James C Simmons Jr is a lifelong resident of Jefferson Parish and a graduate of L. W. Higgins High School. He received a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University in Public Administration with Honors (Magna Cum Laude) He received a Masters of Liberal Arts degree from Tulane University.

He is currently a doctoral student at Northcentral University. Pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Public Policy (DBA).

Most recently he retired from the United States Air Force /Air National Guard after over 30 years of distinguished service. His last position was with the Louisiana Air National Guard as the Chief of Recruiting and Retention Operations where he lead an award winning team of recruiters and retainers.
He successfully operated a budget of more 5.1 million dollars annually and lead his team as the top recruiting team in the nation for several years. He was intricate in creating policy, directives and operating procedures both the state and federal levels.

During his tenure with the Louisiana Air National Guard/USAF he was apart of every major emergency contingency that the faced. He is a highly decorated Airman with such awards as the Louisiana Legion of Medal. This medal is only given to Airman who have displayed exceptional service to the state of
Louisiana. He has received many other awards from USAF, State of Louisiana and Jefferson Parish.

He is also a retired Reserve Commander with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office at the rank of Captain. He commanded a team of 20 deputies that was intricate in reducing crime by more than 30%.

He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

He is the founder of #iWill Initiatives which focuses on positive, motivational public speaking and Human Resource consulting. He is a former political candidate for State Representative District 83. As a community advocate he intricately involved in all aspects of community involvement.
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Mr. Simmons has served his country, state and community with distinction.​