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. In 2015 he launched one of the nation’s most innovative private equity firms, Greenwood Archer. Through a "Human Capital" approach, Greenwood Archer re-imagines the way America’s most underserved communities leverage assets, establish wealth, strengthen infrastructure and create jobs.
He is also the co-founder and Chairman of the Phoenix Leadership Foundation, a social impact organization supporting programs that reignite passion and aspiration in our young people, providing role models and road maps that will give them every opportunity to succeed.
Before Greenwood Archer, James served as CEO for the Southeastern Region of Operation HOPE, a global nonprofit organization focused on economic empowerment. Under his leadership, HOPE’s southeastern region grew from a single person operation in 2007, to nineteen offices by 2015, helping more than 160,000 youth, adults, and families start businesses, buy homes, raise credit scores and increase their financial dignity.
Prior to HOPE, James served as President and CEO of Landmark Global Corporation, a Real Estate investment firm managing over $7 million in assets by age 27. James' professional experience also includes sales management posts with Bank of America and Hershey Foods Corporation.
An Atlanta native 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". 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
In 2010, he was selected as one of the 10 Most Outstanding Young People of Atlanta, in 2011, James received a Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award from the Obama Administration, in 2012, James was named a National Young and Powerful Rising Star and in 2016 was honored with the National Point of Light Award from the Points of Light Foundation.
James serves 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 was recently named Chairman of Citizens Trust Bank’s, Next Generation Advisory Board.
A dedicated community servant, James volunteers as a mentor for the Priority Male Initiative, an advisor for Youth Entrepreneurs of Georgia, the Atlanta Public Schools R.E.A.L. Men Read Program, Sheltering Arms, and most notably serves as Scoutmaster of the Mighty Troop 100 located on Atlanta’s Westside, the largest inner-city Boy Scout unit in the United States.
