James M. McGarrah

James M. McGarrah
Retired Rear Admiral James M. McGarrah United States Navy Reserve
Born	1951 (age 65–66)
Citizenship	American
Nationality	American
Fields	Mechanical engineering
Institutions	United States Navy, Cingular Wireless, BellSouth, Georgia Tech Research Institute
Alma mater	United States Naval Academy, Pepperdine University, Georgia Institute of Technology

James "Jim" M. McGarrah is the chief of staff at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. He was previously director of the Information and Communications Laboratory at the Georgia Tech Research Institute and is a retired officer of the United States Navy Reserve.

McGarrah attended Francis C. Hammond High School in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in 1969.

McGarrah graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1973. He also holds a Master of Arts in human resource management from Pepperdine University in 1978 and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1979. While at Georgia Tech, he took a job as a graduate teaching assistant.

In 1973, McGarrah received his naval commission, and served in the United States Navy and the United States Navy Reserve for a total of 33 years. From 1973 to 1976, he served on the USS Belknap (CG-26) as Electronic Warfare Officer and Damage Control Assistant, and on the USS Hoist (ARS-40) after the Belknap's collision with the John F. Kennedy in 1975.