James R. Lucas

President and Chief Executive Officer, Luman International

About James R. Lucas

James R. (Jim) Lucas is a recognized authority on leadership development and cultural design. He is a groundbreaking author, thought leader, provocative speaker, and experienced consultant on these crucial topics.

Mr. Lucas is the President & CEO of Luman International, an organization which he founded in 1983. This consultancy is dedicated to developing passionate, pure-performance leaders, people, teams and organizations. Steve Forbes writes “Jim is an internationally recognized authority on leadership and organizational life…. You can take what he says to the bank – both figuratively and literally.”

Prior to founding Luman International, Jim served in key positions in a number of organizations: EMCI, a high-tech design and manufacturing firm working primarily in aerospace components and orthopedic medical devices, where he served as President and CEO; Black & Veatch Consulting Engineers, where he served as Manager of Planning for the Power & Industrial Division and as a Project Planner on four major power plant projects; Hallmark Cards, where he served as Director of Construction and supervised the completion of projects worth over a quarter of a billion dollars; and VF Corporation, where he was responsible for production and inventory control on the largest product line.

Jim is the author five books on leadership development and organizational life: High-Performance Ethics: 10 Timeless Principles for Next Generation Leadership; Broaden the Vision & Narrow the Focus: Managing in a World of Paradox; The Passionate Organization: Igniting the Fire of Employee Commitment; Balance of Power; Fueling Employee Power without Relinquishing Your Own; Balance of Power: Fueling Employee Power without Relinquishing Your Own; Fatal Illusions: Shredding a Dozen Unrealities That Can Keep Your Organization from Success. He has a forthcoming 8 book series titled Passionate Lives & Leaders.

Jim is an award-winning senior faculty member of the American Management Association, where he teaches its premier course, The Course for Presidents. Jim has an extensive speaking schedule, in which he addresses topics from his books and research, and has been interviewed frequently on radio and television. He has also served as a professor in the School of Professional Studies at Rockhurst University in Kansas City.

Jim received his education at the University of Missouri (Columbia and Rolla), including a B.S. and Professional Degree in Engineering Management from UMR. He is a member of the American Society of Engineering Management, American Society of Training & Development, a senior member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and a Registered Professional Engineer in Missouri and Kansas. He was the first graduate of UMR’s Engineering Management Program to receive a Professional Engineering license in both Missouri and Kansas. While in Rolla, he served as a member of the Student Union Board and Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

Jim has been honored with continuous listings in Who’s Who in America (1999-2009), Who’s Who in the World (1989-2008), and Who’s Who in Finance & Industry (1989-2009).