James M. Inhofe (born November 17, 1934) is an American politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the senior United States Senator from Oklahoma. Inhofe was born in Des Moines, Iowa and moved with his family to Tulsa when he was a child. According to his official biography, he served as a private in the United States Army from 1955 to 1956; another reputable source says he served from 1956 to 1958) and ended as a specialist fourth class.
Inhofe received a B.A. from the University of Tulsa in 1973, at the age of 38.
In his business career, Inhofe was a real estate developer and became president of the Quaker Life Insurance Company. That company went into receivership while he headed it; it was liquidated in 1986.
