BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox presented this year’s Jackie Robinson Most Valuable Diversity Business Partner award to Vincent Williams, the founder of Jazzy Sportswear in Lynn, Mass.
The award is given to a diverse business partner who best exemplifies the same commitment to excellence as Jackie Robinson once did.
Williams was born in Jamaica and arrived in the U.S. in 1980. He attended Lynn Classical High School before heading to Northeastern University where he majored in communication and business.
“I wanted to always start my own business. Unfortunately, I ended up working for an insurance company,” Williams said. “The ladder of opportunity wasn’t there.”
Williams wound up taking two smaller jobs — both non-salary — to absorb as much information as possible and learn the ropes in “come in early, leave late” fashion.
“I’m going to learn as much as I can about this [business] industry,” Williams said.
Once Williams felt like he had all of the resources and information to go solo, that’s exactly what he did. He started his own company, Jazzy Sportswear, and his dream was soon to become fruition.
“We are a branding company. We take customers’ brand and put it on product,” Williams said. “We specialize in the branding of logos on products.”
On Jazzy Sportswear’s website, drinkware, hats, technology, and golf equipment among others are available for branding purposes.
Raytheon, the City of Boston, Turner Construction, and Wayne Alarm Systems (for uniforms) are all organizations that have partnered with Jazzy Sportswear.
“My goal is to improve life economically and to give back to my community, and I’ve been doing that ever since,” Williams said.
Right out of the dugout, so to speak, a friend connected him with the Red Sox. And for the last 25 years, Williams said the Red Sox have completely invited him into their fold as “part of their actual family.”
With the partnership established, Williams — without profit — provided community relation projects, items for the RBI and Run to Home Base programs, and thousands of items for the Red Sox’celebration of David Ortiz in Cooperstown, New York.
On Wednesday, Sept. 14, due to their long-standing relationship, the Red Sox provided Williams with this year’s Jackie Robinson Most Valuable Diverse Business Partner award.
“Vincent and Jazzy [Sportswear] have just been a tremendous partner of the Red Sox,” Red Sox CFO Tim Zue said. “He’s always gone above and beyond. We always like to do business with great people.”
Williams said he was humbled by the honor, and almost couldn’t believe the events were unfolding.
“There was a sense of euphoria that came on, but I had to really compose myself and really just sit back,” Williams said. “Stepping onto the field and going out to get the award and to be recognized was something also very moving. I had never stepped on the field before.”
Williams also volunteers for a leadership and STEM training program that focuses on bettering over 9,000 young men and women regarding both their educational and physical growth.
“They get up every morning while they’re there at 4:30 a.m. and run 7.6 miles. And then, throughout the day, we teach them life skills, we get them ready for their SATs, the MCAS, you name it,” Williams said.
Despite all of the success, lives touched, and now, an award through the name of the late Jackie Robinson, Williams said he’s not done helping the community – and that there’s more work to be done.
“I was determined to get to where I need to be. Am I there yet? I’m still climbing,” Williams said.
Joey Barrett can be reached at [email protected].
