James S. West Ph.D.

James S. West was born in Waseca, MN. He lived in many places in the U.S. as well as Japan, as the son of a military officer. However, he spent most of his early life in St. Paul Minnesota, where he attended Harding High School, St. Cloud State University (BA in Business Admin.), and Minnesota State University - Mankato (MA in Economics). After getting married, he lived in Lincoln, Nebraska where he obtained his Ph.D. in Business Admin. at the University of Nebraska. He worked as a Professor at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) for 26 years, then took advantage of an early retirement program and moved to Pittsburgh, PA. where he currently works as a Professor of Economics and Business at Washington & Jefferson College. He teaches courses on Marketing and International Marketing as well as a course on Business & Society.

Having taught Generation Y students for the past 16 years, Professor West decided to write his book "Finance and Manage Your Life: A Planning Guide for Generation Y" to fill a gap that he found in the education of most young people he had come to know as students, advisees, and personal friends after they graduate.

He has two sons, Steve and Brad, who have been the primary inspiration for everything he has accomplished in his adult life.