Jim was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama where he attended public schools and managed morning and evening newspaper routes until graduation from Ensley High School. After high school, Jim joined the United States Air Force and served six years in the Strategic Air Command.
While in the Air Force Jim met and married his beautiful wife Gloria. After an Honorable Discharge from the military service he went to work with Southern Bell in Birmingham Alabama, attended the University of Alabama, was promoted to management, after graduation, with Southern Bell, and transferred to New Orleans, Louisiana. He was then given additional responsibilities and transferred to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he initiated a new Switching Control Center for the Northeast Area of Louisiana and was responsible for monitoring and converting the Network from electro-mechanical to digital. In 1987 Jim was asked to return to Birmingham to serve on BellSouth Corporate Staff and spent five years traveling the 9 states of Bellsouth Corporation conducting audits and initiating Network Operation practices. After his tenure on Staff, Jim was asked to relocate to South Carolina and assumed responsibility for consolidating Network Center Operations for the state. After the successful completion of that project, he was given responsibility for Switching Control Center operations in South Carolina and Georgia.
Jim has always been active in his communities and state by serving on various 501C boards including, BellSouth Pioneers, (President), United Way, American, Legion Post 6 (Commander), Carolina Sunshine for Children, (Vice-Chair), Employer Support for the National Guard and Reserve (State Training Director), South Carolina Military Department/Joint Service Detachment/J3 (Colonel), Richland County Soil & Water Commission ( Commissioner), Youth Challenge Academy Foundation Board, and various other organizations. He also serves as a Director on the Carolina Telco Federal Credit Union Board of Directors as the Board Secretary.
Jim retired from AT&T in 2007 and in addition to his other efforts is the current Chairman of the Youth Challenge Academy Foundation Board. He and Gloria have 2 children, a daughter who resides in Las Vegas and a son who resides in Louisiana.
