looking for a motivational speaker to make the same choice.
Procter & Gamble
Jim nailed the virtual presentation and his focus on "training to win" and what it takes to win was extremely motivating. One of my favorite quotes was, "taking the harder right over taking the easier wrong". It is so easy not to have the hard conversations in leadership and to not do the uncomfortable work or fooling yourself into thinking you are taking the harder right. This message hit home with our team and we have discussed it quite a bit. We are a tighter group because of it and I thank Jim for it! He taught us there is a certain grit and grind it out attitude you must have to win! In a challenging environment, like we are experiencing today, this message was perfectly timed. We are on our way now and know what it means to train to win not just to train to compete.
Intel/DELL EMC
The leadership from our organization has been working with Jim Craig and Gold Medal Strategies in various ways for many years...Jim and his team are experts at developing materials that are relevant to our leaders. Jim has a natural talent for pulling out greatness! He challenges you to think differently, push harder and develop exceptional work through these calls. Jim will push you and challenge your team. He has helped me grow my leadership exponentially and is an amazing performance coach! I highly recommend Jim!
Zeigler AutoGroup
