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| Jim Lawson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1958-08-10)August 10, 1958 (age 67) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Nova Scotia Voyageurs Flint Generals | ||
| NHL draft | 120th overall,1978 Montreal Canadiens | ||
| Playing career | 1980–1987 | ||
James J. Lawson is Chief Executive Officer ofWoodbine Entertainment Group, a businessman and lawyer. Lawson was appointed CEO of Woodbine Entertainment in 2015.[1]
Lawson was formerly the Chair of the Board of Governors for theCanadian Football League[2][failed verification] Lawson has served twice as interim Commissioner of theCanadian Football League. Lawson stepped down as Chair after the 2019 CFL season.[3]
He has been a partner atTorys LLP andDavies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP[2] and has served as a director ofAlgoma Steel, Zargon Energy Trust, Countryside Power Income Fund and Sleep Country Canada.[2][4]
Lawson attendedAldershot High School inBurlington, Ontario.[5] From 1975 to 1976, while in high school, Lawson played hockey for the junior A-teamBurlington Mohawks, now called the Burlington Cougars. For the next four years, attendingBrown University on a hockey scholarship, he played for Brown'sBrown Bears while earning his degree in economics.[5][6][4] He went on to receive a law degree from theUniversity of Western Ontario.[4]
In 1978, Lawson, while playing forBrown University, was drafted into theNational Hockey League by theMontreal Canadiens in theNHL Amateur Draft.[7] From 1979 to 1982, he played three professional seasons for theNova Scotia Voyageurs, the Canadiens' affiliate in theAmerican Hockey League.[7][6] During this time, he also played with theInternational Hockey League'sFlint Generals.[6] He then spent two seasons with Flamborough of Ontario'sSenior A League.[6]
In September 2013, Lawson was appointed chair of theCanadian Football League's Board of Governors.[4][7] Following CFL CommissionerMark Cohon's departure in January 2015, Lawson was appointed as the League's interim Commissioner, remaining until the appointment ofJeffrey Orridge in April 2015.[8][9] After Orridge left in June 2017, he was again appointed interim Commissioner until the Board selected current CommissionerRandy Ambrosie.[8]
In November 2019, Lawson stepped down as Chair in order to focus full-time on his increasingly time-consuming role as CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group, which by then included not only racetracks and a casino but real estate development near Toronto Airport.[10][8][5]
Ambrosie presented Lawson with the CFL's Commissioner Award during the league’s annual awards banquet.[8][5] In October 2021, Lawson was inducted into the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame.[5] Also in October 2021, Lawson joined the executive committee of the Hamilton Sports Group, which owns theHamilton Tiger-Cats, alongside Bob Young and CEO Scott Mitchell, becoming a minority stakeholder in March 2022.[7][11]
He was fired from Westerkirk Capital amid allegations includingself-dealing,forgery and misusing his office equipment to view pornography.[12] Lawson commenced legal action for unfair dismissal against Westerkirk and its owner,Sherry Brydson. All legal proceedings were discontinued in September 2017, and Lawson "apologized unreservedly to Ms. Brydson for the circumstances that led to his departure from Westerkirk" as well as withdrawing all allegations he had made involving Ms. Brydson, her family, employees and advisors.[13]
In 2015, while still Chair of the Canadian Football League's Board of Governors, Lawson became the CEO ofWoodbine Entertainment Group, Canada’s largest racetrack operator, for which he had previously served as Chair.[8] During his tenure,, Lawson led the development of the lands around theWoodbine Racetrack in theEtobicoke neighborhood ofToronto.[8] During theCOVID-19 pandemic, Lawson sent letters to Ontario lawmakers seeking allowances similar to those allowed theNHL andAHL to help racetrack workers to keep their jobs.[14]
Prior to the 2010Queen's Plate, which is held yearly at theWoodbine Racetrack,Queen Elizabeth II, who was in attendance, approached Lawson, whose family was running a horse Ghost Fleet in the race, to discusshorse breeding and his family's history in racing.[15] The Queen was intrigued by Ghost Fleet's lineage toNorthern Dancer, the first Canadian-bred horse to win theKentucky Derby and a prolific sire.[15]
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