Born February 21, in Huntington, West Virginia, Parents Shearl H. and Sallie (Hamer) Plymale Spouse Jennifer Thompson Children Lauren Elise, Allison Lynn, James Jeffrey Education Marshall University Affiliations Co-Chair, Keith Albee Performing Arts, Inc; member, Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce; Western Gate Land Development Corporation; Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Executive Committee and Advisory Council; Member, Board of Control, SREB; Treasurer, SREB; Education Commission of the States; NCSL Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education Finance; NCSL National Task Force on “No Child Left Behind”; NCSL Blue Ribbon Commission for Higher Education; Co-Chair, NCSL Federal Education Policy Task Force; Vice Chair of General Officers, NCSL; Early Learning Fellow, NCSL; WV Broadband Enhancement Council 2018; FCC, Intergovernmental Advisory Committee Member, 2020-2022 Legislative Service Elected to the Senate 1992-2020 Legislative Positions Held Chair, Committee on Education, 76th, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th and 81st Legislatures; Vice Chair, Committees on Health and Human Resources, 75th Legislature; Chair, Select Committee on PEIA, 73rd Legislature; Member, Infrastructure & Jobs Development Council, 73rd Legislature; Chair, Committee on Pensions, 72nd, 73rd, 74th and 75th Legislatures; Co-Chair, Forest Management Review Commission, 71st and 72nd Legislatures; Chair, Committee on Transportation, 71st Legislature Religion Baptist