James Cole, Jr. is the American financier, attorney, and advocate who founded the multidimensional investment management firm, The Jasco Group, served as the Obama administration’s deputy secretary and general counsel to the U.S. Department of Education, and currently serves as a director and chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee of AIG.  James is also the founder and president of Jasco Philanthropies, whose mission is to educate, empower, and promote Black and Brown people, including members of the LGBTQ+ community.

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In a career spanning 25 years, Cole’s multi-hyphenate status is owed to his expertise in governance, policy, operations, finance, business, and law. In addition to a steady role as a mentor, and as a public servant overseeing education initiatives like “My Brother’s Keeper”, creating professional pathways for underserved young men of color, he also serves on the Board of Directors of Jumpstart, which provides socio-emotional literacy programming for underserved preschool children.  He also serves on the Board of Directors of Suited, Inc., an assessment-driven recruiting network powered by artificial intelligence; and in his former capacity as a corporate partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz advised senior management and Boards of Fortune 500 companies on merger transactions in the U.S, Japan, England, France, Ireland, and Argentina.

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James Cole Jr.’s trailblazing streak started on Chicago’s south side, where he leveraged a poverty-struck upbringing through the power of education, earning his Bachelor of Science in finance with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School. Going on to combine myriad talents in a career that’s broken boundaries, James’ portfolio came from lending expert financial and legal acumen to creating social impact through the arts and education. Formerly, he was also a member of the Board of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Prep for Prep, which identifies and prepares students of color for the rigors of independent day and boarding schools.

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The strategist, consultant, and public speaker utilizes his management firm to direct investments in a range of industries and market segments through stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, commodities, entertainment industry assets, and venture capital startups with a focus on creating social impact.  James has invested in over 25 startups across the United States, England, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Canada, and Mexico.  He has also produced, executive produced, or invested in over 20 films, theatrical productions, and literary projects.

 

Through wide-scale educational and financial initiatives, James is investing in the culture of social entrepreneurship and reinforcing his lifelong commitment to Civil Rights. Motivated by a desire to end racial wealth disparities with access to opportunity and capital, James is enterprising in his mission to serve Black and Brown communities everywhere.

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James Cole, Jr. is the proud father of a young son.