Meet the Bear Creek Team: Zach James

Zach James 

Zach James originally joined the Bear Creek team in October 2019 and made his way back to Bear Creek in March of 2022. He hails from Bakersfield, CA, and now resides in Staunton, VA with his wife and two children (Katelyn, Noah – daughter, Asher – Son). Zach is leading our team as our Shop and Production Foreman. He has always had a vision to help our teams work efficiently and complete project with precision.  We have always felt that have Zach as part of our team has been a much needed blessing.

More From Zach

My family moved to Tennessee in August of 2021 to be closer to my wife’s family and in our absence we realized how much we missed the Shenandoah Valley and our community here. When we decided to come back, I knew I wanted to find my place back with Bear Creek.

When I stepped back in, Bear Creek was adopting a “lean mindset” rooted in the Toyota Production System. I have loved every minute, learning the ins and outs of this mindset, and implementing the ideas to our Shop and Production Support Teams. Much of my day is spent working on and within these teams to reduce friction and increase productivity.

When I’m not at work, I enjoy my time with my wife, Katelyn and our two kids. Noah loves being outdoors, so we frequent Gypsy Hill Park and the surrounding area. Most weeks you can find us fellowshipping with friends and family over a meal. We love deepening relationships with those we share life with.

What are five random facts about you?

• I love learning. You will often find me listening to podcasts or reading books. I love C.S. Lewis!
• I am the middle child of 5 siblings, two older brothers and two younger sisters.
• I enjoy fly fishing and photography, though I’m not able to do them often.
• I graduated from Emory & Henry College in Southwest Virginia.
• My wife and I want to have a large garden and chickens in the not so distant future.

At Bear Creek, we are blessed to have an amazing team. We share about our team members because we are proud of who they are and we love for you to get to know them better.  To learn more about any of our team members you can visit the Bear Creek Team Page.