James T. 'Jim' Schultz brings nearly 5 decades of transformational leadership success in both the private and public sectors with executive leadership roles in Fortune 200 international transportation, environmental, and manufacturing companies, as well as in the United States Federal Railroad Administration and in the United States Air Force.
Jim believes that by investing in the cultivation of a healthy culture, organizations experience distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace through higher employee engagement, improved safety, elevated productivity, enhanced customer satisfaction, and maximized financial performance.While serving as a supersonic F4 Phantom II jet fighter pilot, Jim developed his trademark 'don't forget who packs your parachute' approach to leadership, a message that he has conveyed internationally to thousands of people in his lectures and workshops.
Jim is a licensed FAA commercial pilot with multi engine jet, single engine land, and instrument ratings. He is a recipient of the Silver Star for Bravery Award presented by the American Federation of Police for his singular action to neutralize a heavily armed and threatening individual.
Dubbed ‘culture change guru’ by a major industry publication, Jim and is programs have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Richmond Times Dispatch, Jacksonville Times-Union, Traffic World, The Journal of Commerce, Tribune Media, and other public and industry publications. He served as a rail safety spokesman on screen for several major TV news media outlets, and as an off-screen rail safety expert consultant for ABC’s ‘20/20.’ He has also published several papers, including reports to Congress on safety leadership and safety culture issues.
Jim is coauthor of two best-selling business leadership books: ‘Leading People Safely– How to Win on the Business Battlefield’ North Loop Books September 2016; and ‘Bad Company/Good Company – a Leadership Guide: Transforming Dysfunctional Culture” Mill City Publishing, November 2019. Both books achieved Amazon’s No. 1 ‘hot new release’ status in their business category after initial release.
Jim is a former member of the Board of Directors, past chairman of the Personnel Committee, and former member of the Executive Committee for the Jacksonville, Florida, Urban League. He also served on the teaching faculty in the European Divisions for the University of Maryland and Central Texas College.Jim earned a BS at Arizona State University, a MA at Webster University, and attended in residence executive management programs at Harvard Business School, the University of Southern California, and Northwestern University.
Today he is a keynote speaker and offers workshop and executive coaching services to select clientele in high consequence industries.
James T. Schultz Biographical Detail Abstract Listing
PRIVATE SECTOR
- Jim Schultz Group - Founder (risk/safety & health/executive leadership coaching/consulting)
PREVIOUS APPLICABLE PRIVATE SECTOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS
- Patriot Rail Company - Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer
- CIH Capital Partners – Operating Partner/Advisory Board (investment banking)
- Brimstone Consulting Group - Advisor (leadership/team alignment/coaching)
- Nvolv Consulting - consulting cadre (safety leadership/team alignment/coaching)
- Waste Management Inc.- Senior Vice President ECE/Vice President Health & Safety
- CSX Transportation Company - Vice President & Chief Safety Officer
- SG Collaborative Solutions - Collaborator/Consultant (enterprise risk management)
- Chicago & North Western Railway – System Safety Officer, trainmaster, locomotive engineer
- Procter & Gamble Company - Manufacturing manager/Management trainer
PUBLIC SECTOR
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Associate Administrator for Safety/Chief Safety Officer (SES) (Washington DC)
- Regional Administrator-FRA West Region (Sacramento CA)
- Staff Director/Division Chief-FRA Operating Practices Division (Washington DC)
- Railroad Safety Inspector/Specialist-Operating Practices (Los Angeles and Chicago)
MILITARY VETERAN
- USAF F4 Phantom II supersonic jet fighter pilot
- USAF/NATO Security Operations
- Security liaison - US Navy P-3 Orion Antisubmarine Patrol Aircraft Operations (Atlantic)
- Member military aircraft accident investigation teams; standardization/evaluation jet fighter operations; USAF Aerial Gunnery Range Safety Officer
CIVILIAN EDUCATION
- Postgraduate/executive studies Harvard Business School, Cambridge MA – in residence
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA - in residence
- Northwestern University, Evanston, IL - in residence (Transportation/Traffic Institute)
Degrees
- Master of Arts -- Webster University, St Louis MO (1976)
- Bachelor of Science (with Distinction) – Arizona State University, Tempe AZ (1972)
RELATED CERTIFICATIONS
- Federal Senior Executive Service (SES)
- Top 10% graduate USAF jet flight school
- FAA licensed commercial pilot with multi-engine jet, single engine land, and instrument ratings
- “Silver Star for Bravery” – American Federation of Police
- Faculty lecturer European Divisions of University of Maryland, and Central Texas College
CONDENSED SAMPLE OF MAJOR PUBLICATIONS
- ‘Leading People Safely– How to Win on the Business Battlefield’ North Loop Books (September 2016)
- ‘Bad Company/Good Company – a Leadership Guide: Transforming Dysfunctional Culture” Mill City Publishing (November 2019)
- Condensed sample of railroad specific technical publications
- Primary author
- Report to Congress: “Train Dispatcher’s Report to Congress” and ‘Train Dispatchers Follow up Review Report to Congress” - FRA (January 1995)
- Report to Congress “CSX Detroit Division Hazardous Materials Corridor System Safety Assessment” -- FRA (1989)
- Misc. major train accident investigation reports as primary FRA team lead investigator (1989-1996)
- Contributing/co author
- Report to Congress “Railroad Communications and Train Control” - FRA (July 1994)
- “Reducing Substance Abuse in the Railroad Industry: A Success Story” - Transportation Research Board/National Research Council (August 1993)
CONDENSED SAMPLE OF MAJOR PRESENTATIONS
- 1000s of people reached through presentations and to both public and private sector organizations.
- Workshop facilitator -- led alignment and leadership workshops in Fortune 200, nonprofit, and private sector organizations.
Founder, Jim Schultz Group