Jim Britt went to and played for the Holy Ghost Prep Firebirds of the Lower Bucks County Scholastic Hockey League, “LBCSHL.” Britt was a standout goaltender for the Firebirds, playing his entire high school career for prep.
Britt’s story is a bit different than most. As a student at Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, his main interest in studying was to work in the sports industry in some capacity, which specifically didn’t really matter to him, so long as he did what he wanted to do for a career, in hockey. He began his career while still in college as an intern with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, otherwise known as “The Baby Pens.” His first job was in ticket sales, though not the ideal situation, it was his foot in the door so-to-speak. Throughout his tenure with the minor league affiliate, Britt eventually went on to work in various roles for the organization before finally landing a job with the big club, the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the summer of 2009, the Penguins organization hired Britt to be their video coach. While doing that job, he occasionally filled in as a goalie in practice. Later on Jim accepted a new role as director of team operations for four seasons. He was basically in charge of everything with the team that doesn’t have to do with hockey. He worked out the details for the team’s flights and hotels, figured out schedules, and got immigration papers in both the U.S. and Canada for the Penguins’ players. He was the team’s body man. Jim served in the Penguins organization for almost 20 years. Britt most recently served as the Penguins’ Vice President of Fan Development & Growth. He was the club’s longtime Director of Team Operations, responsible for an $8 million dollar budget and for planning events from championship parades to VIP receptions at the White House. Under Britt’s leadership, the Penguins earned the 2023 NHL Stanley Award for Best Social Impact & Growth Initiatives, were named 2022 You Can Play NHL Inclusion Champion, were finalists for the 2022 ESPY Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, and were a finalist for the 2022 NHL Stanley Award for Social Impact Team of the Year.
This past March, WQED Multimedia hired Jim as Head of Partnership Solutions. In this new role, Britt will be responsible for advancing the institution’s work building partnerships with local and national corporations, community arts & culture organizations, colleges & universities, nonprofits, and other entities seeking to celebrate, champion, and positively influence communities across southwestern Pennsylvania.
