​Jim Hunt is a renowned author, speaker, podcast host, and CEO of Amazing Cities, an organization he founded to help local governments excel through innovation and technology. With decades of experience, Jim speaks to thousands of local officials annually, partnering with companies and organizations that deliver cutting-edge solutions for cities and towns across the nation.

 

As a leader in the field of local governance, Jim served as President of the National League of Cities (NLC) in 2006 and was named "Municipal Leader of the Year" in 2006 by American City & County Magazine. He spearheaded the NLC’s Partnership for Inclusive Communities, a national initiative promoting inclusivity and diversity in America’s cities.

 

Jim’s contributions to local government are widely recognized. Paul Helmke, former President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, praised him as "Amazing! Jim has visited more cities—large and small—across the U.S. and the world than most people could in a lifetime. But what truly stands out is how he distills valuable, universally applicable lessons from each place he visits." Clarence Anthony, NLC Executive Director, noted that “From his tenure as Mayor of Clarksburg, West Virginia to his leadership as NLC President, Jim Hunt’s career has been about building amazing cities that can thrive and prosper into the future.”

 

Before founding Amazing Cities, Jim held senior roles at the *West Virginia Housing Development Fund* and served as Executive Director of Sunnyside Up-Campus Neighborhoods Revitalization Corporation. Over the course of his career, he oversaw more than $750 million in housing and infrastructure development and pioneered the first Non-Profit Tax Increment Financing (TIF) project in West Virginia. His work on the transfer of the FBI Fingerprint Division to West Virginia earned him special recognition from FBI Director William Sessions.

 

A lifelong West Virginian, Jim earned his Bachelor of Science degree from West Virginia University in 1973 and fulfilled a personal dream of playing basketball for the Mountaineers as a walk-on in 1968-69. His education continued with graduate studies at West Virginia University and a fellowship with the European Union in Brussels, Belgium.

 

Jim’s leadership and service extend beyond the U.S. He served on the World Council of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in Barcelona, Spain, and on the Board of Directors of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in Washington, D.C. He also served as Vice President of his local Habitat for Humanity chapter and traveled to Poland and Hungary to build homes for needy families. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Jim was inducted into the West Virginia Municipal League Hall of Fame, where the Lifetime Achievement Award was renamed in his honor in 2018.

 

An active member of his community, Jim is involved with the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce, the Clarksburg Kiwanis Club, and serves as Ambassador Emeritus of the United States Army Reserve.

 

Above all, Jim’s greatest source of pride is his family. He and his wife Pam cherish their children, Sarah and Jason, and their spouses Matt and Stacie. They are also proud grandparents to four granddaughters: Ali, Avery, Emery, and Sadie.

 

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