James Thrower was a three-sport athlete at Texas A&M-Commerce (formerly East Texas State), where he participated on the Lions’ football, basketball and track and field teams, and majored in English and physical education. The Camden, Arkansas native came to Commerce, Texas, on a basketball scholarship, but it was on the football field that he truly excelled. As a three-year starter on the football team, he intercepted 12 passes for 135 yards. He also earned a varsity letter in basketball and two in track and field as a high jumper and member of the 440-yard relay team.

      Following his playing days and graduation in 1970, Thrower went on to a six-year career in the NFL. He spent three seasons as a defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles, and an additional three seasons with the Detroit Lions.

      After a knee injury in 1975, Thrower transitioned into corporate America serving as a loan executive and as an executive assistant to the board chairman of the NAACP. He is the president and CEO of Jamjomar, Inc., and formerly served on the City of Detroit Board of Water Commissioners.  Thrower and his wife, Marla, are both owner/operators of numerous McDonald’s franchises - Marla in the Detroit metropolitan area and James in the New Orleans area.  

      The Throwers are very active in other corporate and community groups including the McDonald’s Operators National Advertising Committee, National Black McDonald’s Association, Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities, National Football League Alumni Players Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Golden Heritage, and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. They are members of Oak Grove African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, and have four children, James II, Jamar, Joni, and Marissa.  Each of the Thrower children are also McDonald’s owners/operators, totaling 29 franchises owned and operated in the family.

      Thrower and his wife Marla are proud to have provided the leadership gift to the Thrower Student-Athlete Success Center, which is the premier academic and success support center for student-athletes in all of Division II. He was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus at A&M-Commerce in 2012, and was inducted into the Lion Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.