James W. Keyes

James W. Keyes is a global business leader, philanthropist, educator, artist, musician, commercial pilot, and modern renaissance man. He is the former CEO of two internally recognized Fortune 500 companies, 7-Eleven, Inc. and Blockbuster, Inc. His other business interests cover a broad range of industries from retail, consumer products, technology, healthcare, cyber security, new space, energy, and advanced nuclear. He sits on several public company boards and serves as a board adviser to a venture capital firm and a number of start-up companies. Keyes’s philanthropic initiatives have an equally broad focus, including serving a three-term seat on the Board of Governors for the American Red Cross, acting as the former Chairman of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and serving on the board of directors for institutions such as UT Southwestern Medical School, Cooper Institute, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Dallas Performing Arts Center, SMU Cox School of Business, Columbia Business School, and his alma mater, College of the Holy Cross. He has had a lifelong commitment to education, serving as a founding director of the Dallas Education Foundation and is the founder of the Education Is Freedom Foundation. Keyes is a personification of the American Dream, as he comes from humble beginnings. He was inducted in 2005 as a Member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.

Information on Education is Freedom Foundation (501c3 nonprofit)

The Education is Freedom Foundation was the brainchild of Jim Keyes, then President and CEO of 7-Eleven, Inc., on the simple belief that every young person deserves an opportunity to achieve their full potential.  When Jim’s board of directors suggested a cost saving cut to the company philanthropic gift budget, he began looking for ways to show a return on investment on those dollars to preserve the company’s level of giving.   Rather than disburse the funds across hundreds of well-intended causes, he identified rising personnel costs and the desire for a diverse workforce as the company’s biggest priorities.

What better way to show a return, but to target philanthropic dollars at public schools where the company could grow its own future store operators.  He partnered with other CEO’s including August Busch IV of CEO Anheuser-Busch, Abelardo Bru, CEO of Frito Lay and Jeff Rich, CEO of Affiliated Computer Systems to create the Education is Freedom Foundation.  The organization launched at Radio City Music Hall in 2002 with performances by Nelly, the Riverdance Dancers, and a special keynote message from Nelson Mandela who said, “the concept of Education is Freedom will change the world.”

In nearly twenty years since its inception, the foundation has helped nearly 500,000 students find their path to higher education. It has also helped these students raise over $300 million in scholarship money to support their higher education dreams. The first in his family to attend college, Jim was able to leverage his education to ultimately lead two Fortune 500 companies. He remains committed to helping show other less fortunate students the path. Committed to lifelong learning, Jim is an artist, a musician, an athlete, and a professional pilot. He is the embodiment of the phrase, Education is Freedom.