Campus Connection

Founder, CEO of one of the largest privately owned U.S. investment banks to give The Russell G. Cleary Distinguished Business Leader Lecture

An alum who founded Loop Capital in Chicago in 1997 with a simple guiding motto — “To provide client service beyond expectations” — will share his story at UW-La Crosse. James Reynolds, Jr., a ’77 UWL graduate, will speak at this year’s Russell G. Cleary Distinguished Business Leadership Lecture Series presentation at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, in Hesprich Auditorium in Graff Main Hall, 1725 State St. Admission is free, but registration is requested at: www.uwlax.edu/cei/events. Loop Capital has grown from a staff of six to more than 175 professionals in 30 locations. Reynolds oversees all aspects of Loop Capital, including investment banking, brokerage and financial advisory services. He has led the firm to become the largest minority-owned financial services firm and one of the largest privately-held investment banks in the U.S. Reynolds has worked in the financial services industry for more than 27 years. Early in his career, he established and headed the Midwest Municipal Bond Sales Desk at PaineWebber. Subsequently, Reynolds joined the Corporate and Institutional Client Group at Merrill Lynch where he managed the municipal sales team responsible for the distribution of all tax-exempt products to institutions in the Midwest. In 1997, Reynolds collaborated with Albert R. Grace, Jr., to form Loop Capital Markets. Along with the firm becoming the largest minority-owned financial services firm, it is one of the largest privately-held investment banks in the U.S. Reynolds is a CFA charter holder and is a member of the CFA Institute. Reynolds strongly believes that successful executives have a responsibility to give back to the community. He is a board member of the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, Chicago United, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and The University of Chicago Hospitals. Additionally, he serves as vice chair of the board for the Chicago Urban League and is a member of the advisory board of the Levy Institute/Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. In 2011, he was appointed by the mayor of Chicago to serve on the boards of World Business Chicago and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. He was also recently appointed by the state’s governor to the Economic Recovery Commission. Reynolds holds a master’s of management in finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from UWL. Reynolds holds series 7, 24, 53 and 63 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority registrations. The Russell G. Cleary Distinguished Business Leader Lecture  Sponsored by the Cleary Family. The lecture honors Russell Cleary who attended UWL from 1951-54, UW Madison Law School 1954-57 and earned the Graff Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980. Cleary built La Crosse’s Heileman Brewing Co. into one of the largest breweries in the country. In addition to numerous other awards, he was named Executive of the Year by “Corporate Report Magazine” in 1980. Cleary, a strong supporter of UWL, was committed to serving the La Crosse community. If you go— What: The Russell G. Cleary Distinguished Business Leader Lecture Who: Jim Reynolds Jr., founder, chairman and CEO of Loop Capital When: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24 Where: Hesprich Auditorium, Graff Main Hall Admission: Free, but registration is requested at: www.uwlax.edu/cei/events