REMEMBERING FORMER DUCK STORE GM JIM WILLIAMS

The Duck Store has lost its former General Manager of 36 years, Jim Williams.

BY JASMINE SABOORIAN

Before former longtime General Manager Jim Williams took over, The Duck Store was merely a place where students could purchase textbooks.

His renovations turned the store into what it is today, expanding its locations and its merchandise to include books, greeting cards, electronics and more.

After 36 years as head supervisor of The Duck Store and retiring in 2012, Williams passed away.

He had initially acquired the position in his late 20s, after returning from his post in the military during the Vietnam War.

James Terborg, retired professor in the University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business, was a close friend of Williams’. He said Williams gave the store new merchandise and popularity to where they were able to open additional locations all around the state of Oregon.

As the merchandise expanded Williams had the idea of renaming the brand as a whole to cater to all the items of the store, according to Terborg. The name “UO Bookstore” became “The Duck Store.”

Williams was also on the Board of Directors for the Independent College Bookstore Association with The Duck Store. The ICBA is a support system for independent institution bookstores across the nation and how to effectively serve the members of the bookstores.

Jonathan Bibo, CEO of the ICBA, said that Williams had set a good example and standard on what services to offer in the bookstores and their importance to an institution.

“He really took the time to speak with me about the importance of the college store industry and what college stores can do to help students be successful,” Bibo said. “He was aware of what I was doing in the industry and really encouraged me to stay on this course.”

Bibo said it was Williams’ quality of personability that had set him apart from other national bookstore leaders.

One of the biggest impacts Williams made on UO was securing The Walt Disney Company’s Donald Duck character as the UO mascot for merchandise.

According to Terborg and current CEO of The Duck Store Arlyn Schaufler, Williams had received multiple cease and desist letters from The Walt Disney Company telling him to stop using the image of Donald Duck for UO.

According to Schaufler, Williams’ exact words in response to the letters were, “Well, throw me in jail because we are not going to get rid of the Duck.”

According to Schaufler and Terborg, Williams had multiple discussions with Leo Harris, former UO athletic director with connections to Walt