On Labor Day, We Celebrate Championship Level Work
Happy Labor Day from the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame! On Labor Day, we honor the people whose expertise, persistence, and work away from the field shape the organizations we value. In professional sports, general managers often carry that responsibility. Identifying talent, building workplace cultures, managing limited resources, and making difficult decisions with the long view in mind. We wanted to spotlight two meaningful examples of Jewish sportspeople whose careers demonstrate the impact of organizational leadership.
Jerry Krause’s name is permanently tied to one of the greatest dynasties in sports history: the Chicago Bulls teams that won six NBA championships in eight years during the 1990s. As Bulls general manager, Krause helped assemble the infrastructure around Michael Jordan that made sustained championship success possible.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame describes him as an architect of Chicago’s title runs, recognizing his work in identifying talent and placing the right pieces around the franchise’s superstar. Among the highest profile moves made during Krause’s tenure were the acquisition of Scottie Pippen, the selection of Horace Grant, and signing international talent Toni Kukoč, along with the addition of Dennis Rodman. He also hired Phil Jackson as an assistant coach and later promoted him to head coach. That decision helped connect a talented roster to a championship level basketball identity. The resulting Bulls won six titles, including the 1995-96 championship season in which Chicago won a record 72 regular-season games. His work was formally recognized with two NBA Executive of the Year awards, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2017.
Camille Levin Ashton represents a newer generation of sports leadership. A former professional soccer player, Ashton has brought firsthand knowledge of the game into leadership roles in the fast-growing world of women’s professional sports. In June 2024, San Diego Wave FC named Ashton its Sporting Director and General Manager. In that role, she oversees the club’s sporting department, including player acquisition, scouting, coaching and technical staff management, development programs, the soccer operations budget, and salary cap. It is an executive position that requires both competitive vision and operational discipline.
Before joining San Diego, Ashton served as general manager of the Kansas City Current beginning in January 2022. In her first season with the club, Kansas City reached the 2022 NWSL Championship. During her tenure, she helped recruit stars of the NWSL like Debinha, and 2-time NWSL MVP, Temwa Chawinga. This serves as evidence of her skills to build a competitive team.
