In 1962, James E. Lively started his business career by opening Jim Lively Insurance in Oak Hill, WV. The family-owned agency eventually grew and expanded into several towns throughout West Virginia.

Jim and his wife, Loretta, were well-respected and active members of the local community, raising five children in Oak Hill, three of whom joined the family business. In 2010, the couple spearheaded construction of an amphitheater in the city, which was named the Lively Family Amphitheater.

The Lively Family Foundation was established in 2025 by their surviving children to honor Jim and Loretta's legacy of giving.