Jim Brier

Then

After graduating from Cleveland in 1965, I attended Valley State (now CSUN) until 1969 when I got my undergraduate degree in Engineering. I went to Texas A&M and received my Masters in 1971. I worked for the Army as a civilian engineer in Detroit until 1980 when I got a position with NASA in Washington, D.C. as a cost analyst. I worked on the Shuttle program for 14 years as part of a group that put together the annual cost and budget requirements for that program. I was watching NASA TV from my office when the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger occurred. It was Tuesday, January 28, 1986. I saw the spacecraft breaking apart about a minute after liftoff and the faces of the loved ones, who were in the visitor’s gallery at the Kennedy Space Center, change from puzzlement to horror. Our office worked with the Rogers Commission which investigated the accident. In 1994, I moved to Houston and worked at the Johnson Space Center on the International Space Station as head of the Program Control Office where we put together the annual budget requirements for the program. I retired from NASA in February 2000.

Since retirement, I have become a professional poker player in Las Vegas. I have written two books on poker and was a writer for Cardplayer magazine until around 2005. I have a daughter in Michigan and close family in the Los Angeles area.

A recent photo (2014)

I am a professional poker player and have written two books on poker. This is one of them.

Comments

Hi Jim B., My goodness, once I got to The NASA I was blown away & then came POKER!!!! You are a man of many hats! What a great career, family life all of it that you have had & still have! One of my close friends who is a 65 grad from Reseda High has a son, Allen Cunningham who won the largest poker prize ever I believe. Perhaps you know him? Thank you for sharing such a great story!

Your Classmate, Gloria Dorcy

"Allen Cunningham is a very succesful professional poker player and is one of the best tournament players in the world. I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, but he is certainly well-known in the poker world."

Jim Brier

Wow, Jim! What an interesting life you've led. Glad to hear you had a successful career, a great family and are now reaping the benefits of retirement. Professional poker player! I am impressed. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

Jeff Davis

Great to read your story Mr Brier. I remember you from Cantara. You were a great Dodgeball player. Never saw anyone dodge and jump like you. Quick. I had you point blank and when I threw you hit the ground at my feet, clean miss and great getaway by you. Also, we were just into long division and you were struggling; we put our heads together and out popped your wonderful mind. And, you didn't show up for class and when they informed us you had your appendix removed, Mike Watson and I visited your home to wish you well.

Last time I saw you, you were rushing by at Cleveland with an arm full of books and wry smile on your face.
Aloha Jim!

Scott Brown

Jim...I'm so glad we have "found" you and you are represented on our website amongst our Class members. Looking forward to seeing you again at the big event in 2015...and hopefully before that.

Pete Senoff

I might have figured you for the engineering/accounting/NASA career, but the poker part came as a surprise. Maybe it shouldn't have, but I'm glad that you have succeeded. Although I didn't play a bad hand at draw or 5-card stud back in the day, I don't know if I could conjure up the energy to excel at Hold 'Em today. Even so, I sure want to read your book!
Milt Rouse