James F. Tobey, Jr.
James F. Tobey, Jr., was among the top ten students in his graduating class of 1966 at Andrew Lewis High School in Salem, Virginia. His scholastic activities included: a member of Beta Club for three years; the Latin Club for four years; the Newspaper Staff his senior year and; Wolverine Turntable for two years (serving as chairman his senior year). Recipient of the Bausch & Lomb Award as the outstanding graduate in the field of science, he also received a National Merit Letter his senior year.
Jim continued his education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) where he earned a B.S. degree in Bacteriology in 1970 and a Masters degree in Microbiology in 1976.
Jim currently serves as President and Technical Director for George A. Jeffreys & Co., in Salem; a manufacturer and formulator of fermentation products including enzymes and other biological products for industrial and agricultural application. For over 30 years, he has been active in the field of industrial and applied microbiology and biochemistry and, during this period, has become a contributor to and owner of several U.S. patents in the field. Jim has performed research in the bioremediation field as well as in the applied fermentation technology area for feed and industrial applications. He has contributed papers for Agriculture/Agri-Food Canada (International Roundtable on Animal Biotechnology Research and Scientific Regulation) and for Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA) at the International Conference on Biotechnology in Feeds. He recently supervised development of methods for testing biologically active products that are to be used in drain cleaning and in septic tank maintenance. He has served as technical liaison on committees for the Association of American Feed Control Officials, Enzyme Task force, Direct Fed Microbial Task Force, and Special Purpose Products Committee.
Jim has served as chairman and executive board member for the Forage and Fermentation Division of the National Feed Ingredients Association, now the council of the America Feed Industry Association (AFIA). He most recently served as chairman of the executive committee of the Microbial, Enzymes and Dermentation Technology Council of the American Feed Industry Association and, in May 2000, was elected to the board of AFIA. He is a member of the American society for Microbiology (ASM) and Grain Sorghum Producers Association and has contributed to presentations for the Society for Industrial Microbiology and authored papers dealing with microbial fermentations and research for their publications: Developments in Microbiology, Plains Research Journal, and AFIA Laboratory Methods Compendium. Jim is the recipient of several U.S. Patents dealing with enzyme catalyzed processes and has served as instructor in the AFIA Feed Ingredient Institute. He is a speaker for other public and private organizations on industrial uses of microbial products and enzymes. He also served as a liaison for the Washington State Department of Health for molding regulations and registration for enzymatically active products used in waste treatment products as applied to on-site sewage treatment.
In 1997, Jim was recipient of the AFIA’s Member of the Year Award in recognition for his work on development of a regulatory scheme for feed enzymes in the United States. As service to community and country, he was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, served on two local committees for judging and promoting excellence in science fair competitions in Roanoke Valley, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Salem Educational Foundation and Alumni Association. He envisioned and established the Jeffrey’s Science Scholarship Endowment and serves on the Selection Committee. Jim is a regular contributor to the Virginia Tech Foundation, The Virginia Tech Alumni Association, and the Salem School’s Music and International Baccalaureate programs. Under his direction George A Jeffreys & Co., has supported a number of community charitable efforts that has included providing space for the Roanoke Valley Christmas Store, the Salem Food Pantry, and the Roanoke-Salem Clothes Closet. Jim and his wife, Rebecca, are members of the Melrose Baptist Church and have two children, Matthew and Heather.
In recognition of his outstanding career achievements, James F. Tobey, Jr., was inducted, in the year 2000, into the Salem Alumni Hall of Fame established by the Salem Educational Foundation and Alumni Association.
