Jim Carpenter

Jim Carpenter was raised in southern Indiana where during his childhood he discovered his fondness for the natural world, especially while visiting his grandparents’ home in the country, where his grandmother introduced him to hummingbirds, shrikes, mockingbirds and other interesting birds and wild things. After earning a B.A. in Biology from Indiana University and a Masters Degree in Horticulture/Plant Physiology from Purdue University, Jim managed two Indianapolis-area garden centers and a produce stand, which was where he first learned the basics of the retail trade. In 1981, Jim opened a 700 square foot retail shop on the north side of Indianapolis and named it Wild Birds Unlimited. This unique shop, one of the few open in North America at the time, specialized in all of the supplies that help people attract and enjoy birds in their backyard. Jim married Nancy in 1983 and together with a business partner of a few years built the company through franchising. Today, Jim is President and CEO of the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise of more than 300 stores in the United States and Canada. He has served on or is currently a member of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Indiana Nature Conservancy.