Ray Leach is the founding CEO of JumpStart Inc. This Cleveland, Ohio-based non-profit venture development organization has gained a national best-in-class reputation for its innovative economic development models and its ability to leverage its experience and expertise across the U.S.

Ray is considered a national thought and practice leader at the intersection of public, private, and philanthropic partnerships accelerating private-sector investment capital, job creation, and increasing inclusive economic outcomes in neighborhoods, cities, states, and regions.

Ray was a Sloan Fellow and a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and the University of Akron. He began his career at IBM and went on to co-found four startups. Ray was a founding member of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE) and currently serves on the for-profit boards of Axuall, Smithers, and Signet LLC and the non-profit board of Venture Forward.