SAE Experience

 

Jim was initiated at the Oklahoma Mu Chapter at Oklahoma State University in 1974. As an undergraduate, he served as president of his member class and served the chapter as Alumni Relations Chairman, Chapter Historian, Recruitment Chairman, and Eminent Deputy Archon.  After college, Jim quickly became involved in SAE as an alumni volunteer. Throughout the ’80s, Skaggs operated an Oklahoma City Alumni Association. In 1991, he was elected to the Oklahoma Mu Alumni Corporation Board and served on that board for over30 years. He was unanimously elected to be OKMU Alumni Corporation Board President in 1999 and served for more than four years in that position. After a successful presidency, he served as vice president until 2004, when he was elected as president for a second time.  For his service to the OKMU chapter, he was inducted into the chapter's Alumni Hall of Fame & received the Iron Lion Award.

 

In 2006, Jim stepped down as president to establish a new position on the board -- Vice President of Health & Safety. Embracing the position, he sought to bring greater awareness and understanding of alcohol issues to the fraternity. Skaggs developed an alcohol awareness program for the Oklahoma Mu men that would also educate the entire Greek community. This program was hosted annually on the lawn of the Oklahoma Mu chapter house for 13 years. In that time, more than 23,000 Oklahoma State University Greek students attended, and it remains one of Jim’s proudest contributions to Greek Life to date.

 

Jim was elected to the Province Sigma Council in 2006, where he served as Province Deputy Archon and later, Province Archon of Province Sigma. He served that council for over 10 years.  Later that year, he was instrumental in establishing a colony at the University of Central Oklahoma and served as their chapter advisor throughout the colony process.  In February of 2019, the colony at UCO successfully received its charter. Because of his work with new Oklahoma Sigma chapter, Jim would be honored with an Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award.  

 

He is a member of the Phoenix Society of the SAE Foundation. Jim has received the Order of the Lion, the Order of Minerva, and was presented the Merit Key Award at the 157th Anniversary Convention. He served on the Faculty of the John O. Moseley Leadership School and is an alumnus of the DeVotie Ritual Institute. From 2017-2019, he served on the SAE National Expansion Advisory Committee. In 2019, Jim was elected to the SAE F&H board and served as the F&H Board Secretary until he was elected as Eminent Supreme Chronicler on the SAE Supreme Council at the 165th Anniversary Convention in 2021. 

 

Professional Experience

 

In 1978, Jim began his career with the Hartford Life Insurance Company after pursuing a degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. For eight years, he served at Hartford before accepting the position of Vice President of Financial Services for Bayley, Martin & Fay, Inc., a prominent nationwide insurance agency in Oklahoma City. Two years later, he became the Sales Manager for the Travelers Insurance Group for the state of Oklahoma and ultimately was promoted to Regional Sales Manager in Dallas, Texas, in 1992. 

 

In 1994, Jim decided to take a leap of faith. He moved back to Edmond, Oklahoma, to establish his own insurance brokerage firm. Jim has successfully served as Founder and President of Charter Financial Group, Inc. for the past 29 years. Insurance professionals from multiple states provide their clients with products and services through his brokerage firm. 

 

Jim is a licensed life and health insurance professional in four states and also provides financial and investment advice to his agency's clients. He holds Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 security registrations and is a licensed Investment Advisory Representative.

 

Personal Life

 

Jim lives in Edmond, OK, with his wife Sally. Jim married Sally in 2014 after 40 years of friendship. Sally is a CPA by profession and shares Jim’s love and passion for the SAE Fraternity. She has been the financial advisor for the Oklahoma MU chapter since 2008 and Sally now works full time for the Financial & Housing Corporation of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. For her commitment to our beloved Order, Jim’s wife Sally has been awarded the Order of the Violet.  Jim also has a daughter, Kelsey, from a previous marriage.

 

Skaggs served as a deacon at the New Covenant Christian Church in Oklahoma City for 10 years. He was also a member of the Oklahoma City NW Optimist Club for many years and served as its Vice President. He also enjoys hunting, fishing and an occasional golf game in his spare time.

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