Jim Paddock

Since joining Rotary in 1991, Jim has filled nearly every club leadership position from Board Member to President. He eventually took his leadership to the District level and in 2014-15 served as one of Rotary International’s 530 world-wide District Governors. He has continued to serve Rotary in Senior leadership roles within his club, district and Rotary Zone. He is excited to be helping the NEOC Leadership Club develop into a dynamic, vibrant organization serving our local communities and organizations.

Jim is currently retired but has a long history of service within the Navy, The Boeing Company, and Rotary. Following graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, Jim went on to get his master’s degree in chemistry from the Naval Postgraduate school in Monterey, CA. He then embarked on his naval career in nuclear submarines. Jim left the active duty portion of his career and started his civilian career with The Boeing Company.  While at Boeing, Jim was able to continue his naval career as a selected reservist until his retirement as a Navy Captain in 1996. In his reserve capacity, Jim was an expert on Battle Group tactics and warfare operations and had command of three different reserve units in the San Diego area.

Jim’s 30 year Boeing career saw him filling key management and leadership positions on several important military and government programs. Many of these programs utilized his naval and submarine expertise. For most programs, Jim was responsible for preparing formal proposals to the government, establishing execution processes and procedures, assembling an integrated product team to do the work, and then managing the development and integration of various electronic systems to meet exacting government specifications. 

A longtime supporter of Veteran’s causes, Jim joined the Board of Directors of the Fisher House of Southern California in 2016. The Board is responsible for helping Fisher House provide free temporary housing to veterans and their families nearby to four military and veteran hospitals in the Southern California area. Jim also serves on the Board of his Naval Academy Class Foundation.

Jim and his wife Kathy have been in their home in Placentia since 1982 and enjoy traveling and spending time with their children and grandchildren who all reside in the Southern California area. Jim is also an avid golfer who has a membership at Alta Vista Country Club in Placentia and is a season ticket holder for the Anaheim Ducks hockey team.