James was born in 1952 and raised in Altoona, PA, with six older siblings.

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• In 1985, James moved his family to Florida, where he began his wireless communications and information technology career. 

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• Military Service:  

• U.S. Naval Veteran 1969 - 1974 (HD)

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• Education

• Altoona High School — 1970

• Bachelor of Science in  Business Administration  - Flagler College — 2006

• Masters of Science - I.T. Data mgmt.  Florida Institute of Technology — 2014

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After retiring in 2017 at age 65, he accepted employment with Advent Health Systems in 2022 as a Unit Liaison with the Surgical Patient Care Unit (SPCU) in Daytona Beach, FL. He lives in Ormond Beach, Florida, with Kate, his wife of more than 50 years. 

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(The name "Dogwood" was chosen because it was his mother's favorite flower.) 

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"Life has a way of steering a course for you despite your compass, plans, or dreams. Never in my fondest or wildest dreams of youth did I ever imagine where I would land, nor who or what I would become. So many tempests arose that it seemed I could never get a grip on the helm, and yet through each, I found myself in calm waters with following seas and the wind at my back.

 

To say that our Creator did this for me would be the height of arrogance, i.e., to assume that I should be personally gifted this life by God, Jehovah, when so many decent people in this world suffer. Still, I give thanks eternally to our God and Savior, and His reigning King, Jesus Christ, for all blessings of life, regardless of the origin."