James joined Premier Planning Group in 2024 after retiring from the City of Toledo Police Department. James had a variety of assignments over his 25 years with the City of Toledo Department of Police. He held the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Secretary of Police. He retired as Secretary of Police, which is the title for the Chief Financial Officer position with the Toledo Police Department. He was responsible for their seven hundred employees’ 100-million-dollar budget. In this capacity, he gained considerable experience and expertise in the areas of defined pensions, 401k’s, deferred compensation plans, severances and employee and retiree benefits.
James earned a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. He also earned a Master of Science in Crime Analysis and Bachelor of Science in Justice Administration from Tiffin University, Tiffin, Ohio. He is a graduate of St. John’s Jesuit High School, Toledo, Ohio. James possesses Series 7 and Series 66 securities licenses.
With the advantage of 25 years of experience in public service, James specializes in investment strategies for individuals with public service pensions. He focuses on each client's situation before recommending investment approaches that will best meet the client's individual financial goals.
He is an active member and volunteer at his church. He also enjoys volunteering at other Christian organizations in the Toledo Area. James enjoys playing golf and is a member of the Toledo Police Golf League.