Through the years with a pioneer

1930 — Born Nov. 6 in Chicago

1951 — Graduates from the College of William and Mary with a degree in French

Nicklaus (left), Palmer in ’64

1954 — Graduates from Yale University Law School

1960 — International Management Group is launched on a handshake with golfer Arnold Palmer. Today IMG has 80 offices in 32 countries.

With tennis’ Monica Seles

1968 — IMG signs tennis player Rod Laver. Today's tennis clients include Serena and Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Tim Henman, Mary Pierce, Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.

1968 Olympic champ Jean-Claude Killy

1968 — IMG signs skier Jean-Claude Killy. Today, IMG represents the Alpine and the Nordic Ski World Championships.

1969 — IMG opens an office in Tokyo.

Jackie Stewart

1971 — IMG branches into motorsports by signing Formula One driver Jackie Stewart. Today's motorsports clients include Formula One champion Michael Schumacher and three-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon, as well as the motorsports marketing activities of Visa, Coca-Cola, General Mills, M&M/Mars, Cintas, Philips, Albertsons, AT&T and UPS.

1973 — Trans World International, IMG's media production arm (later renamed TWI), creates "The Superstars," pioneering the made-for-TV sports genre.

1979 — Hong Kong office opens.

1980 — Sydney office opens.

1981 — Paris office opens.

1983 — TWI helps create golf's Skins Game.

1984 — McCormack publishes "What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School," the first of more than 10 books.

With wife Betsy Nagelsen

1986 — McCormack marries professional tennis player Betsy Nagelsen.

1986 — IMG creates the Stars on Ice tour. Today's figure skating clients include Scott Hamilton, Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Kurt Browning and Todd Eldredge. IMG also owns numerous skating events.

1986 — IMG sells TV rights to the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics to ABC for $309 million, more than triple what the International Olympic Committee had received for the 1984 Winter Games in Sarajevo.

1987 — IMG acquires the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and transforms it into IMG Academies, the world's largest multisport training facility.

1990 — McCormack is described by Sports Illustrated as the most powerful man in sports.

1994 — IMG acquires marketing rights to the English Football Association, FA Cup and Wembley Stadium.

1994 — IMG creates the Chinese National Football League.

With PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem (left) and IMG client Tiger Woods

1996 — IMG signs Tiger Woods. Other current golf clients include Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, David Duval, Vijay Singh, Se Ri Pak, Gary Player and Sergio Garcia.

1997 — McCormack's daughter Maggie is born. McCormack's older son, Breck, is president of IMG Asia and Pacific; his second son, Todd, is president of TWIinteractive; and his older daughter, Leslie, is senior international vice president of IMG.

1998 — IMG Football client Peyton Manning signs a six-year, $48.6 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts, which contains a record $20 million in signing bonuses. Since then, IMG Football has represented 24 first-round NFL draft picks, more than any other sports agency.

1999 — McCormack is named one of the century's 10 "Most Influential People in the Business of Sport" by ESPN.

1999 — IMG acquires Charlotte-based Muhleman Marketing Inc., a franchise and stadium consulting firm with a portfolio of motorsports accounts.

1999 — IMG signs Venus and Serena Williams for non-tennis-related marketing deals.

1999 — Philips Electronics retains IMG Consulting to manage its worldwide sports marketing. Other corporate clients today include Texaco, AT&T Broadband, HP Invent, Cisco Systems and Merrill Lynch.

2000 — IMG opens the $75 million Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Palm Desert, Calif., and acquires the Ericsson Open. Other IMG-owned tennis events include the Bank of the West Classic, Open Gaz de France in Paris, State Farm Women's Classic, Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic and Gold Flake Open in India.

2001 — IMG acquires the sports marketing business of Stephen Disson.

McCormack was called the most powerful man in sports.

2001 — IMG acquires Horizon Sports, giving it the largest client portfolio in the NHL.

2002 — IMG Baseball client Derek Jeter signs a $189 million contract with the New York Yankees, the second-largest player contract in sports history.

2003 — McCormack suffers cardiac arrest on Jan. 16.

2003 — McCormack dies on May 16 in New York City at the age of 72.

Sources: Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal research, IMG corporate reports, Mark McCormack's Guide to Sports Marketing