Jim is honored to have served the people of Eagan and Minnesota from 2007-2010 in the Minnesota State Senate.

He grew up on a farm in Eagan and graduated from Rosemount High School. He and his wife Gayle, who teaches German at Eagan High School, have lived in Eagan since 1975.

Lindsay, their daughter, and Dave, their son, both attended schools in Eagan and graduated from Eagan High School. Lindsay is an attorney in the Los Angeles area. Dave is a software engineer at Thomson Reuters in Eagan. Jim earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Degree at the University of Minnesota and worked in manufacturing management positions at both Ecolab and 3M. He has extensive business experience, including budgeting, negotiating, and strategic planning.

Besides his work-related experience, Jim is very involved in community activities. He helped to form the local District 196 Support Group of the Gifted and Talented. Both he and Gayle served on the board of directors for the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented. During their involvement with the local group, they lead the effort to establish the District 196 Inventor’s Fair.

Jim visited local classrooms with the 3M Visiting Wizards and 3M TECH program; the TECH program promotes technical careers to high school students.

In addition to speaking at the high school level, Jim has also addressed public safety concerns at the College of St. Catherine and has served as a moderator for the ISD 196 School Board candidate forum.

Jim has made connections to the larger Minnesota community through his extensive efforts at fundraising for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Cancer Society and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

In addition to these fund raising efforts, Jim lends his support as a member of Easter Lutheran Church, Friends of the Eagan Art House, Friends of the Wescott Library and Friends of the Farm.

He is also a leisure time bike rider, woodworker, classic sports car buff, videographer and gourmet cook.