Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Jim was the youngest of four boys. The family moved to Marion, Ohio when Jim was six years old, and he still resides in this area today with his wife Dolly. They have four children, one daughter-in-law, two son-in-laws, and four grandchildren.
Jim attended Pleasant Local High School in Marion where he graduated in 1974. He was a member of the football and basketball teams which both played and won state championships.
After graduating from high school, Jim followed his older siblings’ footsteps and attended DeVry University in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated in 1976 with an Associate degree in Electronic Engineering.
He spent the next 16 years as a Field Service Engineer in the electronic prepress industry for AGFA. Jim’s work required him to travel from city to city in Ohio with the occasional trip outside to other states installing and servicing AGFA’s equipment. Eventually, Jim ended up in the steel industry working for the Tubular Products division of ArcelorMittal in Marion, Ohio. After eight years at Arcelor, Jim had become an expert at running a slitter and various other machines in the steel plant.
Jim’s hobbies include spending time with his grandchildren, fishing and golfing when time permits. He is a big do it yourself guy around the house. He’s also a sports fan of the Ohio State University’s football and basketball teams. On the professional side, Jim likes to follow the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.