David Wilhelm: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:49, 3 March 2006

Revision as of 17:58, 30 March 2006

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{{NPOV}}

'''David Wilhelm''' (born [[2 October]], [[1956]]) is an American political operative and businessman. A native of Appalachian [[Ohio]], Wilhelm is now a venture capitalist who focuses on spurring sustainable [[economic growth]] in rural areas that tend not to receive much investment. He received his B.A. from [[Ohio University]], Master in [[Public Policy]] from [[Harvard]]'s [[Kennedy School of Government]], and honorary doctorates from [[Ohio University]] and the [[University of Charleston]].

== Business ==

Wilhelm is the founder and president of Woodland Venture Management, onewhich of the nation's leading sources oflaunches [[venture capital]] funds in regions of the countryUnited States that lie between the two coasts. and areIt ignoredcontends that bysince most investors ignore this swath of the country, a business opportunity exists for creative investors. Others argue that this strategy is doomed to failure because it relies on regions that have not proven themselves to be profitable for investors.

[http://www.adenaventures.com/ Adena Ventures], Woodland's first fund, focuses on businesses in central [[Appalachia]], aone regionof that historically hasthe beenpoorest leftregions behind asin the nation hasUnited prosperedStates. The [[Small Business Administration]] designated Adena the nation's first company to receive funding under the Clinton administration's New Markets Venture Capital CompanyProgram, which gave incentives to firms investing in poor communities.

[http://www.hopewellventures.com/ Hopewell Ventures] is Woodland's second fund and targets the [[Midwest]]. A region stretching, from Pittsburgh on the east to Omaha on the west,. A PricewaterhouseCooper study suggests that the Midwest receives less venture capital financing than the city of San Diego alone. Hopewell aims to close that gap.

Wilhelm is a founder of two [[consulting]] companies based in [[Chicago]]: Conlon Public Strategies, a public affairs firm, and the Strategy Group, which supports Democratic candidates. He is no longer affiliated with either company.

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* "If you are a true believer, if the rationale for your political participation lies beyond mere self-aggrandizement, you know that there are no such things as lost causes, just battles not yet won." - 8/13/02, speech at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland

==External links==

Companies that Wilhelm has founded:

* [http://www.woodlandvc.com/ Woodland Venture Management]

* [http://www.hopewellventures.com/ Hopewell Ventures] (focused on the Midwest)

* [http://www.adenaventures.com/ Adena Ventures] (focused on central Appalachia)

* [http://www.wcstrategies.com/ Wilhelm & Conlon Public Strategies]

* [http://www.strategygroup.com/ The Strategy Group]

{{DNCchairmen}}