Jim Jennings- Chief of Staff

JJ joined the staff of Lockard & White in June, 1988.  He obtained his earlier communications experience in the United States Navy where he achieved  the rank of Interior Communications Chief Petty Officer (ICC).  While in the Navy, part of his special training was obtained from WECO (Western Electric Company) in Paris, France for Engineering and Circuit Design and in Naples, Italy for Analogue Digital Line Conditioning.  Upon completion of this engineering training Chief Jennings was elevated to Circuit Engineer and Transmission Engineer.  JJ has extensive telephone experience having worked on the Department of Defense’s AUTOVON, AUTODIN, and AUTOSEVOCOM networks (the three world wide communication

networks for all branches of service), as well as, managing the Guam telephone network.  JJ spent twenty years in the Navy, retiring in 1975 and returning to the civilian work force with Wescom in Dallas, Texas as a District Staff Engineer, later earning the title Senior District Staff and Application Engineer.   In 1978 JJ relocated to Lafayette, Louisiana to take a job with Bibbins and Rice Electronics and then joined Communication Systems Management (Marc Lockard’s first company) in 1980.  JJ is known for his ability to make things happen.  He has led projects as small as 3 by 5 key systems to the design and implementation of 15,000 line switch networks for such giant companies as Exxon and Chevron.  If you want to know anything about telephones, data interfaces, level settings, signaling and signaling interfaces you need to have JJ involved with it.

JJ is now the Chief of Staff and works closely with Marc helping to sell L&W services worldwide.  Being the family-oriented company that we are and being surrounded by the experienced staff we have on board makes working a pleasure on a daily basis.

JJ and his wife Cindy, have been married for over 30 years.  They have 3 children and one Godchild – Victor, who was a Ranger in the U.S. Army for over 14 years, and is now medically retired because of injuries received while on active duty.  Dr. Sheila Hockman is an OB/GYN just outside of Logan. West Virginia.  Vincent, , passed away in 1991 at the age of 25 of cancer.  Courtney is a physical therapist in Lafayette, Louisiana.  Between Victor, Sheila and Courtney, they’ve given The Jennings Home 5 grandchildren, Timothy James, Jillian, Ian, Lane Michael and Kolin James.

JJ enjoys fishing, especially fly fishing, every chance he gets, and even ties his own flies.  He is a Master Scuba Diver, and enjoys playing golf.  He is also the Master BBQ chef in his family.