Prior to his current career as a Certified Business Broker and commercial REALTOR^®, Jim Dickens` careers as a professional soldier, a corporate executive, an entrepreneur, and a non-profit leader have taken him all over the world.  He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and also graduated the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta with a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Following West Point, Jim embarked on his first career as a professional soldier.  As an Armored Cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, he served tours of duty in Europe, Canada, and twice as a combat leader in Vietnam.  He was an Army Ranger and paratrooper.  In addition to combat unit assignments, Jim also served in senior positions in the research, development and acquisition of advanced Army weapons systems.  Jim`s military decorations include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with V, the Meritorious Service Medal, six Air Medals, and three Purple Hearts for combat wounds he received in Vietnam.

After his Army career, Jim began a second career as an executive with the General Electric Company, serving two departments of the GE Aerospace Group as Washington, D.C. manager, including GE`s systems engineering contract for the "Star Wars" strategic missile defense program.

Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, Jim began a third career in business by starting his own company, Dickens & Associates, Inc., a management consulting practice specializing in strategic planning, marketing, and competitive positioning for the aerospace and defense industry .  DAI broadened its focus, and the healthcare industry became DAI`s largest clientele.  DAI also helped smaller, entrepreneurial companies develop business plans, raise startup and expansion capital, and position for sale or acquisition.  Jim also bought an established commercial office and business services company in Atlanta, and later founded a third company to develop, build and operate restaurants in Atlanta`s suburbs.

After careers as Army officer, corporate executive, and entrepreneur, Jim was driven to serve others with his gifts of leadership and management and accepted the position of Chief Operating Officer of United Methodist Neighborhood Centers, Inc., a national mission institution of the United Methodist Church serving inner-city communities and based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  In this, his fourth career in non-profit management, Jim continued to share his extensive strategic planning, management, financial, and fundraising expertise with other non-profit agencies, particularly those that were faith-based.  After over seven years of service to non-profits, Jim returned to his business career in business brokerage, commercial and residential real estate, and management consulting.

Jim and his wife, Jeanette, a Georgia native and United Methodist pastor, currently reside in Atlanta's Buckhead community and have three children and three grandchildren, all in the Atlanta area.  The Dickens serve God at and through Northside United Methodist Church in Buckhead where Jeanette is Associate Pastor.  Jim is an avid golfer and outdoor sportsman, time permitting.