Education

Bachelor of Business Administration, The University of Akron

Experience

Jim Rigsby joined Ohio Bell in 1966 with an entry‑level position in the Marketing department. He was quickly promoted to Communications Consultant, functioning in this role for four years. His primary responsibilities included the design of telephone systems, voice networks, data networks and the daily management of his customers' telephone systems. The types of customers he worked with during this time included hospitals, universities, county and city governments and general industry clients.

Jim served as marketing sales manager during his last three years at Ohio Bell, where he was responsible for the development of consulting skills of his group and expanding market penetration. His total tenure at Ohio Bell was just short of seven years. Upon leaving Ohio Bell, he worked as Ohio sales manager for an interconnect telephone company headquartered in Virginia. This activity lasted for one year.

The reason for his dissatisfaction and short tenure with this interconnect company was that he still could not be objective in dealing with his customers. Then, as now, he knew that one vendor did not necessarily meet all of the telecommunications needs of the customer.

He joined a consulting firm as a minority stockholder and vice‑president. He was responsible for project management and consulting work related to the design and procurement of major telephone systems and supervised the voice traffic analysis department of the company. During his three‑year employment at this firm, he played a major role in the 300% expansion of the company. He resigned from this consulting firm to start a consulting firm specializing in telecommunications consulting services for hospitals and medical centers.

Jim founded Jerico Telecommunications, Inc., in January 1975. In addition to managing the company and overseeing most of the firm's marketing activities, he actively participated in many of the firm's larger projects. Jerico was sold to KMG Main Hurdman on April 1, 1985. At that time, Jerico was a major presence in the healthcare/telecom arena.

He founded Jim Rigsby & Associates in August of 1986 and continues to handle select marketing activities of the firm, supervises most consulting projects, presents seminars and workshops related to the various areas of telecommunications, trains and supervises new consultants and acts as project manager, performing hands‑on consulting activity.

Jim is a sought‑after speaker on various telecom subjects, including the managing of telecommunications, and speaks to healthcare, telecommunications and other groups throughout the country.