He works as a Range/Animal Scientist in southeastern Utah, including the Navajo Reservation. Jim served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints among the Navajo People. As a student at USU he worked seven years as an interpreter for the USU Navajo Sheep Project. He received his current assignment with USU due to his bilingual abilities. He and his wife Linda own Keyes Cattle Company. They have been breeding purebred Red Angus cattle in Utah’s canyon country for the past 30 years.