Retired, after 25 years as Director of Bands at Ben Davis High School where his bands won 6 Indiana State Championships, performed in 3 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parades, Ronald Reagan's Presidential Inaugural Parade, 2 Fiesta Bowl Parades, 8 Hawaii trips, and numerous Disneyland and Disney World performances. Prior to that Jim was the Director of Bands at Warren Central (Indpls.)H.S. for 7 years and started his career at Westfield (IN) H.S. in 1976.

Jim currently is a freelance trumpet player in the Indianapolis area where he serves as the Assistant Principal Trumpet with the Indiana Wind Symphony and the St. Luke's Orchestra. Jim has 22 private trumpet students in the Zionsville and Carmel Community Schools, and is active as a member of the St. Luke's United Methodist Church, in Indianapolis, IN.

Jim has 2 grown children, Julie and Kent and loves spending time with his girlfriend, Marie and beagle puppy named Jazzy.