James Robert Thompson, Jr. (born May 8, 1936), also known as Big Jim Thompson, was the 37th and longest serving Governor of the US state of Illinois, serving from 1977 to 1991. A Republican, Thompson was elected to four consecutive terms and held the office for 14 years. Many years after leaving public office, he served as a member of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission).