Jim Ward

Jim Ward is a Venture Partner. He has worked with Alsop Louie portfolio companies such as Gowalla, Framehawk, Next Big Sound, Ruckus, Zephyr, Niantic Labs, Mixed Dimensions, and Meow Wolf.

Ward is currently the Chief Content Officer at Meow Wolf and a member of the Office of the CEO.

Prior to joining Meow Wolf, Ward spent more than seven years as the President and CEO of The Phoenix Symphony Association. Under his leadership, the Symphony underwent a rapid and comprehensive transformation establishing the financial stability of the Association.

Prior to joining Alsop Louie, Ward was President of LucasArts and Sr. Vice President of Lucasfilm, Ltd., where he was responsible for the business growth of the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” franchises across the motion picture, television, home video and video game revenue streams. Ward’s thirty-year business career began in advertising. As an advertising executive, Ward led many major global product introductions including Apple Computer’s original PowerBook, Microsoft’s Windows ’95 with the Rolling Stones and Nike’s introduction of Tiger Woods.

Having multiple Emmy Award nominations and an Emmy win as an Executive Producer, Ward is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, served as Chairman of the Entertainment Software Association in 2007, and was Chairman of the Creative Committee for the 2016 San Francisco Olympic Bid Committee. In addition, he has been recognized as one of Advertising Age’s Top 100 Marketers, was EPM’s Entertainment Marketer of the Year, and was elected by his peers to be the Chairman of the Executive Directors of the League of American Orchestras, an advisor to ASU’s SkySong Center for Innovation and a member of the Board of Trustees at Hanover College.

He also ran for Congress in Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District during the 2010 cycle.

Currently, Ward is a Governor appointed member of the Arizona Zanjeros State CEO Leadership Team, a Secretary of State appointed member of the Technology, Transparency and Commerce Council, and he is on the Board of Directors of the Electronic Media Association and a negotiating team member. He earned a B.A. from Hanover College and a Master of International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.