At its meeting earlier this year, the USPA Board of Directors named Jim Wallace as one of the recipients of the 2006 Gold Medal for Meritorious Service. Wallace, who started jumping in 1970, has accumulated more than 19,000 jumps and 300 hours of freefall time. Along with his wife, Gail Sims, he owns and operates the Jim Wallace Skydiving School at the Perris Valley Skydiving Center in Southern California. Wallace holds every skydiving license and rating available and teaches skydiving in all disciplines. As a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild, he’s been a stuntman in several movies, including “Point Break,” “Navy Seals” and “Terminal Velocity.” He was a member of the 1975 U.S. Team that competed at the first World Parachuting Championships of Relative Work in Warendorf, West Germany.

The handsome medal, framed in cherry wood, reads, “In recognition of almost 40 years dedicated to the skydiving community, and especially USPA, with boundless energy and enthusiasm as an instructor, demonstration jumper, U.S. Team member, and movie stuntman.” USPA President Glenn Bangs and other local skydiving dignitaries presented this award to Wallace during the POPS 120-way record attempts, October 6 at Perris.