Farmer formed a consulting firm and plans to devote more time with a number of organizations focused on education, art and humanities learnings.

Farmer started his GM career at the former Delco Products Division in Dayton, Ohio, in 1976, after nearly 10 years in advertising, sales and marketing at the Airtemp division at Chrysler Corporation.

He joined GM’s Public Relations staff in 1980 and held various public relations assignments in St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo. before being promoted to manager Middle-Atlantic Region in Washington, D.C., in 1983. Farmer moved to Detroit in 1988 as manager of Corporate Projects on GM’s Communications and Marketing staff before being promoted to vice president Communications at Saturn in 1992. He was given additional responsibilities as Group Director Communications for GM’s Small Car Group in 1994. Farmer was promoted to Group Director of Public Relations and Communications, GM North American Sales, Service and Marketing in 1998 and was named General Director Marketing and Constituency Communications with GM’s Worldwide Communications Group in 1999. He was appointed vice president Merchandising, Advertising and Communications at GMAC in 1999 and to his present position in January 2004.

Farmer is a graduate of Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing in 1967. He served as president of the Dayton, Ohio Central State Alumni Chapter Alum, and as National President of the General Alumni Association. He completed the Executive Education Program at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.

Farmer is a member of a number of educational and professional organizations, including the Executive Leadership Council, the Arthur W. Page Society, Public Relations Society of America, International Association of Business Communicators, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the National and Capital Press Clubs in Washington, D.C.

He is President of the Presidential Scholars Foundation in Washington, DC, and an advisor for Hampton University School of Business. He also serves as chairman of the Urban Youth Racing School in Philadelphia. He is a trustee, Central State University Foundation, Wilberforce, Ohio.

Farmer is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a member of the Southfield Alumni Chapter. He is a member of the Gamma Rho Chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Boule’ and a charter member of the Detroit Chapter, 100 Black Men of America.

In 2002, President Bush appointed Farmer to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, where he serves as chairman of the sub-committee on Youth Arts and Humanities Learnings. In June 2004 he was awarded the Presidential Medallion from the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars for his outstanding support of the scholars programs. In 1998, the Commission presented Farmer with the Lyndon Baines Johnson Award for his outstanding contributions. In January 2005 Farmer was elected to the board of trustees of the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts.

Farmer was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 by the National Newspaper Publishers Association for his outstanding support of the Black Press. He was presented The Corporate Leadership Award from the West Coast Black Publishers in 2004 and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the African American on Wheels publication and the GM Minority Dealers Association in January 2005.

Farmer is an advisor to the Harvard School of Divinity Summer Leadership Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Washington, DC. He also serves on the National Board of Advisors Development Team, planning the commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the John H. Johnson School of Communications at Howard University, Washington, DC.

“After 38 years in the automotive industry,” Farmer said, “I am pleased to be able to devote more time to education, mentoring and giving back to the communities.

Since retiring Farmer has presented the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in Vietnam and India, as part of a Global Cultural exchange program, with the U. S. Department of State and the Theolonious Monk Institute of Jazz.

Farmer established his Communications and Public Relations consulting firm, James E. Farmer Consulting, Inc. in January 2005, (jellisfarmer@aol.com).