TJ Nelligan
An entrepreneur, advocate, and published author, TJ Nelligan is a man of action whose life's mission is to serve and benefit others. Nelligan founded, Nelligan Sports Marketing, Inc., in June 1999 with the mission of becoming the premier sports marketing company in the nation. As a result of his leadership, NSM's employees negotiated more than $500M in sponsorships with the country's best-known companies. After 15 successful years, Nelligan sold his company to Learfield Sports in 2014. Having spearheaded some of the most successful collegiate marketing campaigns, Nelligan looked to elevate Special Olympics' status domestically and led the efforts to bring the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games to New Jersey. Serving as Chairman and CEO of the 2014 USA Games, Nelligan oversaw all aspects of the event, including corporate partnerships, sports operations, event logistics, marketing, and public relations. Nelligan has been involved with Special Olympics New Jersey since 1995, including serving as Chairman of the SONJ's Board of Directors. Inspired by the tragic passing of his son Sean on Father's Day 2019, Nelligan authored his first book, Live Like Sean, to memorialize all of their stories. Live Like Sean provides a first-person perspective of seeing the world through a special needs person and that life lessons can come from the most unlikely places.
