James L. Simmons E-mail Jim at: jimabides@netscape.com A native Coloradoan, raised in Pueblo the eldest son of Mary Elizabeth and long time Colorado State University - Pueblo & Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Harry Simmons. Father of Timothy Leslie Simmons. The brother of Timothy H. Simmons, Mary Beth Sierer and Martha Jane Parker. He was a member of the first graduating class of Pueblo South High School in 1960, where he was honored by his selection as Student Body Vice President; Varsity Football & Basketball Captain; Letterman's Club President and Year Book Royalty. During his Secondary School years, Simmons was a participant in a variety of Varsity Athletics. Academic Clubs and Organizations. The recipient of Congressional Appointments to both the United States Naval and Air Force Academies, he chose attend the University of Wyoming when recruited on a Football Scholarship by legendary Football coach Bob DeVaney in 1961. His collegiate athletic career was completed at the University of Nevada / Reno where he assisted the WolfPack basketball team in back-to-back Far West Conference Championships in 1964 & 1965 as a point guard. Simmons began his professional career in Pueblo following his graduation from the Southern Colorado State University (SCSC) ( Now CSU-Pueblo ) with a B.A. degree in Business & Mass Communications. He worked initially as an Account Executive with a local Advertising Agency and was named Director of Public Relations & Client Placement at a sheltered workshop for the handicapped. In 1968 he took a position as Membership Director for the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and was named General Manager of that organization in 1970. He moved to Denver in 1972 as Director of Programs for the Colorado Retail Council's ( CRC ) five state-wide divisions and the Metro-Denver Retail Merchants Association. During that tenure, he orchestrated the development and presentation of the CRC's nationally acclaimed Retail Shrinkage Prevention Workshop aimed at reducing retail shoplifting, employee theft & error problems. Simmons personally presented the innovative workshop to more than 6900 retail employees on 346 occasions. He also assisted five states in the design & implementation of similar programs. In 1975 Simmons took the position as Executive Director of "Project Confidence" for the Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry (CACI). This program was designed and presented by CACI to, "Restore a climate of governmental and public opinion in Colorado, which would strengthen awareness about the Private Enterprise System". In 1977 Simmons was hired by Fortune 500 Building Materials conglomerate, Johns-Manville to manage their multi-national community relations activities. His responsibilities included orchestration of both community affairs and governmental relations for 169 plant & mine site locations in the U.S. and Canada from the companies World Headquarters in Denver. He joined Coors Brewing Company two & one half years later to develop the nation's third largest brewer's first Community Affairs Department. His CACI Governmental Affairs experience and interests led him into a Lobbyist assignment for the company at the Colorado General Assembly. Eventually he would manage the legislative & regulatory issues for the Brewery's seven state South Eastern Region. Simmons concluded his tenure at Coors overseeing both Metro/Denver & Colorado Public Relations and Professional and Intercollegiate Sports Liaisons. He took advantage of a "Special Retirement Package" which was offered to all employees with 15 or more years service with Coors in conjunction with its "Down-Sizing" initiative in 1994. Shortly thereafter he accepted a two year position with the University of Denver as director of Development for Athletics. This assignment included responsibility for raising capital funds for the construction of the institution's new $50 million Daniel Ritchie Sports, Recreation & Wellness Center. This Project was dedicated in 1999. A full time resident of Arizona since 1996, Mr. Simmons resides in Green Valley, a southern suburb of Tucson. He has one son, Timothy Leslie (40), who resides in the Denver Metroplex. Click HERE for Jim Simmons Resume MCCNM Alumni Home This link page is provided to alumni who have earned the CSU-Pueblo LINK privilege. The department makes no claim to the authenticity or appropriateness of off site web pages linked to this page. We reserve the right not to publish any text or Website link deemed inappropriate.