For James, service has always been a calling. After years in the military and FBI, he now protects USAA members through fraud investigations. Beyond his role, he leads employee impact groups, helping create connection, belonging, and shared purpose across the organization.
For James, service has always been a calling. From early values shaped by family to decades in the Navy and FBI, his purpose has remained focused on helping others.
Today, James brings that same commitment to USAA, working in fraud investigations to protect members and support the mission with a strong sense of responsibility.
Through employee impact groups like Mosaic and VetNet, he helps create connection and shared understanding, building a stronger, more connected workplace.
Service gives James a sense of purpose and belonging. By listening, supporting others, and building connections, he helps create a stronger team that delivers for members and each other every day.
Q: What does service look like for you today, both personally and professionally?
A: I feel like my service journey today is also that calling or vocation that I received at an early age when I joined the Navy and joined the FBI... It's a vocation to help and serve others within the workplace, to be available, to listen to people's stories, to have them be heard and feel like they matter. And I think that builds a stronger workforce and a feeling of belonging and togetherness that we are able to transfer that energy into our members and our work, making USAA a great place to work for.
Q: What does continuing to serve at USAA mean to you at this stage of your career?
A: Continuing to serve at USAA means a lot to me. USAA is not just any company. It has a significant mission, an important mission, to serve our active duty, our veterans, and their families... It's not just coming to work every day and doing a transactional type of job. So, continuing to serve continues that sense of belonging and that mission focus that I received during my time in the military, at the Naval Academy, my time in the Reserves, and my time in the FBI.
Q: What inspired you to get involved in leadership within the Employee Impact Group Mosaic?
A: The values I’ve learned through scouting and the military… urged me to start up Mosaic three years ago with my colleague Aubrey Owens… after Employee Impact Groups were paused during COVID. It took about a year… but through our advocacy and hard work, we were able to get the chapter restarted. Employees don’t have to be Asian or Pacific Islander to join… it’s a place for culture and community and career and commerce.
Q: How do these experiences connect to the way you show up for others today?
A: I feel that all the Employee Impact Groups, to include Mosaic, provide a meaningful outlet… a meaningful environment for employees to engage each other, to learn our stories… and to build that camaraderie or that esprit de corps similar to the military. I believe all the employee impact groups add value to our workforce and make us stronger.