Jim Bies served as the Vice President for Student Affairs at Augustana University for 33 years before retiring in 2018. He is proud of his 48 year association with the student affairs profession holding positions as vice president, dean, Trio director, residence life administrator and counselor. Jim continues to be engaged in student affairs work as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education and Human Sciences at SDSU - a position he has held since 2012. In 2022, Bies also served at Wartburg College (IA) as their Interim Vice President for Student Life & Dean of Students.

Bies has been a member of SDHEA (and its' predecessor association, SDCPA) since 1986. Jim served SDHEA as a member of its board of directors on three different occasions in the past thirty years.