James M. Schultz
Founder at Open Prairie Ventures Inc
Profile
Jim is the Founder and Managing Partner of Open Prairie and a fifth generation agriculture investor and entrepreneur with over 30 years of investment experience and has been instrumental in starting and providing capital to companies throughout the country.
n 2015, Jim was appointed by the Governor of Illinois as Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
In career prior to private equity, Jim held executive level management positions and served as the Chairman of the Board of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Small Business Advisory Council on Agriculture, Labor and Small Business.
As Chairman of PrimeBanc, a rural-Illinois regional bank, Jim provided leadership that resulted in increasing the bank’s assets from $40 million to $600 million, largely through de novo growth.
He currently represents Open Prairie as a member of the Board of Directors for Tillerman Seeds, Vestaron, Metactive Medical, and Flow Forward Medical.
Jim is a graduate of the National Venture Capital Association Venture Capital Institute.
He received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law.
Jim graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis on entrepreneurship from Southern Methodist University.
James M. Schultz active positions
| Companies | Position | Start |
|---|---|---|
Open Prairie Ventures Inc
 Open Prairie Ventures Inc Investment ManagersFinance Open Prairie Ventures Inc (Open Prairie) is a venture capital firm founded in 1999 by James M. Schultz. The firm headquartered in Effingham, Illinois. | Founder | 31/12/1996 |
Prime Banc Corp.
 Prime Banc Corp. Financial ConglomeratesFinance Prime Banc Corp. operates as a bank holding company. The company is headquartered in Dieterich, IL. | Director/Board Member | - |
ConsortiEX, Inc.
 ConsortiEX, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services ConsortiEX, Inc. provides healthcare technology services. It provides Information technology systems and services to manage the ordering, distribution and tracking of sterile injectable compounds for hospitals and affiliated networks. The company was founded by Neal Long in 2013 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. | Director/Board Member | - |
Flow Forward Medical, Inc.
 Flow Forward Medical, Inc. Medical SpecialtiesHealth Technology Flow Forward Medical LLC engages in the development of novel approach for hemodialysis. The company was founded by Frank Nicholas Franano and William P. Whitaker and is headquartered in Fairway, KS. | Director/Board Member | - |
Artio Medical, Inc.
 Artio Medical, Inc. Medical SpecialtiesHealth Technology Artio Medical, Inc. develops novel, endovascular medical devices for the treatment of peripheral and neurovascular diseases. Its products include Solus Gold, Solus Flex, Anuera, and Endura. The company was founded by William P. Whitaker and F. Nicholas Franano in 2013 and is headquartered in Fairway, KS. | Director/Board Member | - |
Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund LP
 Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund LP Investment ManagersFinance Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund LP invests in companies located in the US, with a special focus on rural America with an investment size of $2 - $10 million. The fund target companies operating in the fields of agricultural, life science, food, processing, information technology & logistics sectors. It provides debt and equity financing for growth transactions. | Director/Board Member | - |
Legacy Seed Cos. LLC
 Legacy Seed Cos. LLC Wholesale DistributorsDistribution Services Legacy Seed Cos. LLC operates as a holding company that creates to acquire small independent seed distributors that are looking for growth or new ownership. It supplies soybean and wheat seed varieties. The company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. | Director/Board Member | - |
| Vytelle Holdings, Inc. | Director/Board Member | - |
Ingredientwerks, Inc.
 Ingredientwerks, Inc. BiotechnologyHealth Technology Ingredientwerks, Inc. develops plant-based proteins. The American company was founded in 2022. Matthew T. Plavan has been the CEO of the company since 2022. | Director/Board Member | - |
Former positions of James M. Schultz
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Training of James M. Schultz
| Southern Methodist University | Undergraduate Degree |
| Kellogg School of Management | Masters Business Admin |
| DePaul University College of Law | Graduate Degree |
Experiences
Positions held
Connections
1st degree connections
1st degree companies
Male
Female
Members of the board
Executives
Linked companies
| Private companies | 16 |
|---|---|
EpiWorks, Inc.
 EpiWorks, Inc. SemiconductorsElectronic Technology EpiWorks, Inc. develops and manufactures compound semiconductor epitaxial wafers. It produces III-V epitaxial wafers that are tailored for optimal performance in multiple next generation applications. The company was founded by Quesnell J. Hartmann, Gregory E. Stillman and David A. Ahmari in 1997 and is headquartered in Champaign, IL. | Electronic Technology |
Vestaron Corp.
 Vestaron Corp. Chemicals: SpecialtyProcess Industries Vestaron Corp. develops and markets bioinsecticides derived from naturally occurring peptides. It offers the following brands: Spear-T for the treatment of thrips, Spear-P controls Colorado Potato beetle, and Spear-C protects crops from lepidopteran pests. The company was founded by Glenn F. King in 2005 and is headquartered in Durham, NC. | Process Industries |
Metabolic Solutions Development Co. LLC
 Metabolic Solutions Development Co. LLC Pharmaceuticals: GenericHealth Technology Metabolic Solutions Development Co. LLC operates as a drug discovery and development company. It develops novel therapeutics to treat metabolic diseases associated with age-related mitochondrial dysfunction, especially insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The company was founded by Jerry Colca and Rolf Kletzien in 2006 and is headquartered in Kalamazoo, MI. | Health Technology |
Compact Particle Acceleration Corp.
 Compact Particle Acceleration Corp. Medical SpecialtiesHealth Technology Compact Particle Acceleration Corp. develops and commercializes compact intensity-modulated proton therapy systems. It systems are powered by the dielectric-wall accelerator (DWA), a revolutionary proton accelerator that will have a substantially smaller structure and greater flexibility than other accelerators. The firm’s proton therapy systems significantly reduce the amount of damage to adjacent healthy tissue that often occurs with traditional photon radiation methods. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Livermore, CA. | Health Technology |
Prime Banc Corp.
Prime Banc Corp. Financial ConglomeratesFinance Prime Banc Corp. operates as a bank holding company. The company is headquartered in Dieterich, IL. | Finance |
Flow Forward Medical, Inc.
Flow Forward Medical, Inc. Medical SpecialtiesHealth Technology Flow Forward Medical LLC engages in the development of novel approach for hemodialysis. The company was founded by Frank Nicholas Franano and William P. Whitaker and is headquartered in Fairway, KS. | Health Technology |
Artio Medical, Inc.
Artio Medical, Inc. Medical SpecialtiesHealth Technology Artio Medical, Inc. develops novel, endovascular medical devices for the treatment of peripheral and neurovascular diseases. Its products include Solus Gold, Solus Flex, Anuera, and Endura. The company was founded by William P. Whitaker and F. Nicholas Franano in 2013 and is headquartered in Fairway, KS. | Health Technology |
ConsortiEX, Inc.
ConsortiEX, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services ConsortiEX, Inc. provides healthcare technology services. It provides Information technology systems and services to manage the ordering, distribution and tracking of sterile injectable compounds for hospitals and affiliated networks. The company was founded by Neal Long in 2013 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, WI. | Technology Services |
Physicians Clinical Laboratories, Inc.
 Physicians Clinical Laboratories, Inc. Medical/Nursing ServicesHealth Services Physicians Clinical Laboratories, Inc. (Bio-Cypher Laboratories) used to provide clinical and laboratory services. The company was headquartered in Sacramento, CA. | Health Services |
Open Prairie Ventures Inc
Open Prairie Ventures Inc Investment ManagersFinance Open Prairie Ventures Inc (Open Prairie) is a venture capital firm founded in 1999 by James M. Schultz. The firm headquartered in Effingham, Illinois. | Finance |
| Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (US) | Government |
Agracel, Inc.
 Agracel, Inc. Investment Banks/BrokersFinance Agracel, Inc. provides investment banking and securities dealing services. The firm's solutions include site selection, build to suit leaseback & turnkey, acquisition and redevelopment. The company was founded in 1986 by John M. Schultz and is located in Effingham, IL | Finance |
Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund LP
Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund LP Investment ManagersFinance Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund LP invests in companies located in the US, with a special focus on rural America with an investment size of $2 - $10 million. The fund target companies operating in the fields of agricultural, life science, food, processing, information technology & logistics sectors. It provides debt and equity financing for growth transactions. | Finance |
Legacy Seed Cos. LLC
Legacy Seed Cos. LLC Wholesale DistributorsDistribution Services Legacy Seed Cos. LLC operates as a holding company that creates to acquire small independent seed distributors that are looking for growth or new ownership. It supplies soybean and wheat seed varieties. The company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. | Distribution Services |
| Vytelle Holdings, Inc. | |
Ingredientwerks, Inc.
Ingredientwerks, Inc. BiotechnologyHealth Technology Ingredientwerks, Inc. develops plant-based proteins. The American company was founded in 2022. Matthew T. Plavan has been the CEO of the company since 2022. | Health Technology |
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