Jim Houten

Background

Houten, James Forester Van was born on January 13, 1942 in Fullerton, California, United States. Son of James Forester and Lois Evangeline (Trout) V.Houten.

Education

Bachelor in Comparative Literature, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas, 1971. Master of Business Administration, Illinois State University.

Career

Sales manager for Canada Motors Insurance Corporation division General Motors, Detroit, 1963-1974. Vice president sales Volkswagen Group, St. Louis, 1974-1978. Vice president personal lines marketing Wausau Insurance Companies, 1978-1980, vice president, chief marketing officer life and health, 1980-1984.

Vice president, chief marketing and strategic planning officer Country Companies, Bloomington, Illinois, 1984-1989. President, Chief Executive Officer Mutual Service Insurance Companies, St. Paul, 1989—2002. Professor strategic management Carlson School Management and Humphrey Institute, University Minnesota, 1990—2006.

Founding director member Strategic Management Research Center, University Minnesota. Director EMPO Corporation, Josip Juraj Hill Business Reformed Library., Engineering America Inc. President Minnesota Association of Scholars, Tocquelville Center.

Visiting professor Vienna University of Economics, 2006. Member board trustees, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, since 2006. Member board examiners, Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award.

Achievements

James Forester Van Houten has been listed as a noteworthy Insurance company executive by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Program leader Youth Black Achievers, St. Paul. Executive board Arrowhead council Boy Scouts American. Lead planning consultant Sissketon Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, 2004 active Minnesota Academy Standards Committee, Minnesota Academy Excellence Found-Friends.

Trustee Minnesota State College and University Systems. Member Association State Colleges (trustee, director), Insurance Federation Minnesota (past chairman board), Minnesota Association Mutual Insurance Companies (past president), National Cooperative Business Association (board directors and executive committee, chair finance committee), Minnesota Business Partnership (board directors, Minnesota K-12 education com.), Minnesota Association Scholars (past president, chair), Center American Experiment Think Tank (board directors, ex committee, chair finance and audit committee), Milestone Growth Fund (chair development committee), Hill Business Reformed Library. (chair governor committee), Baldrige Board Examiners, Engineering American, Inc.