John James is a soldier, job-creator, and patriot. From the boardroom to the battlefield, John has proven that he will work with anyone and everyone in order to complete the mission. John believes in Faith and Family, God and Country and is committed to defending the American dream and expanding access to it.
From the battlefield to the shop floor, John James has lived his life placing service before self. A husband, father, combat veteran, and businessman, John James believes Michigan deserves a U.S. Senator that can achieve tangible results.
At 17, John made the decision to serve his country. After graduating from West Point in 2004, he became a Ranger-qualified aviation officer. John went on to serve with distinction in Operation Iraqi Freedom where he earned a Combat Action Badge (CAB) and two Air Medals while logging 753.7 flight hours in theater leading two Apache platoons.
While James was serving in Iraq, the recession was hitting Michigan hard and Detroit harder. He looked at his hometown area and there were parts of Michigan that looked worse than war-torn Baghdad. So, James came home to serve in a different way, as a job provider.
After eight years of service to the nation, John James was honorably discharged and returned to Michigan to work in the family business: James Group International. As President, John James grew the company into a major trading partner with Michigan’s auto industry. He also served on Governor Rick Snyder’s mobility council and Veterans Trust Committee, and Detroit Mayor Duggan’s Workforce Development Council. John James found ways to serve his community as he continued his education, raised a family, and created jobs in the city where he was born.
In addition to his Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, John has earned a Master of Supply Chain Management and Information Systems from Penn State University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan. John is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
John, his wife, Liz, and his 3 sons reside in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
