Charles W. James

James has been a member of the board since 1990. He is retired after serving as chief executive officer of Central Electric Company in Fulton, Missouri, for 20 years. Central Electric manufactures electrical switchgear that is distributed nationally and internationally. His background is in electrical engineering; he is a registered engineer with the National and Missouri Societies of Professional Engineers and senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. A well-known community member, Charlie served 10 years on the Fulton Board of Education and six years as a board member of the Chamber of Commerce. He is a former outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds. James' daughter and two granddaughters are WWU alumnae.