He has worked as a Research Associate and Instructor at Texas A&M, commercial fruit grower in Austin County, Texas and Ex- tension Team Leader for the New York and Pennsylvania Lake Erie Regional Grape Program. Since returning to Texas in 1996, Jim has worked extensively with grape and other perennial fruit industries to conduct applied research and extension education programming to address the needs of commercial and home fruit growers. Jim has also been active in international fruit work in the Caucuses, North Africa and across the Caribbean Basin and Central America.