[1] He is the President of Jim Poolman Consulting Inc. a regulatory and compliance consulting company, and is Managing Partner of Slainte Holdings, which operates Irish themed pubs and the Hotel Donaldson in North and South Dakota.
In 1992, he graduated from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.
Poolman then went on to be elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives as a Republican later in 1992, serving District 42.
Poolman was elected as North Dakota Insurance Commissioner in 2000, and took office in 2001.
He is married to Nicole, who is a teacher and former State Senator, and has three children; Collin, Grace, and Nicholas.