In 1996, Jim Moran received the prestigious Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Award, an honor given to distinguished Americans who have risen from humble beginnings, overcome incredible obstacles and achieved success through hard work and determination. In 1997 and 2001, Jim was elected to the Board of Directors of the Horatio Alger Association. Jim actively worked with the organization to help young people, who struggled to overcome adversity, continue their education. Each year the Association helps high school seniors look forward to bright futures by awarding college scholarships. Jim's strong belief in the mission of the Horatio Alger Association led him to commit $1 million to create an endowed scholarship in his name. Always an inspiration to those around him, Jim was featured with acclaimed actor James Earl Jones in Horatio Alger's 2000 segment of "Against the Odds," a nationally broadcast television program hosted and narrated by poet laureate Maya Angelou chronicling the amazing stories of Americans who embody the values of self motivation and unwavering purpose - even in the face of adversity.
A 1991 national survey of automotive dealers conducted by Auto Age magazine reported that his peers named Jim the most admired car dealer in the United States.
In 1995, Jim was inducted into Nova Southeastern University's School of Business' Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and Florida Atlantic University's School of Business Hall of Fame. In February 1997, Jim was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Florida State University, becoming the 93rd individual to receive this honor since the school was founded in 1857.
In 1987 Jim received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Northwood University and in 1997 he received the University's Outstanding Business Leader Award. Aware of the need for educational support, Southeast Toyota established The Jim Moran Southeast Toyota Scholarship Fund in 1981 to provide financial assistance to deserving students in the automotive marketing program at Northwood University.
As a tribute to his steadfast service to the community, Jim received the 1999 Urban League of Broward County's Diversity Champion Award recognizing his dedication to ensuring diversity and equality for all of those who worked with him both at JM Family and in the community.
Holy Cross Hospital also recognized his lifetime of outstanding generosity and community-mindedness in 2000 with the first-ever Spirit of Mercy Award. This impressive award, conferred to Jim and Jan, symbolizes a partnership with Holy Cross that has spanned more than 40 years.
Florida Youth Orchestra presented Jim and Jan Moran with the Joseph Leavitt Award in May 2000, recognizing their outstanding support of the arts in South Florida.
In 2001, Jim and Jan received the James J. Blosser Community Trusteeship Award from the Broward Partnership for the Homeless, again recognizing the unwavering dedication and commitment they share for making their community a better place. Florida Memorial University in Miami presented Jim and Jan with the first annual 2001 Community Leadership Award for their guidance in South Florida philanthropy. In May 2002, Jim and Jan were awarded the Vanguard Chronicle Award for their firm commitment to supporting their diverse community. Jim and Jan's civic dedication was honored again in November 2002, as the Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center named them Community Activists of the Year, noting their long history of commitment to a wide variety of non-profit organizations in Broward County. In January 2003, the Morans were honored by Nova Southeastern University with the President's Community Award, highlighting not only their support of the private university, but also showcasing the incredible impact they have had on South Florida as a whole.
2002 marked an exciting milestone in the life of Jim Moran, when the City of Deerfield Beach re-named Northwest 12th Avenue - the street that has been home to the headquarters of JM Family for more than three decades - in his honor. The dedication of Jim Moran Boulevard was celebrated by a crowd of more than 1,000 JM Family associates, friends, family, city officials and community leaders.
On October 11, 2005, Jim Moran was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan, achieving the highest place of honor in the international motor vehicle industry. Dan Marino, who was inducted just months prior into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the quarterback with the most touchdown passes, introduced his longtime friend to the podium to accept the honor. Jim joined the company of only 216 automotive pioneers and world leaders, including Eiji Toyoda, Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda, Mario Andretti, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. During the ceremony, Jim said, "I share this recognition with all the people I work with and those who over the course of 66 years helped me to achieve such success."
In recognition of his influence on the yachting industry, Jim received the inaugural Flagship Award presented by ShowBoats International on June 22 at the 2006 Monaco Rendezvous. The Award recognizes yacht owners who have remarkably contributed to yachting design, spearheaded the development of quality yachts, demonstrated good stewardship of the oceans and global citizenship, and exemplified high regard for the yachting and crew profession. In cooperation with the Yacht Club of Monaco, Hublot also presented Jim with the Yachting Heritage Award for his innovation in yachting design and technology with a commitment to ocean preservation. He was posthumously honored in April 2008 with The Superyacht Legacy Award recognizing his many contributions to yacht design, ocean conservation, enthusiasm for boating, and his lifetime of philanthropy. This was the first time the World Superyachts has recognized an individual with a Legacy Award, which Jan accepted on behalf of her husband in Venice, Italy, at their annual Awards ceremony.
Jim Moran also received many other awards and honors throughout the years, including:
Following Jim's passing in 2007, the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored Jim and Jan with the Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize their significant impact in philanthropy. This marked only the sixth time in 20 years the award had been given. Community Foundation of Broward CEO Linda Carter said it best, "When you see a couple being honored together for their philanthropy, you know it is part of the fabric of who they are as a couple." In addition, the Jacksonville Urban League honored Jim with the Whitney M. Young, Jr. National Leadership Award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership, vision and commitment to equal opportunity. On January 14, 2009, The Oscar Thomas Foundation recognized Jim’s legacy with a Keepers of the Dream Award in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. The Award recognizes individuals who unselfishly give of themselves so that others may achieve and, like Dr. King, demonstrate that everyone is created equal.
Despite his achievements, Jim Moran always gave the credit for his success to being in the right place at the right time, to the great Toyota products and to "the great people I work with." Raised by his beloved mother to work hard and be honest, Jim built an automotive empire with a heart of gold. From his mother, Jim also learned that the most important thing in life is to "honor your word," a belief he carried with him throughout his lifetime.
