Jim Cooksey:  

As a teen in high school I actually believed I was a heroic Ninja Warrior, but later found out it was just something I ate. Out of high school I played a year of football at Portland State University, but decided that path only provided a directionless, dead-end future. So, I joined the Navy, sure that it would provide me with a directional dead-end future. After the Navy, I took my high-school GPA of 1.59 and went to Portland Community College, and then to Portland State. I graduated from Portland State in 1984 with a Business Administration degree, and a 3.64 GPA. It's amazing! I found that the simple act of staying awake in class vastly improves ones chances of getting a fair grade - well, that and my share of sociology, PE, and business classes. Fresh out of Portland State I took a job as a Computer Instructor at Trend Business College. Yup, I really used all those business courses there. While working at Trend an old Navy acquaintance tracked me down and asked if I would like to work for the Navy as a Civilian Training Specialist. The travel was good, the money was good, and I was promised that NO ONE WOULD BE SHOOTING AT ME. While working for the Navy I went back to school and graduated from Chapman University with a Masters...Expand for more