James started working at our Traverse City office over four years ago. He was hired as an IT Support Specialist and has recently taken on the responsibility of Network Administrator. Previously, James worked at the local Traverse City Staples as a Computer Repair Tech and supervisor of the Technology department.
James enjoys his current role and loves that it provides him with the opportunity to play with the latest gadgets, services, and other technology. In his role, he has learned to build a rapport with his internal clients, become an expert on previously unknown topics, and that change is inevitable, whether it be seismic or gradual. It’s how you adapt to change is the important thing. When asked what advice he would give to new hires, he responds -- “Teamwork does indeed make the dream work. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions. It’s okay if you don’t know all the answers, and sometimes simply bouncing ideas off a colleague can be super helpful to arrive at that 'Aha!' moment.”
During his free time, James enjoys going for walks, hitting the gym, and has recently picked up (digital) drawing on his iPad. He mostly draws Anime-inspired fan art for practice. During the 2018 Cherry Capital Comic Con (C4) in Traverse City, he and his friends rented a booth. They were able to make a profit on the artwork they were selling. Along with selling art, James got to relax at the resort for the weekend and meet some awesome comic book artists and hung out with the C4 staff.
Fun Facts:
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James has lived in Grand Traverse County his entire life.
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He has never had a speeding ticket (knock on wood).
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On average, he has probably watched all 35 Godzilla movies at least twice.
- If he could only eat one food for the rest of his life, it would be fish and chips
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| James meeting Tsutomu Kitagawa, Godzilla suit actor from 1999-2000 & 2002-2004 | James meeting Mizuho Yoshida, Godzilla suit actor from 2001 |
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| First winning T-Shirt design for the local game store, GT Games, 2017 | Second winning T-Shirt design for GT Games for Cherry Capital Comic Con (C4), 2018 |
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| James in "My Hero Academia" cosplay | Godzilla doodle | James at Mackinac Island, MI |
Bonus Facts:
Favorite Books:
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer
- Dune by Frank Herbert
Favorite Movies:
- Godzilla 1985/The Return of Godzilla (1984)
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Zootopia
Favorite TV Shows:
- Parks & Rec
- Mission Hill
- Adventure Time
Favorite Games:
- Star Fox 64
- Mirror’s Edge
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
