Yale School of Management - James A. Firestone '78

"Yale SOM taught me many things but I think the most influential was the importance of understanding the full context of your management challenges and opportunities. This is the only way to ensure you are solving the right problem or pursuing the right opportunity. And you can often change the context of your situation, giving yourself new alternatives to consider. Don’t take it for granted and don’t assume others have fully understood what the most important goal is in a given situation."

James A. Firestone is president of corporate operations, Xerox Corporation, in Norwalk, Connecticut. He was appointed to this position in October 2008. He is also executive vice president of the corporation.

Jim is responsible for corporate strategy, information management, marketing and communications, research and technology, environmental health and safety, Lean Six Sigma operations, and the Fuji Xerox joint venture with FujiFilm in Asia.

Jim joined Xerox from IBM in August 1998 when he became president of the Xerox Channels Group. He then was named senior vice president for the corporate strategy and marketing group. Most recently, he was president, Xerox North America, where he was responsible for all non-manufacturing and product operations in the United States and Canada. At IBM, Jim was responsible for all of the company's consumer products and services for the home and family market. He joined IBM in 1995, helping launch a new division to develop and market hardware, software, and multimedia products.

Jim headed the consumer division of Ameritech, a telecommunications company, from 1993 to 1995. From 1978 to 1993, he worked at American Express in a number of financial and general management positions, including president of the Japan division and president of the Travelers Cheque division.

Jim received a bachelor's degree in international economics from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and a master's degree in management from the Yale School of Management. He is on the board of directors of Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and the Nomura Partners family of Mutual Funds.