Biography
James (Jim) Holst is currently a Sales Director for a cloud computing consulting firm out of New York, New York. He has been a part of the science and technology field for over thirty years where Jim has worked his way from the world of the environmental sciences as a chemist, to the world of software, networking, and cloud computing as an engineer, trainer, consultant, and sales manager. Jim travels extensively around the world providing IT consulting to such companies as eBay, MetLife, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America.
He has been involved in online education almost from its inception. In 1994, Jim was one of the first online graduate students in the field of business. In 1999, he became a professor and has taught over 900 credits in the online and hybrid classrooms, in three different disciplines including Homeland Security, Strategic Intelligence, and Busines. Jim has created a curriculum for certificate programs, as well as, undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and had mentored over 40 professors aspiring to teach in the online ecosystem. He authored a chapter in the book The Student Guide to Successful Online Learning: A Handbook of Tips, Strategies, and Techniques edited by Ken Baker and Jason Comstock and has spoken at several conferences on the topic of online education. Jim is considered one of the leading experts in the field of remote and online education at the university level.
Jim is a former Navy officer. He served between 1996-2017 in the United States Navy. Jim retired as a Lieutenant Commander from the United States Navy in 2017. He served both as an enlisted person and an officer serving in Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, and the Persian Gulf. Jim served as an IT Networking Engineer, an Intelligence Analyst, the Director of the Basic Reserve Intelligence Training program, the Director of the Reserve Information Technology program, and as the Operations Officer for United States Central Command Devens, MA.
Jim has an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University where his research focused on the perception of entry-level information technology candidates. His thesis is entitled, “Identifying recruiting professionals’ practices during the resume evaluation stage of the hiring process for entry-level information technology positions.” Jim has an MBA, in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix, and has a BS in Natural Science from Lyndon State College (Now known as Northeastern Vermont University – Lyndon). He also authored a chapter in the book “The Theory of Statistics in Psychology: Applications, Use, and Misunderstandings” by Dr. Craig Gruber.
Professional Activities & Accomplishments
Naval Officer at US Navy – Operations Officer / IT Director / Director of Training / Analyst
October 1996 – September 2017
Adjunct Professor – at Northeastern University – Homeland Security / Intelligence
April 2014 – Present
Adjunct Professor at University of Phoenix – Information Technology / Business
August 1999 – July 2016
Adjunct Professor of Business at Franklin Pierce University – Business
May 2009 – May 2009