Jim Craig

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 then went on to achieve tremendous success as a marketing and sales manager and strategist.       

Today, in addition to serving as president of the Hat Trick Group (HTG), a promotions and marketing firm based in the Boston area, Jim travels the country speaking in front of corporate audiences and non-profit groups.   His talks have motivated, inspired, and instructed employees of Coca-Cola, Walt Disney, Dunkin' Donuts, John Hancock, Ocean Spray, Evergreen Financial, Sun Life Financial, and other companies that hold some of the world's most recognized brands.

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 out-shot 39-16, but Jim made 36 saves, many of the spectacular variety, and his teammates scored four times.  Two days later, against Finland, Jim Craig was again superb, and the United States won, 4-2, to take home the Olympic gold.

Two decades later many media sports polls selected the United States upset win as on one the greatest sports achievements of all time.  "It may just be the single most indelible moment in all of U.S. sports history," said Sports Illustrated of Team USA's miraculous gold medal run at the 1980 Winter Olympics. "One that sent an entire nation into frenzy."  The Olympic victory came at a time when the United States needed good news and something to lift its spirits.  Following the Olympic Games, Jim Craig played in the NHL for the Atlanta Flames, Minnesota North Stars, and Boston Bruins.  An injury ended his professional hockey career.  

Mr. Craig 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 Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

When Craig 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 (later Valassis Communications), owned by Australian media magnet Kerry Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings and the largest freestanding newspaper insert company in the U.S.   While with Valassis, Jim Craig took an operating unit that had $300,000 in annual sales and over a 10 year period built it to unit that did $50 million in annual sales, the top sales-producing division of the corporation.

Among the many sales and marketing awards that Jim Craig has garnered are "Salesman of the Year" from the Marketing Corporation of America and Valassis Communications.

In 2005, Craig was named president of HTG.  Under his guidance and direction, and fueled by his competitive zeal and devotion to innovation and teamwork, HTG is growing rapidly and increasing sales, introducing new products, and pursuing new business opportunities.