A Career Rooted in Helping Others

Meet Jim Bates, TriMetrix’s Executive Vice President, who has spent his career in health and human services. After 14 years with TriMetrix, Jim continues to find purpose in the company’s mission and the people who bring it to life. Learn how an unexpected career turn led him to the human services field and what he enjoys outside of work.

Staff Spotlight: Jim Bates

Title: Executive Vice President

Office/Home City: Evansville, WI

Years with TriMetrix: 14

What do you like most about your role?

Two things stand out every day: the mission and the people.

I’ve intentionally been in the health and human services field my entire career and have always felt that personal fulfillment is directly tied to helping other people. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this company’s central mission to serve and support communities and vulnerable populations. Having a leadership role with a team of 140 mission-focused professionals is both fulfilling and very humbling.

How did you get started in this field?

I was supposed to be a professor, but after moving to Wisconsin and exploring doctoral programs, I quickly realized that raising two children on a grad school stipend wasn’t going to be feasible. After six months of working in a grocery store deli, I got a limited-term job with the county to do outreach services for the federal SSI program. This role led to a more permanent position with the county as an economic support specialist (determining eligibility and maintaining a client caseload of over 200 families for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), food stamps, Medicaid, and child care services).

Working with families who were in a variety of difficult situations, learning their struggles and frustrations with the systems that were supposed to be supporting them, and seeing up close the interaction between government policy and practice on the ground was a humbling experience that solidified my desire to work in the human services field.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I’m an escapist when it comes to leisure. I love reading (currently reading Colson Whitehead’s Zone One), pretty much all genres of music, and computer games. I also enjoy building Lego structures, which has the added benefit of providing me with occupational therapy for my hands. I also spend more time than is likely healthy watching YouTube videos — I’m a sucker for science and history documentaries and shorts.