TOLEDO, OH – Shumaker attorney James (Jim) F. White, Jr. is the first alumnus to simultaneously be honored with both the Ottawa Hills, Ohio High School Distinguished Alumni Award and induction into its Athletic Hall of Fame, honoring him for his accomplishments and meaningful contributions to society, for his outstanding achievement in sports, and as a role model in the community.
Jim’s Athletic Hall of Fame Award is attributed to his role as the star quarterback for Ottawa Hills High school from 1954 to 1957, where he earned a starting varsity position as a freshman. Jim went on to lead the 1956 and 1957 teams to undefeated seasons, and the team was the 1956 Class B state champions. His football abilities earned recruiting offers from The Ohio State University (OSU), University of Michigan, and Northwestern University. Jim chose to play football at Princeton University before a back injury, and a desire to focus more on academics forced him to hang up his cleats. He graduated in 1962.
”It was a great honor for me to receive this recognition from the high school I attended and the community in which I have lived most of my life,” Jim said. "It is very humbling to be part of the current and past inductees, who have contributed so much to the well-being of our school.”
As a student at Ottawa Hills High School, Jim also played four years of varsity baseball (first base, relief pitcher) and basketball (point guard). He even earned a varsity letter in track his senior year by throwing the shot put.
Jim carried his competitive passion and belief in teamwork from sports into his profession and in his civic engagement, earning him the Ottawa Hills High School Distinguished Alumni Award. Jim received his law degree in 1965 from OSU, where he was president of his senior class. In 1966 he attended the Wharton School of Finance, Graduate Division, and in 1967, he earned a master of law degree in taxation from New York University. Today, Jim is a successful lawyer at Shumaker, where he has extensive experience representing public and private companies in all areas of corporate practice. In addition, he is Former Chairman of the firm’s Management Committee. Jim has served on multiple regional private and public boards, from the Toledo Symphony Orchestra to the Port Authority of Toledo and ProMedica. Additionally, he is widely heralded as the driving force behind the successful $35 million campaign that restored the historic Valentine Theater in downtown Toledo, and he’s been a part owner of three Toledo hockey teams: the Hornets, Goaldiggers, and the Storm.