LANCASTER, Pa., March 11, 2025 — James W. Saxton, CEO of Saxton & Stump, has been named to the Central Penn Business Journal’s (CPBJ) 2025 “Icon Honors” list, recognizing his decades of leadership, business success, and service to the community.
The prestigious list celebrates the region’s prominent business leaders over 60 years of age. Saxton is the only law firm leader among the 18 honorees, underscoring his influence in both the legal industry and the business community.
“The Central Penn Business Journal’s Icon Awards are special. They recognize leaders who have been pushing this region forward for decades,” Saxton said. “I’m humbled to stand alongside such accomplished leaders and grateful for the support of colleagues, clients, and community members who have been part of this journey.”
To qualify for the award, recipients must live or work in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, or Perry counties. Award winners are nominated, and CPBJ staff make the final decisions about who is included on the list. Saxton also received powerful recommendation letters from high-level central Pennsylvania executives in private and nonprofit industries praising his qualifications for the award.
Saxton’s selection for the 2025 Icon Honors reflects his leadership in growing Saxton & Stump into a major Pennsylvania law firm and his longstanding contributions to the community through philanthropy and board service. He has been the CEO of Saxton & Stump since he and others founded it in 2015. Under his direction, the firm has grown to one of the largest law firms in central Pennsylvania.
In May of 2024, Saxton was the undergraduate commencement speaker at Shippensburg University, and that same year, his alma mater bestowed him with its Alumni Award of Distinction. The award honors those who exemplify excellence within their professional fields, communities and the university. Saxton graduated from Shippensburg in 1979 before graduating from the Duquesne School of Law in 1982.
In the community, Saxton has been a founding board member of the Lancaster Community Health Plan, chairman of the Lancaster YMCA Foundation, president of the Lancaster YMCA Board of Directors, and a past board member of the American Heart Association. In 2014, Jim and his wife Sally received the “Excellence in Philanthropy Award,” presented by the Lancaster General Health Foundation’s Board of Trustees. In 2013, again with Sally, the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals presented the couple with its “Philanthropist of the Year” award.
The award recipients were honored at a special luncheon on March 10 at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel.
Saxton & Stump’s strategic growth outlook
With 200 professionals, including over 110 attorneys, Saxton & Stump’s innovative model continues to attract highly talented and experienced attorneys, driving the growth of the law firm and its affiliate companies nationwide.
Saxton & Stump provides solutions for complex legal issues and partners with clients to create a roadmap for their success. The firm is committed to empowering clients by delivering five-star service and results-focused advice.
