Jim is a native of Pensacola and is a graduate of Tate High School and the University of West Florida, where he received his degree in finance. He moved to Charlotte, NC in 1997 with a goal of furthering his career in banking, but later developed a passion for information technology. Upon graduating from ECPI College of Technology, he officially entered the world of IT in 2001. After working several years as a network engineer, he and his family relocated back to Pensacola in 2007. He joined AppRiver the following year and later became the company’s first community relations specialist in 2018. He is currently the Community & Public Relations Director for the Center for Cybersecurity at the University of West Florida.

Because he believes the Cyber Coast can become a major hub for technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Jim is currently serving as an advisor to the board of directors for IT Gulf Coast and has actively participated in the planning of the annual ITEN WIRED Summit since 2012. He has served as director of the summit’s planning team since 2013.

His leisure activities include disc golf, fishing, and kayaking.