Jim came to Princeton from The Hill School, where he was active in student government, sports, and the Christian Association. At Princeton, Jim majored in religion, dined at Tiger Inn, and wrestled for two years. Following graduation, Jim joined GE’s financial-management program. He spent 15 years at GE in six locations, the last one in Shelbyville, Ind. When GE sold that division Jim remained with the successor, Wellman Thermal Systems Corp. In 1988, Jim and three colleagues bought Wellman, and in 1991 Jim became CEO.
Having been active for many years with his local Methodist church, in 2003 Jim retired from Wellman and embarked on a second career in the ministry. He noted at the time that he had been inspired in part by his professors in Princeton’s religion department. He enrolled in and graduated from the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis and became minister at Fairland United Methodist Church, where he was serving at his death.
Jim’s classmate and roommate at Hill and Princeton, Jeremy Medina, remembers Jim as “a quiet, generous, and unassuming person of deep religious faith, feelings which had a profound effect on me.”
The class extends condolences to his wife, Merrie Jo; his three children; five grandchildren; and extended family.