Jim Ross Lightfoot

Jim Ross Lightfoot, born in 1938 at the Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers in Sioux City, Iowa, to an unwed mother, was adopted by a farm couple. He grew up on a farm in Southwest Iowa. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the US Army and served in the active reserve from 1956 to 1968. His business career started as an IBM Customer Engineer for three years, followed by a year as a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He then became an announcer and farm broadcaster at KMA Radio for 19 years. Lightfoot served as a US Congressman from 1985 to 1997 and later as VP of Forensic Technology, Inc. (FTI) from 1998 to 2012. He retired in 2012 and has been enjoying his retirement since then. During his tenure at KMA Radio, he became a household name under the stage name Jim Ross, winning awards as a farm broadcaster, speaker, and rodeo announcer. As a US Congressman, he oversaw over 40% of the Federal Law Enforcement budget, including agencies like ATF, USSS, FLETC, US Customs Service, and IRS. He retired after 12 years, firmly believing in term limits. At FTI, he contributed to developing a global standard in ballistic forensics, now used in over 88 countries. Lightfoot has four children, three girls and one boy. He, and his wife Nancy reside in East Texas.