Born in an Air Force base hospital in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Sutherland's first seventeen years were spent moving around the eastern United States and western Europe. His father is Major David Earl Sutherland (USAF Ret.), a decorated pilot. His mother is the former Doris Walker. The Bartow, FL, high school sweethearts married while David attended the University of Florida. Jim Sutherland lived in France in his early years. Then, after a tour back in the states, he went to Wiesbaden Germany from junior high through the tenth grade. He too graduated from the University of Florida, where he was in the Gator Band. Sutherland majored in English/Film and minored in History. His first job out of college was as a chemist at WR Grace in Bartow, the company where he worked his way through college. From there it was to local television, CNN Atlanta and Los Angeles, LA local KCAL-TV, then back to Atlanta, where he has lived and worked since 1991. His son Jimmy will soon graduate from Oglethorpe University. He is already making a powerful mark producing music under the name NoSo Productions.

Recent Work Experience
1999-Pres President of Jim Sutherland Media
2001-2004 Senior International Editor, CNN
1998-1999 Account Rep./Producer, The Orbis Broadcast Group
1993-1998 Executive Producer, The Weather Channel
1991-1993 News Manager, WSB-TV