Jim Hardy was born in 1945 in Atlanta, Georgia where he spent most of his early life before moving to Louisville, Kentucky in 1963. Returning to Atlanta in 1966 he married his childhood sweetheart, Sue Vickery. After graduating with an MBA from Georgia State University in 1971, he joined Chevron, USA where he enjoyed a 28-year career, retiring as Manager of Credit Card Marketing and President of the Chevron Travel Club. He currently resides in Roseville, California where he serves on the Public Utilities Commission but finds his greatest pleasure in being husband, dad and now granddad.