For twenty-five years Jim has worked as a writer, speaker, speech coach and creative consultant for Fortune 500 companies such as Avon Products, Advanced Micro Devices, Universal Studios, and Rockwell International. In 1996, his life took a sudden detour when he quit his job as speechwriter for a CEO in California and moved back to Texas after thirty years to care for his parents. It was the best career move of his life.

Parenting his parents was a life-changing choice that has led to a successful speaking career, a rediscovery of real family values, and the writing of When Roles Reverse. Jim's speeches, book and video help others learn from both his difficult and frequently hilarious experiences. His goal is to encourage families to plan ahead, talk about the difficult decisions and help adult children realize that they can handle the challenges of care-giving and find great joy in showing up for their parents.

Jim has spoken to corporations, associations, conventions and churches from Los Angeles to Cancun to Halifax, Nova Scotia. His keynote talks include Parenting Your Parents, You Are the Message, How Not to Speak Like a Geek, and the story of his years as a struggling actor in New York, If I Can Make It There, You Can Make It Anywhere.

His articles have appeared in The Reader's Digest, and on the op-ed pages of The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and Austin American-Statesman. Jim has written jokes for Joan Rivers and Phyllis Diller and a monologue for Bob Hope. As an actor, he played a breathless Snoopy in Charlie Brown at 8,000 feet in Aspen, appeared on seven quiz shows including Jeopardy, and wrote a book "How to Survive a Roommate" - that landed him on the Today Show with Jane Pauley. His play, Behind Every Good Woman, There's Another One! was produced in Los Angeles.

Jim is a member of the National Speakers Association and was named Member of the Year in 2004 for the Heart of Texas Chapter. He is active in the Texas Writers League, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church and RESULTS, a citizens lobby working to end hunger and preventable childhood diseases. One of his greatest pleasures remains bringing his mother ice cream and candy and seeing her face light up.