Jim is a U.S. Army veteran, serving in active duty from 1971-1974. He graduated from Southwest Missouri State University with a degree in accounting. Jim dedicates his time to his local church and in the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited. He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Baptist Foundation and the Endowment Trust Board of the Boone County Museum and Historical Society. Jim is a part of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants.