James (SKIP) Sponheim:
CLASS OF 1962
H. B. Plant High SchoolClass of 1962
Tampa, FL
University of South FloridaClass of 1976
Tampa, FL
University of TampaClass of 1966
Tampa, FL
University of TampaClass of 1965
Tampa, FL
James (SKIP)'s Story
Life
Retired and comfortable, I now dabble in scuba diving on the side and teach others my age who have an interest in this area. I also take people around the world to different scuba diving locations when I'm not doing my own traveling. I retired from many years of owning my own businesses, ranging from insurance related services, real estate, retail, publishing, and hospitality companys.
Served three years in Viet Nam during the war; attended college both before and after the war. Served with pride as a Captain in the Marine Corps, and was a Lt. Colonel with the Florida Guard.
I live in Spring Hill, about 50 miles north of the Tampa Bay now, after moving over here in 2004 from Tampa. I entertain , do volunteer work, and generally have a good life. My hobies in retirement are scuba diving, doing crosswords, reading, computer work,volunteer services, and traveling internatioinally. I'm still sitting on four board of directors.
College
After graduation from Plant, attended Manatee Jr. College for two years, and then the Univesity of Tampa before graduation. After coming back from Nam, I attended the University of South Florida for work on an addition Bachelor's and Masters degree, and returned years later for work on an additional Masters.
I am a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon social fraternity, and a member of a couple of honor fraternities.
While at the University of Tampa, I was Captain of the Debate team, and did a lot of work with the theater and it's services. all of which seemed to help me in later life.
My later education pertained to both industrial and physical psychology, and other areas of interest, although, I never used this professionally.
Workplace
Right after college, I worked for two years in radio broadcasting, working my way up from disc jockey to manager of a small radio station. I then entered the Marine Corps for service in Viet Nam, in 1967.
After getting out of the Marines, I stopped over for a year in Georgia, where I worked as a Corporate Personnel Director for a carpet manufacturer. When the snow came, I returned to Florida to continue my education.
While back in college full time, I also worked full time at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and worked my way up to Sergeant. After three years of this, and leaving college with my advanced education, I entered...Expand for more
the work force with my own first business. I became a Bail Bondsman. I owned it and made it grow for about 15 years, and then sold it.
I then started other businesses, made them profitable and eventually sold them, too. I had a couple of employment agencies; became a publisher;I had a couple of bars and a restaurant; had a real estate agency, and finally owned a scuba diving store (a hobby that turned into a living).
To this day, I still keep my hand in the scuba business, although it's very limited. I teach a little scuba diving to small select groups, travel the world taking tours out to different scuba locations, and advise new resorts on opening and making a profitable scuba diving center at their location.
But, for all practical purposes, I'm retired now and have been since 1999, and loving it. I drive around in my little convertable with the top down any time the weather is worth it, keep my pool at 85 degrees so I can swim through the winter, and keep some wood around for the fireplace those cold winter days.
I still love to travel around the states and the world, and plan on traveling back to Europe again, soon. Recently back from a trip to Tahiti, someplace I always wanted to go.
Military
I volunteered to go into the US Marine Corps as a Private in 1967. I was offered OCS but turned it down in order to go to Viet Nam. As luck would have it, I got stationed instead at New Port, Rhode Island, and attended Navy Justice School. I was then sent to work in Jacksonville, Florida NAS. I moved quickly through the ranks making meritorius advancement through all my ranks to Sergeant, when I was offered OCS once again. This time I accepted OCS, on the condition I be sent to Viet Nam, which is why I joined in the first place.
I went to Viet Nam as a Second Lieutenant, spent a couple of years, serving my time as a Company Commander in an Infantry capacity. After being wounded in Viet Nam, I returned state side. I served another year and a half, based out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, before going into the reserves.
While with the reserves, I worked with the Florida National Guard out of Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa.
I left the Florida Guard as a Lt. Colonel.
I recieved numerous awards and honors while in the Corps and the Florida Guard.
IT IS NOW LATE IN 20166 AND I'M STILL AROUND.
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