Author(s)
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Pete Wilkins
Purpose-driven leader, investor, and entrepreneur. Leads the most active early-stage venture group in the Midwest.
Pete Wilkins is a purpose-driven leader, investor, and entrepreneur. Today, Pete leads the most active early-stage venture investor group in the Midwest, Hyde Park Angels (HPA). He and his firm take a people-first approach—they purposefully invest human and financial capital in entrepreneurs—to help build businesses that matter. Prior to HPA, Pete successfully founded, built, and transformed companies in multiple industries. He co-founded New Futuro and worked with KKR as President of PRIMEDIA Healthcare, where he built one of the premier online physician education communities in the industry. Before PRIMEDIA, Pete served in senior sales and marketing roles for two technology startups, one that IPO'd and the other that was acquired for nearly $2 billion. When Pete’s not focused on HPA or working on his book, The Omaxen Principles, which breaks down five tried-and-true strategies to help people live and lead more purposefully, he serves as a board member and advisor to many entrepreneurs. He is also passionate about the Chicago community and is actively engaged in World Business Chicago ChicagoNext Leadership Council, the Economic Club of Chicago, and the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, which is working on a bold initiative to make Chicago a global technology leader. He was named one of the Top 100 Chicago Innovators by Chicago Tribune, 50 of Fire by ChicagoInno, the winner of Illinois Technology Association CityLIGHTS Industry Champion Award, and the Chicago Innovation Award. Pete writes about start-ups and venture capital for VentureBeat and Forbes and posts, blogs, and speaks regularly about helping people maximize purpose, wellness, and performance. He holds a degree in business from Indiana University and graduated from the University of Chicago Booth Executive Institute. Pete enjoys spending time with his family (usually), training, and uttering Yogi Berra quotes to anyone who will listen.