Past Speakers

Jim Falk

By September 22, 2018 October 7th, 2022 No Comments

Bringing the World to DFW: Why it Matters Today

Since 2001, Jim Falk has served as President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. For more than 60 years, the Council has been entertaining, enlightening and educating North Texans, bringing history-makers and experts face to face with its members and the community, and supporting DFW trade and economic growth.

Jim has conducted the Council’s public conversations and Q&A sessions with scores of heads of state and government ministers, authors, policy experts, and foreign and American diplomats—including Secretaries Jim Baker and Condoleezza Rice. He regularly interviews Council speakers for the iTunes podcast “Global I.Q. with Jim Falk.” Recent interviewees include General David Petraeus, authors Jeffrey Toobin and Joby Warrick, Ambassador Peter Wittig of Germany, and His Excellency the Right Honorable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada.

Jim began his international career as Director of Education at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. and then was a commercial banker for First City National Bank of Houston. Following his banking career, he was Regional Director in Houston, Texas for the Institute of International Education and later worked as Vice President of Development for the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Jim is an active community leader, and has served on a number of national and local boards including the World Affairs Councils of America, North Texas Commission, Asia Society-Texas Center, and the Dallas Regional Chamber. Jim is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Dallas Assembly. He served as President of the Association for Fundraising Professionals Greater Dallas in 2010. In April 2013, he was appointed Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of Morocco for the state of Texas. Jim was also named to DCEO Magazine’s 2016 and 2017 “Dallas 500” list of “most powerful business leaders in Dallas/Fort Worth.”

Jim and his parents lived in Tunis, Tunisia throughout Jim’s high school years, where he attended a French lycée. He earned his French baccalaureate in philosophy and modern languages. Jim is a Washington and Lee University graduate, and received his master’s degree in international law and organization and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Virginia. Jim is married to Terrell Falk. They have two adult children and four grandchildren. Jim is an avid cyclist and global traveler.

Jim’s weekly interview podcast, “Global I.Q. Minute with Jim Falk,” is available on iTunes