Jim Trent and his wife, Pat -- a former teacher in the Kettering City Schools -- have lived in Kettering for more than four decades. Jim has been a member of the Kettering Board of Education for 12 years and has served as president of the Board for the past 10 years.

Jim received his bachelor's degree from Marshall University and his master's degree from Wright State University. He also completed post-graduate work at Wright State University, the University of Dayton and Miami University.

Jim taught elementary school for two years in West Virginia before moving to Kettering in 1961. In the Kettering Schools, he served as a Teacher, Elementary Principal, Director of Elementary Education, Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent. He retired from the position of Superintendent of the Kettering City Schools in 1991.

Following his retirement, Jim served as Director of the Division of Professional Practice and Research at Wright State University and has served as a strategic planning consultant for more than 150 school districts in seven states.

In addition to his service to the Kettering City Schools, Jim is an active community and civic volunteer. He is a member of the Kettering Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Advisory Board, the Dorwood Optimist Club and the City Council-Board of Education Task Force. He served on the Kettering Youth Task Force in 1982 and on the city's Charter Review Committee in 1995.

Among his many awards, Jim was named Educator of the Year by the Ohio PTA in 1981, Educator of the Year by the Art Education Association in 1986 and Western Ohio Art Education Association Educator of the Year in 1990. He received the Key to the City from the Kettering City Council in 1991, was named Optimist of the Year in 2003 and was selected to serve as Grand Marshall of the Holiday at Home Parade in 2004. In October of 2005, Jim was awarded the Great Lakes Regional Council Outstanding Board/Commission Member Award by the National Parks and Recreation Association. Jim is also a member of the Chester A. Roush Educational Hall of Fame.

Jim and Pat have two children, Allen (wife, Peggy) and Brian (wife, Erica) and four grandchildren, Tony, Paige, Eric and Nevadah.