Thomas W. Knapp
Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship, University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business
Tommy Knapp earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Knapp is a professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship in the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at USC’s Marshall School of Business. Over his tenure at USC Knapp has taught a variety of courses on business and entrepreneurship to over 5,000 undergraduate, graduate and PhD students.
He serves on the board of directors for the Ameritas Mutual Holding Company and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Knapp is a member of the Ameritas Finance and Ameritas Nominating and Corporate Governance committees.
He also is founder of Club Sportswear and Honolua Surf Co. and a partner in Blue Jay Bay Ventures. He has been actively involved in the resort and beach lifestyle business since 1984 and currently has begun a new venture in Maui, Hawaii; KaiAloha Supply.
Knapp was awarded the MBV Outstanding Teaching Recognition in 2016 and 2021, along with the 2015 Certificate of Recognition – City of Los Angeles Outstanding Summer program, Golden Apple Teaching Award in 2009, 2011, 2017, 2020 and 2021, and was a World Champion – International Triathlon Union in 2004 and 2005. In 2000, he received the Environmentalist of the Year, SIMA award from the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association and in 1990 was Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year for the USC Marshall Grief Center.