Jim Owens was a five time individual state swimming champion and earned a state championship in the 200-medley relay as well.  He won his first state individual championship in 1982 in the 100 butterfly.  In 1983 he won state championships in the 100 butterfly, 50 freestyle, and as a member of the 200-medley relay team.  In 1984 he was again crowned champion in both the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle.  He currently holds the school record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.03.

Jim said that the one significant memory he has about his experiences at GFC was being a part of great swim teams throughout his high school career.  Jim states that the most valuable lesson he learned at GFC was the value and importance of working hard to achieve his goals.  When asked to share the best advice he could give students who attend GFC today, his response was from a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson who said "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”.

Jim currently lives in Fort Collins, Colorado where he works as a software engineering manager at Pelco by Schneider Electric.  Jim and his wife Jackie have two children, a son Sam who is 13 years old and a daughter Emma who is 10 years old.