"Old Sailor" Jim Pollard:
Entrepreneur and New Author

Retired Naval officer, Jim Pollard, 76, grew up on a family farm in Texas during the Depression, the youngest of eight children, without electricity, plumbing, or running water ("until I was 14"). If "creature comforts" were few, there was an abundant vegetable garden and peach, apricot, pear and plum trees. A treat was "pulling a carrot from the garden, wiping off the dirt and eating it" or gathering ripe fruit from the trees. And there were exceptionally loving parents who imbued their children with "a strong work ethic, a deep appreciation for nature, conservation, good cooking, love of family, and love of God.

"My Dad farmed mostly cotton and corn. We raised our own cows (for milk) and for beef; our own hogs for pork, and chickens for eggs and for fried or roasted chicken. We also grew our own feed -- corn and maize -- for the livestock. We shelled our own corn, using a hand powered sheller, then my Dad would take it into town to the mill and have it made into corn meal."

Jim and his brothers also picked cotton, and Jim kept records of the workers his father would hire to help with the crop. "My brothers and I would hitch up the team of mules to a wagon and take a load of cotton into town to the cotton gin, have it processed, sell it to the gin owner, and take the check to our Dad. This was took half a day. So, my Dad would give us a dime," enough for a small loaf of bread and luncheon meat to make sandwiches.

In fact, the family purchased very little and his mother and sisters sewed most of the clothes "on an old White sewing machine." The boys fished and hunted in their spare time, and the family consumed everything they brought home. "We learned from day one to respect authority, our elders, our parents, ourselves, and one another. Even though we grew up with very little materially, we made the best of what we had and appreciated everything. I never experienced any problem with a strong belief in myself," he says.

In 1948, after completing high school and working for a year, Jim left Texas -- the only one of his siblings to do so -- and joined the Navy. There he rose through all the enlisted grades, advanced to Chief Petty Officer at age 25, " and with 7 years and 4 months service, was selected for OCS and was commissioned as an Ensign in 1957." After 21 years of service including tours of duty in Korea and Japan, he retired as Commander in the Supply and Fiscal Corps at 39. He had married in 1951 and had four children by now.

His Own Business

"I wanted to have my own business," Jim said. Having done a lot of placement in his Navy years and written "tons of resumes," he found himself attracted to the employment placement business. Soon, he had five employees and was spending 80+ hours a week to keep up with the booming business, most of it generated by word of mouth. After selling his business to one of his employees, he was "drafted" by a business colleague to open and operate a Southwest regional office in the Los Angeles area for American Contractor, a firm specializing in high-end computer software for the construction industry (job cost accounting, payroll, estimating). After four successful years in that venture, Jim moved back to San Diego, "where I originally arrived on July 4, 1948 ...back home at last."

Widowed, then remarried to an artist and sculptor, and now grandfather of six, Jim Pollard’s entrepreneurial spirit is anything but subdued. About four years ago, he launched yet another business, as an independent representative with Excel Telecommunications, Inc.,"teaching people how to own and operate their own home-based Internet and telecommunications business.

"I have an office in my home, absolutely LOVE my work, the people, and the company, and plan to continue for another 30 years -- after all I'll be only 101," he says. With siblings "crowding 90," this does not seem an unreasonable ambition. His philosophy: We are placed here to enjoy life and to help others do the same.

Update:

Jim writes: "Since I was interviewed on the phone 5 years ago, in addition to aging, I  have made some changes. I have had a book published about my years from  age 3 to 18, entitled "Six Rooms and a Path: A Childhood in the Great  Depression."   And, due to demand, I have reverted back to my days of writing detailed resumes for Federal Civil Service Employees and wannabees. Also, I have almost reached 77 years."
 

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