L. James Nelson
Jim Nelson is a native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Denver. Jim began his career in volunteer, grassroots politics early on, delivering brochures, buttons and yard signs for a wide variety of campaigns as a kid on his bicycle. Over a period of years, during and after college, Nelson has been involved in dozens of campaigns on behalf of such disparate politicos as Robert F. Kennedy, Gary Hart, Craig Barnes, Tim Wirth, Charles H. Percy, Paul Goebel and Astronaut Jack Swigert, as well as many, many local and state campaigns.
After working in advertising and several paid political campaign positions, Nelson began his work in advocacy, government relations and public affairs with a strong emphasis in environmental matters, with the National Association of Manufacturers in Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Chicago; the Farm and Industrial Equipment Institute; FMC Corporation; Waste Management Incorporated; U.S. Filter and Vivendi Environment. Between corporate assignments, Nelson served as senior group VP of corporate practice for one of Chicago's leading business-to-business public relations firms.
At various points in his career, Nelson has also consulted intensively in long-term relationships with both corporate clients, such as Safety-Kleen, Faultless Starch TRW and Kaiser Eagle Mountain, and nonprofit conservancy The Wetlands Initiative.
Nelson has served in leadership capacities with the business auxiliaries of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Governor's Association, National Conference of State Legislatures and State Government Affairs Council. He is a founding board member of the Illinois Chapter of the League of Conservation Voters and is a past president of the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group.
Nelson served as a delegate and presenter to the second Sino-U.S. Mayors’ Conference on Urban Development, Infrastructure and Cooperation in Beijing, Suzhou and Xian
Nelson has been drawn to adjunct work from time to time during his career at institutions of higher learning, including Medill at Northwestern University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and as lecturer on behalf of Chicago's foreign consulate community for various seminars, symposia, etc.
Jim Nelson lives in Evanston, IL, with his wife Suzanne and their large standard poodle Oscar. Their son Louis is a graduate of the school of media and public affairs at The George Washington University, is a reporter for the Washington Post and lives in Washington, DC.
After working in advertising and several paid political campaign positions, Nelson began his work in advocacy, government relations and public affairs with a strong emphasis in environmental matters, with the National Association of Manufacturers in Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Chicago; the Farm and Industrial Equipment Institute; FMC Corporation; Waste Management Incorporated; U.S. Filter and Vivendi Environment. Between corporate assignments, Nelson served as senior group VP of corporate practice for one of Chicago's leading business-to-business public relations firms.
At various points in his career, Nelson has also consulted intensively in long-term relationships with both corporate clients, such as Safety-Kleen, Faultless Starch TRW and Kaiser Eagle Mountain, and nonprofit conservancy The Wetlands Initiative.
Nelson has served in leadership capacities with the business auxiliaries of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Governor's Association, National Conference of State Legislatures and State Government Affairs Council. He is a founding board member of the Illinois Chapter of the League of Conservation Voters and is a past president of the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group.
Nelson served as a delegate and presenter to the second Sino-U.S. Mayors’ Conference on Urban Development, Infrastructure and Cooperation in Beijing, Suzhou and Xian
Nelson has been drawn to adjunct work from time to time during his career at institutions of higher learning, including Medill at Northwestern University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and as lecturer on behalf of Chicago's foreign consulate community for various seminars, symposia, etc.
Jim Nelson lives in Evanston, IL, with his wife Suzanne and their large standard poodle Oscar. Their son Louis is a graduate of the school of media and public affairs at The George Washington University, is a reporter for the Washington Post and lives in Washington, DC.