Retired FBI Special Agent James Gaylord ’81 reflects on faith, integrity, and vocation

Long before James (Jim) Gaylord ’81 began his career in federal law enforcement, he was a student looking for a place where he could grow in both faith and knowledge. Studying at Bethel allowed him to do both.

Gaylord tried a public university in Southern California, but quickly realized he wanted something more. Encouraged by his parents, who were both Bethel alumni, he transferred to Bethel to begin his sophomore year—a change in direction which became a defining step in his life. “I thought, ‘You know what? I want to learn from Christian professors,’” he says. “And Bethel helped me become a much better student and more grounded follower of Christ.”

Academic challenge and mentorship shape a calling

That move to Bethel sharpened his focus and broadened his interests. Gaylord found a stronger, more challenging academic fit and a campus culture encouraging deeper engagement with professors and classmates alike. He appreciated the small class sizes, the deeper coursework, and the chance to grow into a more balanced believer. 

“I became a very good student at Bethel,” he says. “The work was harder, but also more rewarding, especially due to the stimulating dialogues with the teachers.” That combination of challenge and support became one of the defining parts of his experience. “I had a couple of professors who made a big impression on me,” he says. “I had some great debates with a history professor ‘Doc’ Dalton. And then there was my political science professor and advisor John Lawler, who was a really wise and thoughtful man. I really enjoyed picking his brain after class.” Those relationships stood out because Bethel gave him a level of access to faculty he had not experienced before.

Community, campus life, and lifelong relationships

His fond memories of Bethel go far beyond the classroom. He remembers how the beauty of the campus impressed him, and that the Bethel student janitor job he was given helped him pay for school. The job responsibilities also gave structure to his days, rewarded his work ethic, and rooted him in the community. “I liked daily Chapel,” he says, explaining that it represented a new discipline for him. “And one thing I was introduced to and absolutely loved was Bethel’s intramural broomball leagues. But I discovered an even greater love there, my future wife Melody Ho ’82, an international student at the time, who I have now been married to for 43 years, and raised two wonderful daughters with.” 

A clear calling: Pursuing a career in the FBI

Before Bethel, Gaylord already knew what he wanted to do. As a junior in high school, his teacher invited an FBI agent to speak to his class. He was hooked. “It’s then that I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do,’” he says. With that goal in mind, Gaylord majored in political science and minored in history and psychology. Then he went straight on to law school, which he saw as the best way to gain entry into the FBI. Looking back, he identified Bethel as crucial to that preparation, not just academically, but spiritually and personally, helping strengthen the values and resolve he would need throughout his career. 

His first FBI assignment brought him back to Minneapolis. After a short time working white-collar crime, he moved to an organized crime squad, where the work environment was much more difficult personally. Yet, he recognizes that season as a crucial learning experience which toughened him for his future trials and challenges.

“I learned that if you stand up for yourself and your position, and stick to your guns, you’ll be much happier,” he says. That lesson stayed with him, clarifying what integrity looks like when it is tested. For Gaylord, character became more than theoretical. It was something he could hold onto during real trials, especially when compromise presented the seemingly easier course.

Counterintelligence work and global impact

A major turning point in his career arrived with the opportunity to pursue the study of Vietnamese in the U.S. Army’s Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. Over two and a half years, Gaylord became fluent enough to work counterintelligence and counterterrorism matters in Little Saigon, Orange County, California, home to the largest Vietnamese-American community in the United States. That work proved very different from traditional law enforcement. “It’s a much longer game,” he explains. Counterintelligence requires patience, building trust with victim communities, and long-term thinking. For Gaylord, the work carried deep purpose—it was a way of defending others.

“What I loved about this work is that I was protecting this country and its citizens, native and immigrant,” he stated. “I found that very rewarding.”

Later in his career, Gaylord became the “case agent” of a major Chinese espionage ring investigation involving electrical engineer Chi Mak, his family and friends. By the end, he and his team had arrested, prosecuted and convicted six spies for the Peoples’ Republic of China. He went on to write a book about the case, titled:CHASING CHI: The FBI’s Groundbreaking Pursuit of China’s Most Prolific Spy Family. It was published and released December 2, 2025 by Prometheus Books.

“After the conclusion of the Mak case, I finished my 31+ year career as a supervisor of the PRC squad. I loved serving as a mentor to incoming new agents,” he says. Gaylord believes leadership is strongest and most powerful when it is built upon humility and respect—the way a person treats others matters just as much as the work itself. “Always treat everyone with dignity and respect. If people sense that you think they are beneath you, you’ve lost the ability to work with them,” he says.

Faith and family as lifelong anchors

Throughout those years, faith and family helped keep him grounded. Even during demanding work and long hours, he built a family life that was not consumed by his job or identity as a Special Agent. “When I was done at work, I came home and I coached my girls’ soccer team practices and games, attended their ballet performances, and all the other events in their lives,” he says.

He also pointed to the steady, dependable influence of spiritual habits and family life. “Family, my Christian faith, regular church attendance, teaching Sunday school with my wife, loving and appreciating this country and all it offers, all these are things that anchor you to the kind of person you want to be,” he says.

For students considering law enforcement, intelligence, or any other demanding field, Gaylord says, “One should always protect their faith and sense of self-worth. Nothing is worth sacrificing those things.”

​Identity beyond career and life after the FBI​

After reaching the FBI’s mandatory retirement age, Gaylord spent several years as a director of corporate ethics investigations for a major defense contractor before stepping into a more final retirement, when he finished his book. He pointed out that the transition did not prove especially difficult for him because his identity had always been rooted in his own person and faith, not his title or position. “My identity is as a Believer, American, husband, father, and now grandfather, in that order.”

When Gaylord reflects on his life and career, he does not start with workplace accomplishments or titles. Instead, he references the people and values that shaped his character long before he encountered the high-pressure moments that came during his long career as an FBI Special Agent.

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