Beam, Jim, 1933-

James Carroll "Jim" Beam was born in Cameron, Louisiana, on October 7, 1933. A lifelong resident of Lake Charles, he is a 1951 graduate of LaGrange High School. He received his bachelor of arts degree at McNeese State College in 1955, served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957, and taught in the Calcasieu Parish School System from 1958 to 1961. Beam obtained his master of arts in American history form LSU in 1962. The topic of his thesis was, "The Public Career of Arsene P. Pujo, Louisiana Congressman, 1903-1913.

Beam became a reporter for the Lake Charles American Press in 1961. He was promoted to city editor in 1965 and to co-editor in 1982. He assumed the poistion of editor in 1992. Since 1975, Beam has been a political columnist covering the Louisiana Legislature and has written nearly 3,000 columns. Beam's political columns have won awards from the Louisiana Press Association, the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press and the Louisiana State Medical Society. His publications include Positively Beaming, a hard-bound collection of 110 of Beam's favorite columns, and "A Matter of Trust," an excerpt of his master's thesis that appeared in the fall 1994 issue of Tulane Lawyer.

In 2000, Jim Beam was selected by the Advertising and Press Club to be the first "Lake Area Legend." Although officially retired from his position of editor since 1999, Beam continues to write editorials and a twice-weekly personal column for the American Press. He also covers sessions of the Louisiana Legislature. He is married to Jo Ann Dranchenberg Beam and has two children and two grandchildren.