October 15, 2019 —
As a retired industrial physicist, Ben James has enjoyed a lifetime of – simply put – making things. “I have been immersed in metalworking throughout my career,” Ben says. “Over the years I have assembled both a woodworking shop and a metalworking shop; I am a volunteer at Rough and Tumble, an old machinery museum where a team of us are recreating a 1920’s era machine shop.”
Ben worked in manufacturing engineering, plant engineering and product development, primarily as a problem solver, and was awarded 11 U.S. and international patents. He joined the Barclay Friends’ Board of Directors eight years ago and has been on the Facilities and Board Governance Committees and served vice-chair of the board.
“I have been on non-profit boards since 1968,” he says. “I find that service to the community is rewarding, and that I have personally benefitted from the experience. At Barclay Friends, I have seen the development of several innovative programs like Music & MemorySM and Tapestry, which match in spirit my career in creative problem solving.”
Ben’s passion for service to the surrounding community is matched by his service to the environment. In 1981, he and his wife designed a passive solar house in West Vincent Township, and he now volunteers with the local township and open space committee and the sustainability committee.