Jim graduated from Queen's University in Geological Engineering in 1982 and was hired by Texaco Canada Resources Ltd. Jim spent his first four years with Texaco as a production engineer in the Pembina oilfield. Jim transferred to the reservoir engineering department and became a Qualified Reserves Evaluator for Texaco Inc. in 1986. After Imperial Oil purchased Texaco Canada in 1989, Jim moved to Coles Gilbert Associates Ltd. (now GLJ Petroleum Consultants.) as an evaluation engineer where he was a partner for six years. Jim joined Gardiner Oil and Gas Limited as the western district engineer in 1996. Following the sale of the company a year later, Jim co-founded Gardiner Exploration Ltd., which sold to Cypress Energy Ltd. in May 1999. Jim joined the Ross Smith Energy Group in June of 1999 and has been President since 2002.