Jim Schaaf Memorial

JIM SCHAAF

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of the “founding fathers” of FMA, Jim Schaaf. Jim has been a huge presence and influencer within FMA for decades, while running a very successful consulting firm known as Schaaf & Wheeler. Tragically, Jim passed away last year, and it is still heartbreaking for his family and close friends, even now. As wounds begin to heal, FMA has been in contact with Dan Schaaf, Jim’s son, about finding a special way to honor him. Jim was always very intentional about mentoring young professionals in our field, and loved working with students. It is also very consistent with his passion to have helped form FMA as a means of sharing and mentoring others within the field, to continually be growing in our profession. We who are involved in FMA represent his legacy as well. While the loss of Jim to our community will be difficult to bear, there is a seed that his son would like to plant in his honor. That seed will involve establishing a memorial scholarship in Jim’s name for deserving college students within the State of California, funded by Jim’s legacy.

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There will be many logistical details that will need to be worked out before the first scholarship will be awarded, and FMA will help as much as we can collaboratively with Jim’s family to make it all happen. We must move on somehow, while we are all still here, and work together for the common good. It is what we humans all must do when we face tragedy, whether it is a natural disaster or the death of a loved one. This wonderful memorial scholarship should help to ease that pain, as we keep Jim’s legacy alive in rebuilding our community.

THE HIGH WATER MARK

The Newsletter of the Floodplain Management Association