Committed to living by his personal motto, “Build As We Climb”, change agent, thought leader and emerging philanthropist, James M. Bailey has dedicated his life to serving others.
James was recently named President and CEO of the Russell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (RCIE). Honoring the great legacy and visionary business leadership of Herman J. Russell, Sr., he will lead the development of the largest center in the country, focused on impact, devoted to empowering African American entrepreneurs; 50,000 square feet dedicated to inspiring ideas, creating jobs, scaling companies, and increasing wealth in the community.
An Atlanta native, Alpha man, and die-hard Georgia Bulldog, James has a proven track record of success. Recognized by 3 U.S. Presidents for his leadership and community efforts, in 2012, James was one of eight Americans honored at the White House as a “Champion of Change: Following in the Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” He was also named to both the Atlanta Business Chronicle and Georgia Trend Magazine’s “40 Under 40 Best and Brightest Leaders of the Future”.
James has served on numerous boards including The Historic Wren’s Nest in Atlanta’s West End, the Metro Atlanta Chamber Board of Advisors, the Atlanta Beltline TAD Advisory Committee, and serves as Chairman of Citizens Trust Bank’s, Next Generation Advisory Board.
He is a recipient of the coveted Whitney M. Young National Community Service Medallion and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Service Award. He is also a graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia and the ARC Regional Leadership Institute.
James and his wife, NBC News Channel correspondent Blayne Alexander live between Atlanta, Georgia and Washington D.C.
Better Outcomes for OUR Kids‘ (BOOK) mission is to raise awareness around the need for high-performing schools in African-American communities, and the need to expand and increase the awareness of educational options and school choice. We believe when leaders are equipped with and prepared to share objective information about high-quality schools through BOOK’s programming, they will be effective at communicating the educational crisis effecting African-American youth. With support from parents, local constituents, policymakers, the media, and key influencers, we can change the course of our failing schools.
