Since joining TemPositions in 1985, Jim has developed the firm into one of the only full-service staffing agencies in the market today, through multiple acquisitions and organic growth.  Jim entered his firm into the Managed Services space, by assisting the New York State Department of Health’s VaccinateNY program, assembling and coordinating a consortium of 35 staffing firms to deliver a force of 5,000 clinical and non-clinical staff using a unique direct-send model which produced a 98.7% candidate acceptance rate.  Most recently, Jim has utilized this model to assist the NYC Department of Homeless Services Asylum Seeker program, providing over 3,500 employees a week through the city’s sanctuary hotel sites. TemPositions is also now assisting the State of Vermont with their unhoused population.

Besides having an amazingly talented and dedicated staff, Jim credits the firm’s commitment to technological innovation for its ability to assist its clients so effectively.  The firm has 60 developers both on shore and off, working on numerous technological initiatives around its signature Intellistaff operating system.

Jim has served as Chairman of the American Staffing Association (ASA), the industry’s national trade association, as well as the New York Staffing Association (NYSA). He now serves as Chairman of the ASA Legal/Legislative Committee of both organizations.

Jim is also called upon often to comment on labor matters by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, Crain’s New York business and other periodicals. He has appeared on CNBC, CBS’ 60 Minutes and Spectrum News1.

After being selected multiple years by Staffing Industry Analyst to be on their “Who’s Who in Staffing” list of the 100 most influential leaders in the staffing industry, Jim was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame, an honor afforded to only 55 staffing industry executives world-wide.

In recognition of his leadership role in the health care staffing industry, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) appointed him to its Task Force to create standards for its health care staffing certification program. 

A strong believer in public education, he served three terms each as president of the Hunter College Elementary and High School PTAs, during the period when his daughter attended the schools. At Hunter, he was credited for introducing leading edge technology into the schools, including personal computers in all elementary classrooms, laptops for all the teachers and smartboards in every high school classroom. He also spearheaded the effort to renovate the entire facility, including all classrooms, the cafeteria, the schoolyard, the gym and the auditorium. For “creating opportunities that contribute to the growth and development of young people,” he was presented with the Corporate Leadership Award by New York Youth at Risk.

With his wife he has established the James A. and Nina Zakin Essey Fund at the New York Community Trust to assist needy organizations throughout the country.

Prior to joining TemPositions, Jim served in various product management and new business development positions with Clairol, Inc.

He holds a BA from Trinity College (Hartford, CT), a General Course degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science and an MBA from Harvard University.