Jim Blank taught 6th grade in Manitowoc, WI for 22 years. In 1974, he was elected as a NEA Director for WI and served on the National Education Association’s (NEA) Board of Director for five (5) years. During that time, he served as Chairperson of the NEA Educational Finance Committee and was elected by the NEA Board to the NEA Budget Committee for four (4) years. Jim also served on the NEA Legislative Committee for six (6) years.

In 1984, Jim was elected President of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) a position he held for five (5) years. He served a President of the National Council of State Education Associations (NCSEA) for one (1) term. He also served as Chairperson and a Trustee on the WEA Trust Board of Directors for 14 years.

From 1989 to 1990, he worked as a staff assistant to Senate Majority Leader Joe Strohl.

In October of 1990, he was hired to be Executive Director of United Northeast Educators and served in that capacity until his retirement on January 1, 2007.

Jim currently serves as a WEAC Region 3 Retired representative on the WEAC Region 10/Retired Board of Directors. He is also a member of the Bay Lakes United Educators - Retired (BLUE-R), WEAC Retired and NEA Retired organizations