This is a co-sponsored program in collaboration with the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce

As part of the History Center’s debut of the exhibit Returning From War, we are pleased to welcome Jim Hawkins, retired Navy Captain and former Commanding Officer of Naval Station Great Lakes, as he shares his experiences transitioning from the Armed Forces to the civilian workforce. Viewing the hiring process from the other side of the table, Jim will discuss ideas and perspectives that work to educate the public on support systems for attracting and hiring Veterans and military spouses.

A native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, Captain Jim Hawkins is a 1991 graduate of the University of Notre Dame where he earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering and a commission as an Officer in the United States Navy through the Naval ROTC program. Highlights of Captain Hawkins’ naval career include designation as a Naval Flight Officer in the E-2C Hawkeye, numerous deployments with Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadrons, assignment as the Navigator onboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), as well as command of the Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, San Diego, California from September 2007 to March 2010 and command of Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois from March 2015 to May 2018.

In August 2018, Captain Hawkins retired after 27 years of active-duty service to the United States Navy and made Lake Forest his family’s permanent home. Captain Hawkins is a proud member of Lake Forest’s American Legion McKinlock Post 264 as well as sits on the boards of the Lake Forest Day Foundation and the Lake County Council of the Navy League.