A seasoned economic, ecosystem, and entrepreneurial development thought leader, Jake has not only built and grown his own successful ventures, but has helped countless others do the same by sharing his journey of successes and struggles along the way. Whether a large corporation, early-stage entrepreneur, or community looking to grow their economy, Jake is recognized for mentoring both individuals and organizations, imparting as much practical wisdom and experience as possible based on his broad range of experience and expertise.As a pioneer and respected voice in the emerging and evolving field of entrepreneurial ecosystem building, Jake has been a guiding voice for various local and national initiatives such as Startup GP, Peoria Innovation Alliance, Distillery Labs, Startup America, Startup Champions Network, the International Economic Development Council, the Kauffman Foundation: Start Us Up initiative, Right to Start, and most recently the Return to Better Institute.Through all of these efforts, Jake’s goal is to build a global movement by which local communities, states, and countries from around the world can implement an end-to-end experience aimed at meeting ALL entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators at their point of need.Honors & Awards:• 40 Leaders Under 40 (Class of 2015)• SBDC Small Business Advocate of the Year (2020)• SixSigma Green Belt• AAF Addy Award - Gold, Best of Show, Judge's ChoiceTop 5 Clifton StrengthsFinder 34:• Discipline - Organized and focused in any situation.• Individualization - Team player. Able to recognize and appreciate strengths in order to build a highly effective team.• Responsibility - Ownership of tasks. Commitment to values, honest and loyal.• Achiever - Hard worker. Willing to roll up my sleeves and do what it takes to get a job done.• Strategic - Big picture thinker. Able to connect the dots and see things from a more holistic view.