Jim served the city of Los Angeles for 30 years, beginning his career with the LA Fire Department and retiring as Chief of Department. In 2007, he was appointed by the Mayor as the Managing Director of the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, a position he held for more than a decade. After retiring for the second time from the Los Angeles government, Jim formed the renowned Homeland Security Advisory Council, serving as Executive Director, which provided a state-of-the-art technology coordination platform, as well as education and training, for local, state, and federal agencies across the southern California region. Following the devastating wildfires of 2025, Jim returned to service at the Mayor’s request and assisted with coordinating the response and recovery efforts.