James was appointed to the SCC Board of Trustees and seated in July of 2020. He spent 22 years at Shawnee Community College in Adult Education and retired in June 2016. During that time, James moved from the Alternative High School Supervisor to Director of Adult Education, and finally, the Dean of Adult Education and Alternative Instruction. During his tenure at the college, James has supervised and administered multiple state and federal grants, managed state and federal budgets, developed many adult education programs and supervised numerous staff and adult education, instructors. James was awarded the Adult Education Director of the Year for Illinois in 2005. He served two terms on the ICCB Adult Education and Literacy Advisory Council and served nine years on the Southern 14 Workforce Investment Board. He has been involved as co-chair of committees with the last two Higher Learning Commission Accreditation processes.

James has always practiced the following direction in making decisions concerning the college: “Is it good for the students? Is it good for the community? Then it will be good for the college.”

He is married to Beth Darden, who also retired from SCC. They have two sons and seven grandchildren.