Thomas M. Shannon currently is President & CEO of BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation, Inc. As Co-founder in 2013, he donates his time as head of this charitable organization whose mission it is to create high growth jobs through early-stage investment. The Foundation has funded over 50 Wisconsin companies with $8 million since inception.
From 2001-2009 he was biotech company Prodesse’s Chief Executive Officer, which was sold for $72 million. Prior to that Mr. Shannon held a variety of senior level management positions as a registered principal for AXA Advisors and its subsidiaries, including Alliance Capital and Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette. Since 2009 he has served as board chairman as well as a lead investor in the funding of Shamrock Energy Corporation, Neenah; Proxim Diagnostics Sunnyvale, California; Somna Therapeutics LLC, Milwaukee; and Aver Informatics of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Other Wisconsin based boards and committees he has been appointed to include The Wisconsin Angel Network, Promentis Pharmaceuticals, OKANJO Partners and Stemina Biomarker Discovery.
He has been recognized by BizStarts Milwaukee as their Inspirational Entrepreneur recipient and was inducted into the Wisconsin Investor Hall of Fame in 2017. He holds a Finance degree from the University of Wisconsin and earned the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Financial Consultant (CHFC) credential.
Listen to "Tom Shannon, Mastermind Of Job Growth and Early Stage Companies – Episode 51" from How'd It Happen Podcast by Mike Malatesta.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/howd-it-happen-podcast/id1441722417?i=1000449689776