Jim moved from Virginia to Florida as a young child and grew up around the panhandle of Florida. He joined the Army right out of High School in order to get the GI Bill, while fulfilling his dream of seeing the world.
After 8 years of service in three countries, and four duty stations, Jim returned home to Virginia, went back to school to study at the college level, and joined the Virginia Army National Guard. An active duty position soon opened at his armory and Jim was immediately selected to begin an active Guard tour. Soon after, Jim was selected for a promotion to the Battalion Operations Sergeant position in Richmond, but declined it in order to stay in Farmville, and spend valuable time raising his then, 7 year old step son. The active duty tour lasted just over 13 years and allowed him to complete 21 years of active duty for full military retirement.
While in the Service, Jim earned 14 commendations and many company and battalion level acknowledgements. Among them were the Army commendation medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and a dozen or so Soldier and NCO of the month and year awards. Jim also graduated number one in his class and all of his leadership schools to include the Advanced Non Commissioned Officer Course at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
As Jim was retiring from 21 years of active military service, with no formal training, he started a dial up internet company, just as the public internet we know today was just getting started. After 21 months, Ntelos decided that they wanted the business that Jim had built, so he sold it to them in January of 99. It was a decision Jim quickly regretted, so after his 18 month no compete agreement ended, Jim started another ISP and licensed it as a telephone company in the state of Virginia, and with the Federal Communications Commission. The going legal rate for the license was $100k, so Jim researched the process and accomplished it himself for less than $6k. Jim soon began experimenting with fixed wireless broadband and grew it to 32 towers in Central Virginia, while also growing DSL clients in some of the small towns in the region.
Believing that fiber was the future of the Internet, Jim researched horizontal drills, began executing pole attachment agreements with the power companies, and began to deploy buried and aerial fiber. The fiber deployments have now grown to over 680 miles of multi gigabit lines throughout Central Virginia, bringing high speed Internet to thousands of rural Virginia families.
Jim has been growing businesses that provided good jobs for almost 25 years in one of the most highly regulated industries today. He understands the economics of business and how governments can help or hinder it. One of his goals as a member of Roanoke City Council is to help create a better environment for businesses to grow in Roanoke and create the good paying jobs we need to turn Roanoke around for everyone.
Today, Jim resides in Roanoke City with his wife and one of his two step sons and has been active in advocacy for Roanoke and its citizens for over a decade. He and his wife Beth are long time members of Christ The King Presbyterian Church in Roanoke. Jim’s 37 year old autistic stepson, Joshua is special needs and will always live in the home, so Jim understands the extra challenges and joys that a special needs child brings to a family.
Jim feels it is the greatness of our country that enabled a financially disadvantaged youth like him to succeed. After his 21 years in the military, traveling to 22 countries, and owning three successful businesses, Jim believes that he is uniquely qualified to serve his fellow Roanokers on city council because of these life experiences and a heart to succeed.