Jim is a Certified Economic Development Professional who has held a series of positions now spanning a career of over 23 years, that include city management and administration, financial analysis, work with Councils of Governments, and as the Economic Development Director for a small city in Texas.
Jim considers his top achievements to be:
- Selling property for a new 672-unit attainable housing subdivision including a broad range of homes for middle-income households, and helped to create a developer reimbursement structure,
- Full documentation of two properties for future industrial development and
- Actively working to achieve favorable entitlement status, development of a new target industry report for a small community, development of a comprehensive plan, development of an economic development strategic plan with peer-benchmarks, and building a community leadership program for the City of Rockdale.
In addition to these major achievements, he has:
- Drafted a new incentive policy and updates for a building improvement grant program
- Collaborated with stakeholders to create a new tourism master plan
- Established and managed tax increment reinvestment zones
- Created an innovative digital marketing grant program for local businesses
- Led efforts to strategically expand municipal utility systems
- Attracted a new Tyson Foods Feed Mill, Viatract Organic Fertilizer Plant that incorporates industrial reuse of product components, and the OSS Fabship and Lone Star State Bus System location
- Assisted the city to purchase and clear blighted property that included needed asbestos remediation
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Political Science, Sam Houston State University
- Master of Arts, Public Administration, University of Houston
- Economic Development Institute Certificate, University of Oklahoma
- Doctorate in Economic Development – in progress, University of Southern Mississippi
- Leadership Training: Designing the Organization, Managing the Organization, Leading Teams
Memberships, Certifications, Recognition
- Certified Government Finance Officer, Government Finance Officers Association of Texas
- Certified Economic Developer, International Economic Development Council
- Master Economic Development Practitioner, Consortium of University of Southern Mississippi, Texas Christian University, and University of New Mexico
- International Economic Development Council, Education and Certification Committee, Conference Presenter
- Excellence in Economic Development – Annual Report Award 2023
- Texas Economic Development Council, Forward Planning and Sales Tax Committees, Conference Presenter and Economic Excellence Awards 2022, 2023, 2024
- Development District of Central Texas Board Member
- Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, Board Member
- Government Financial Officers Association, Member, Budget Awards 2015-2021
Publications
- Accelerating Rural Economic Development, International Economic Development Council, Economic Development Journal