Jeffrey G. Webb Varsity Brands, Inc. Chairman, CEO
Jeff Webb knows something of the entrepreneurial “spirit” - he’s made a career of it. In the mid 70’s the former University of Oklahoma yell leader founded a company to conduct training camps for high school and college cheerleaders. Varsity Spirit has grown through the years to become the world’s largest operator of specialty camps in this field with over 250,000 participants annually.
After several years of steady growth in camp participation, Webb added an apparel and supply division called Varsity Fashions and soon began marketing custom designed uniforms throughout the country. In 1981, Varsity Spirit conducted its first nationally televised cheerleading competition on ESPN. Today the special event division produces 13 different televised competitions each year and organizes performance tours for school spirit groups to promote events such as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the NFL Pro Bowl and the London Parade. Varsity is now the largest specialty camp operator in the world with over 270,000 attendees each summer. The Company’s apparel division now produces over 1,000,000 custom uniforms annually
These three divisions make up Varsity Spirit Corporation, a company with annual revenues in excess of $270 million. Under Jeff’s direction, Varsity Spirit has accrued an enviable financial track record as well, with annual increases in revenues and earnings for over 30 consecutive years.
Jeff Webb is a past present of the Society of Entrepreneurs (two terms), and over the years he has given of his time to many other civic organizations including Boys Club of Memphis, St. Jude’s Hospital, Church of the Holy Communion, Germantown Soccer Association, Youth Villages, Bridges, St. Peter Village, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Special Olympics, Exchange Club Family Center, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, LeBohneur Hospital’s World Lens Project, Memphis Arts Council, MLGW Board of Advisors, University of Memphis Football Foundation, The Firecracker 5K Run for St. Jude, and the Pediatric AIDS Research Program at Duke Children’s Hospital. Webb is also the founder of UCA Children’s Charities Foundation. Jeff was recognized as the Master Entrepreneur by The Society of Entrepreneurs in 2008.
Description of Business: Training programs and merchandise sales to school spirit groups and athletic teams
Year Business Founded: 1974
Year Inducted: 1996
Thoughts on Entrepreneurship:
"'Entrepreneurship is vital to the preservation of our society’s economic health and, more so, to its continued freedom and high standard of living. It provides creative and ambitious individuals with the opportunity to express themselves through their own enterprise, while at the same time creating new products and services that benefit our entire society."
