Born in Lyon, France in 1941 from a Swiss father and a Czech mother, the family left France and moved to Switzerland in 1943 to settle in the French Canton of Neuchatel.
Jim studied Electronic Engineering and Communications at the Technicum Cantonal of St-Imier during 1958-62, graduating with an Engineering Degree.
In 1962 he joined C.I.R. (Companie pour L’Industrie Electronique) as a Quality assurance manager and Liaison officer between the Swiss government and French air force Dassault, and was involved in the development of new electronic equipment for the French Mirage 4A recently purchased by the Swiss Air force from Dassault in France.
Responding to the demand for qualified personnel for a developing Nation (an initiative of Prime Minister, Robert Menzies), Jim migrated to Australia in 1964.
During 1964-69 he worked in the television industry in the Riverina and NSW South Coast until he moved to the ACT to establish his own business and become the largest electronic service centre in Canberra. He employed two apprentices who completed their three year term with the highest marks in the State.
1972 saw Jim join the Commonwealth of Australia, in the Department of Mineral & Energy, Division of National Mapping. He was Technical Officer (electronics) responsible to the assistant Director for the evaluation and purchase of electronic equipment such as Satellite Navigation and Positioning systems. He was involved in the installation of electronic equipment such as SAT/NAV, echo sounder, sonar doppler etc. aboard ships (Cape Pillar and Cape Don) and photographic survey equipment on aircraft. Active participation in harbour studies including bathymetric mapping in the Arafura Sea.
In 1975, Jim was head hunted by Hughes Aircraft (USA) to start a pilot plant in Switzerland capable of producing microchips using CMOS technology for the Swiss watch industry. While there he met Yvonne in 1978 and upon completion of the multi-million project in 1980, returned to Australia to start a new life together.
In Sydney, he joined a dynamic young company working on the development of a barcode reader using laser technology 1980-82.
For three years from 1982, he & Yvonne purchased and operated Ashanti Café in Mosman until they moved to Queensland to start a new family.
Commencing with Citra Construction in 1985 as a material expediting engineer and liaison officer/translator on the Queensland Rail Electrification project between Hay Point Harbour and the coal fields.
From 1985 until 1988 Jim worked in collaboration with a Northern Territory building company to install and service domestic and commercial sewage treatment systems in remote locations and communities.
Between 1988 and 1995, Jim developed the first domestic sewage treatment and gained Queensland Government approval for the installation in rural areas not connected to the main sewage grid. A factory was set up in Oxenford before he moved to Darwin, NT.
A new company in Darwin was formed in this period, H2o Solutions with the intention of marketing the sewage treatment systems in SE Asia where he travelled extensively. With a Balinese Business Partner, Jim established a new company in Bali that now employs more than 60 people.
In 2005, he joined Suncoast Waste Water Management as Technical Sales Manager and installation supervisor for commercial sewage treatment systems in the mining sector. Jim travelled extensively throughout Australia to meet client demand before retiring in 2010 and moving to Kings Beach.
Jim has been very actively involved in the Caloundra Men's Shed since 2014 where he is a Past President, Past Vice President and is currently Treasurer. He was instrumental in building membership to 81 men by the end of 2016,
In 2015 he volunteered with a Rotary team to rebuild a school amenity and water storage at the Sassamunga Hospital after it was damaged by a Tsunami.
Jim was recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow in 2017.
He became a Rotarian on 12 September 2017 when he joined the Rotary Club of Caloundra.