James C. "Jim" Hamer was born in Kenova, where he continues to reside with his wife Gladys who is a Marshall University alumnus. Jim and Gladys enjoy three children, Lori, Steve, and J.P.II and their bevy of grandchildren.

Jim earned his B.S. degree in Forestry from SUNY College of Forestry & Environmental Science at Syracuse (NY) in 1959. That same year he began his career in the family forest products business in Kenova. His father, J.P. Hamer, was a highly respected wood products manufacturer also.

After his father sold the business in 1973, Jim re-established the family business under the name of the Jim C. Hamer Co. in 1976. Since that time, the Hamer Co. has grown their Appalachian hardwood lumber business to an annual production rate of 80 million board feet. Its products are sold in the global market. The Jim C. Hamer Co. is known and respected world-wide for its high quality products and service.

For many years Jim and his family have been major contributors to Marshall University and other deserving educational institutions and causes in West Virginia. Jim has won dozens of business and environmental awards attesting

to the fact that he is a leader in his industry demonstrating economic and environmental progress. Because of his concerns about public opinion of forest management, Jim has been dedicated to public education.

    Jim is proud of the fact that the U.S. has more trees today than at anytime in the last century. He is proud of his industry=s commitment to forest sustainability. Jim is also quick to warn that neglected forests are more fire & disease prone, less friendly to wildlife, produce less oxygen and utilize less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

    The Jim C. Hamer Co. manages over 600,000 acres employing 15 full-time professional foresters. Hamer Pellet Fuel was first in recycling wood waste into densified pellet fuel for residential users all over the North East for home heatingCthis prevents water contamination. Jim reclaimed strip mines, repopulated wildlife areas, led his industry to higher standards, and provides 450 local jobs. All this demonstrates Jim C. Hamer=s commitment to the economic and environmental welfare of our region.