(Posted Dec. 15, 2022)
James “Jim” W. Davis of the Mount Sterling area was among the 20 honorees inducted into the 2022 class of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
The induction ceremony took place on Nov. 29 at the Ohio State University Fawcett Center in Columbus. The Ohio Department of Veterans Services, Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Committee, and Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Foundation host the annual event.
Former Gov. George Voinovich established the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 1992 to recognize the outstanding professional achievement, service to community, and selfless acts of veterans following their military service.
Davis, 74, is a veteran of the United States Air Force. After serving four years in the Titan II Nuclear Weapon Systems and earning two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree (all summa cum laude) in eight years on the GI Bill with no debt, he began his career with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Davis served as national assistant chief of Specially Adapted Housing in Washington, D.C., assisting more than 1,500 disabled veterans annually with preparing their homes for complete accessibility.
Later promoted to VA loan guaranty officer in Los Angeles, he managed one-eighth of all veteran services nationally by processing up to 800 appraisals and 200 GI loans daily, paying claims of $3.6 million weekly, and servicing up to 15,000 defaulted loans while controlling a property management inventory of 4,500 repossessed properties. He helped return $300 million by auctioning occupied repossessed properties and created Uniform Underwriting Guidelines, earning the division its first Superior Performance Award. Davis also served as acting director and earned two Director’s National Service awards.
After the VA, Davis provided appraisal services in Las Vegas. Later, back in Ohio in 1989, he found his true calling, founding BestPathFoundation.com as a life and career coach, helping hundreds of veterans and others to find their purpose and success.
Davis lives out his faith through ministry and missions (245 trips in 26 years) helping others at home and abroad. He also has donated 36 gallons of whole blood to the Red Cross (290 pints, saving 870 lives) over 55 years.
Davis is known for his remarkable character and his willingness and ability to transform lives.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2022 honorees were chosen from among 87 nominations. The inductees, who range in age from 39 to 86, span 15 Ohio counties and four major branches of the United States Armed Forces–the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. This year’s class joins 934 Ohio veterans who have been inducted since the Hall of Fame’s inception and represent all eras, branches, and walks of life.
Charter members of the Hall’s Class of 1992 included the six Ohio military veterans who were elected president of the United States and all Medal of Honor recipients from Ohio. Over the years, honorees have included astronauts, volunteers, community leaders, safety officers, veteran advocates, and former government officials.
