Jim Colby
Jim Colby has been a waterman since before he was born, being almost literally born upon the Chesapeake Bay, the shores of which are his ancestral home, and where distinct geographical areas are named for both sides of his mother’s families. His mother’s parents and brother are buried on the banks of a small river that flows into the Bay, and he and his mother spread his father’s ashes on the Rappahannock River just above its mouth into the Chesapeake Bay. All of that, and that he has lived in Fosters, (Tuscaloosa County) on the banks of the Black Warrior River since 1958, shows how deeply rivers and bays run in his blood. Boating has continuously been a part of his life since before he was born. Jim says that his heart beats to the sound of waves lapping shorelines and boat hulls, and that the Black Warrior River is his lifelong passion. Protecting it has always been important to him for ecological protection, recreational, and commercial activities. In 1988 he donated 10 acres of his Black Warrior River riverfront property to the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority to build the Fosters boat landing, enabling expanded recreational opportunities to the citizens of West Alabama, and built a small marina next to it which he operated for 5 years. His professional career has been quite varied with many occupations, highlighted by 14 years working at two international private security companies as a Security Officer, Supervisor, and District Manager, and most recently retiring in 2018 from AAA Automobile Club as a Membership Service Representative and Travel Advisor after 18 years of service.
Jim’s volunteer experience is extensive, and includes the following; Tuscaloosa Community Youth Center (President), Tuscaloosa Community Players (now Theater Tuscaloosa) (Board of Directors), Tuscaloosa Jaycees, (serving multiple terms on the Board of Directors as Director, Treasurer, Vice-President, and President), Town of Brookwood, AL (Director/Paramedic for the volunteer ambulance service), Tuscaloosa County Civil Defense (volunteer Paramedic coordinating emergency medical services at University of Alabama sports events and concerts), member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary since 1992 (serving terms as Flotilla Vice-Commander and Flotilla Commander), Meals On Wheels of Tuscaloosa (volunteer driver since 1997), member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa (multiple terms on the Board of Trustees and as Vice-President and President of the Board of Trustees), and Fosters Ralph Fire Department volunteer (certified as an Emergency Medical Responder and Certified Firefighter). Lastly, in June of 2018 Jim created a popular Facebook group named “Black Warrior River Watch and History” so that he can share his love of the Black Warrior River with everyone that has connections to the River and has stories about the River to share.
