Jim vonTungeln, AICP is a native of Pine Bluff, served in the United States Navy and is a Vietnam veteran. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

He has also completed the World Campus Certificate Program in Geographic Information Systems from Penn State University. He entered the field of urban planning in 1971 and has worked in most of the major cities in Arkansas over the last 37 years. He served on the Little Rock City Beautiful Commission for eight years, including two years as chairman. He subsequently served on the Little Rock Planning Commission. Since 1997, he has been the staff planning consultant for the Arkansas Municipal League. This has brought him into contact with urban issues throughout the state.

In addition, he writes a monthly column on urban planning for the League’s magazine – “City and Town.” In 1991, he formed his own planning firm and incorporated it as Urban Planning Associates in 1994. Recent assignments include work in the cities of Russellville, Arkadelphia, North Little Rock, Little Rock, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Bryant, Bentonville, Conway, Clarksville, Hope, Searcy and Paragould. He has served as expert witness in urban planning matters in both federal and state courts. He was recently appointed Little Rock’s first Sustainability Commission and is Vice-President and Legislative Chair of the American Planning Association, Arkansas Chapter.