Jim’s professional career in public service and political affairs is as impressive as it is diverse. He has an extensive background in campaigning, advertising, direct response marketing and communications.

Jim has staffed Members of the U.S. House and Senate, and also served as the Regional Political Director for the Kemp for President Committee and for the National Republican Congressional Committee. In his home state of Minnesota, he held several key positions. He served as political director for the Minnesota Republican Party (IRM), as administrative aide to the House Minority Leader in the Minnesota State Legislature, and as the communications coordinator in the office of the Governor.

As a private political consultant, he has provided services for numerous Republican campaigns. In 1991 and again in 1995, Jim developed the plans and strategies that helped Kirk Fordice become the first Republican ever elected Governor of Mississippi. In 1992, he was the strategy and media consultant to the successful gubernatorial campaign of Marc Racicot in Montana.

After leaving the campaign trail, he took his political expertise to the private sector; first as vice president at Eddie Mahe Company, a local public affairs company and following, as a partner at Luntz Weber Research and Strategic Services. In 1995, he teamed up with Bernie Merritt and founded their grassroots consultancy and several years later they joined Qorvis Communications as founding partners.

Weber Merritt was founded on the strength of Jim and Bernie’s unique perspective on how “local” interests can affect the success of any public policy issue. Over the past several years, Weber Merritt has added strategic media communications to its core offering, proving that an integrated approach to public policy campaigns works. Today, Jim is actively involved on client teams, providing strategic counsel on message development and issue advocacy.