Leonard James III
Member, National Board of Directors
![Leonard James - NAACP National Board of Directors](/sites/default/files/styles/headshot/public/images/Screenshot%202023-08-29%20at%203.59.58%20PM.png.webp?itok=_TWblQ5S)
Leonard James, III is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Strategist of the J3Advisory Group (J3AG), a management and relationship-building consulting firm that specializes in business, communications strategies that assists clients in educating people on their issues and developing short and long-range plans with the specific goals, approaches, strategies, and actions that enable the organization to achieve its mission.
Highlights of his prior corporate career comprise various assignments within Exxon Mobil Corporation from which he retired after 38 years. His most recent position at ExxonMobil was Corporate Policy Advisor where he directed minority community outreach and advocacy initiatives. Previous to that Leonard was U.S. Business Development and Multi-cultural Marketing Manager where he was responsible for driving retailer diversity including development and implementation of initiatives to increase the number of minority retailers. He was also responsible for positioning ExxonMobil's corporate image and the Exxon and Mobil brands within ethnic communities where ExxonMobil markets fuels products. His career also included assignment in field sales, advertising and credit card departments, government and public affairs, and as vice president of Exxon Travel Club, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Exxon Corporation.
Leonard has consistently held key positions within several professional, civil, and social organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; the former president and CEO of the Greater Houston Black Chamber; life time member and former chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA); a gold life member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Board of Directors, chairman of the NAACP Economic Development Committee, former member of the NAACP Executive Committee, former chairman of the NAACP Image Awards; former member of the Corporate Advisory Board of the League of United Latin jAmerica Citizens (LULAC); member of the Advisory Board and former member of the Board of Directors of the National Civil Rights Museum and member of the MLK50 Working Group; former member of the Jack and Jill Foundation Advisory Board; former member of the Tavis Smiley Foundation national Board of Directors; former member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and past president of the University of Houston Athletic Foundation (HAF); former chairman of the Board of Commissioners for Governmental Ethics for the City of Baton Rouge, LA and East Baton Rouge Parish; former president of the National Association of Travel Organizations; a former board member of the Hill Harper Manifest Your Destiny Foundation; a former member of the Rotary Lombardi Award Executive Committee; and a member of Sigma Pi Phi and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities. Leonard is also certified by the Texas Judicial Branch Certification Commission to provide services as a Private Professional Guardian.
He has received numerous honors including being selected by Minority Business News USA as one of its "Outstanding Men of Minority Business Enterprise", recipient of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) President Award and special recognition from the National Urban League (NUL), the 100 Black Men of America (100 BMOA), the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) for his exceptional contributions to his community and society and the demonstration of ethical and effective leadership.
A native of Tuscumbia, Alabama, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in statistics from the University of Alabama and a Master of Business Administration degree from Louisiana State University.