James S. Smith, Jr., a Brookhaven, Miss., native, was recruited to Alcorn on a fully paid football scholarship as a quarterback from Alexander High School in 1958. Jim was an honor student and president of his graduating class. Each summer, Jim worked as a migrant worker in the tobacco fields of Massachusetts from his freshman year in high school through his sophomore year at Alcorn.

During his four years at Alcorn, Jim played quarterback on the football team, ran track, was on the debate team, and served as president of his class from sophomore through his senior year. He served on the student council and graduated in 1962 with a B.S. degree in chemistry and a minor in math. Jim is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity where he served as Bascules. While at Alcorn, Jim met Adelia Barnes and they have been married for 42 years. They have two children, Greg and Tonya and three grandchildren, Greg, Jr. (13), Donovan (11), and Berkeley (7).

After graduating from Alcorn, Jim was a science teacher and assistant football coach for two years at Carver High School in Pascagoula, Miss., where he was voted teacher and coach of the year in 1964. He was also the local boy scout troop leader.

After leaving Pascagoula, he was a science and math teacher and head football coach at Eva Harris High School in Brookhaven, Miss. After one year he became chairman of the science department and head football coach at Nichols High School in Biloxi, Miss. Jim attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., on a grant from the National Science Foundation, where he worked on a master's degree in analytical chemistry.

After six years, Jim left the teaching field in 1968 and became a research chemist and product development engineer for Corning Glass in Corning, N.Y. He received his MBA degree from the University of Rochester, Rochester, N.Y., under the executive development program in 1973. He eventually was promoted to marketing product manager, senior sales representative and regional sales manager with Corning. After 18 years, Jim left Corning and became vice president of sales and marketing, and R & D for Kewaunee Scientific in Statesville, N.C. He became V.P. sales and marketing for Orion Research in Boston, Mass., V.P. global sales and distribution for YSI, Inc. in Yellow Springs, Ohio. During his nine years with YSI, Jim had offices in London, England, Tokyo, Japan and Hong Kong, where he was a member of the board of directors for the various subsidiaries of YSI. He traveled throughout the world including Europe, Asia, India, South America and Mexico, developing a sales and marketing network for YSI, Inc., which was awarded the Manufacturer of the Year by the State of Ohio in 1999. While living in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Jim was an adjunct professor of international business in the graduate school at Antioch University.

For many years, Jim served as international committee chairman of the Laboratory Products Association (LPA). He was elected to the board of directors for the LPA and served an unprecedented two terms on the board. He was also chairman of the membership committee. Jim was selected as a NAFEO fellow by Alcorn in 1984. He received many awards from Corning Glass and several international distributors for his accomplishments in the scientific industry. Jim was very active with the U.S. Department of Commerce for international marketing and received an award from the Governor of Ohio for his outstanding international sales and marketing for YSI.

Jim retired from YSI in 2000 and begun building a retirement home in Ocean Springs, Miss. He later came out of retirement and took a job with Wheaton Science Products where he became president of the company. Jim retired in August, 2004, to their home in Ocean Springs, Miss. After retirement he went to sea school and received his captain license from the U.S. Coast Guard and is the only black charter boat captain of the Mississippi Charter Boat Captains Association. In addition to his charter boating activities, Jim is in the process of setting up a minority-owned laboratory distribution company where he will serve as president of the company. Jim enjoys golfing, fishing, hunting, reading and traveling.