Jim D. Vangorder:
CLASS OF 1981
Berkeley High SchoolClass of 1981
Berkeley, MO
Hargrave High SchoolClass of 1986
Huffman, TX
Jim D.'s Story
jimvangorder
@
sbcglobal.
net
Life
I live in Houston Texas. I have been here since 1982.
I am married to Mimi Vangorder. We have 4 children under roof. 2 from her previous marriage and 2 between each other. 19 yr old son, 15 yr old daughter, 13 yr old son and a 9 yr old son.
School
I attended Berkeley schools from K-12.
Airport Elementary 1968 - 1974
Berkeley Jr. High 1975 - 1977
Berkeley Sr. High 1978 - 1981
The year that I graduated, my parents moved to Texas. I followed severals months after waiting on the house to sell. I graduated early and did not attend the Sr. Prom, Graduation nor did I have a Sr. photo made.
I had a memorable time hanging out with my best friends at that time. Kevin Hoelscher, Cheryl Mannion, about 1/3 of the class of 1982. Other great friends were Karen Hoelscher, Greg Hoelscher, Sherry Ranft, Richard Ranft.
Workplace
I am not going to list all of the places I have worked.
I am currently employed by a local school district (Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D.) I have worked as a district employees since January 2001.
I work in the Facilities Planning and Construction Department. We manage the tax payers bond money to renovate and build new schools.
I am the Sr. Project Manager of an office of 20.
I have built 2 New Elementary, 1 New Middle, 2 New High Schools, 1 Education Support Building/Arena with a football Stadium attached, 1 New Security Building for a total of $220,000,000.00. On top of that I have renovated our existing buildings at a cost of $150,000,000.00....Expand for more
We have had 4 bond elections put forth by our tax payers
1998 - 200 million plus dollars
2001 - 470 million plus dollars
2004 - 700 million plus dollars
2007 - 800 million plus dollars
We are busy.
Our school district is one of the fastest growing districts in the nation right now. We are the 3rd largest district in the State of Texas and rank within the top 50 of the country.
I am very proud to be apart of this movement that helps our kids grow and succeed.
Prior to this job I worked for 3 different Engineering firms that specialized in designing school and hospital buildings. They were great jobs and that is how I happened on to my current location.
Work in Texas is good. I live here to work and I go to other states to play.
Military
I enlisted into the Airforce in October 1982.
I was selected for ICB Missles and send to Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota for 3 years. Prior to that I received training at
Lackland AFB (San Antonio Tx.) - basic training
Chanute AFB (Chanute Ill.) - Minute Man II Missile training
I left the airforce after my 4 year tour, basically because it was too cold in Rapid City / Ellsworth, South Dakota. The coldest winter was 30 degrees below zero with a wind chill of minus 30.
The military was not ready to retrain me so I elected to get out.
The Airforce was one of the most rewarding times in my life. I grew up in there and I am as proud as can be of ALL of our troops.
If you severed you know what I mean. If not all I can say is "They deserve a hell of a lot more than this country gives them".
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