Jim Eardley is a life-long citizen of Washington County. He graduated from Dixie High School in 1962 and attended Dixie College. Jim then co-founded a family business with his father known as Dixie Transport dba Dix-O-Gas. The business became most well known and the largest distributor of LP gas in the Intermountain West with locations throughout Utah, Southern Idaho, Northern Arizona, and Eastern Nevada. He was twice elected president of the Utah LP Gas Association. Jim served on the St. George City Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment from 1979 to 1983. The family business was sold in 1987. About that time Jim was elected to the Board of the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce. He became President of the Chamber of Commerce Board the following year. In 1984 Jim was the recipient of the Utah Total Citizen Award. From 1986 through 1988 he served as a member of the St. George City Water & Power Board. In 1988 he entered into the travel business. Jim was elected to the St. George City Council and served for three years from 1996 to 1998. During the latter part of the council term, Jim chose to run for Washington County Commissioner and took the oath of office in January of 1999. He is currently serving as the Commission Chairman.

Jim and his wife, Claudia, have raised seven children, four daughters and three sons, in Washington County. They now have twenty-four grandchildren, most of whom in live in Washington County. Jim's leisure activities include horses, competition cow cutting and service in his church.