2024 TechBridge Community Leader Awards

James M. “Jay” Bailey is a dynamic force committed to his unwavering motto, Build As We Climb. With a transformative vision, he embodies the essence of a leader and emerging philanthropist. Bailey directs his life’s mission towards uplifting others.

As the President and CEO of the H.J. Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), Bailey leads the world’s largest entrepreneurial hub. RICE is dedicated to growing, scaling, and developing Black businesses: in just four years, under Bailey’s visionary leadership, RICE supports over 500 entrepreneurs full time, generating an impressive $184 million in annual revenues, supporting 2,153 community jobs, and sparking a staggering $478 million of new economic impact in the Metro Atlanta area. Bailey and his team have transformed RICE into an economic empowerment and innovation powerhouse.

An Atlanta native, sought-after speaker, three-times TED Talk speaker, and die-hard Georgia Bulldog, Bailey has a proven track record of success. His leadership and commitment to the community have been recognized by three U.S. Presidents. In 2012, he 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. In 2016, President Barack Obama bestowed the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award on Bailey in recognition of his dedicated volunteer service.

Bailey has been recognized with the prestigious National Point of Light Award, named one of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, ranked on Atlanta Magazine’s POWER 100 list of the most dynamic leaders in the city, and honored by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential leaders in Georgia.

Bailey is a devoted member of the Atlanta Rotary Club, dedicated to the motto Service Above Self. His remarkable board service includes roles on the Georgia Chamber and Metro Atlanta Chamber Board of Directors. He serves as a Board Director for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and Invest Atlanta Foundation, as well as the founding Chairman of Citizens Trust Bank’s Next Generation Advisory Board.

Focused on education, Bailey serves on the University of Georgia Board of Visitors, as an Agnes Scott College Trustee, as a Board Director for the Atlanta Speech School, and on the Executive Board of the Veritas School of Social Sciences. He is a nationally recognized landowner and serves as a trustee for the Georgia Forestry Foundation. Bailey will launch the Black Land Institute in the fall of 2024.

An esteemed graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Atlanta, and the Regional Leadership Institute, Bailey has earned numerous accolades. Among them are the Whitney M. Young National Community Service Medallion, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Service Award, the Maynard Jackson Community Impact Award, a 2023 Atlanta Business League Man of Influence, the Startup Atlanta Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Bernie Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award. Bailey takes great pride in being a dedicated member of Alpha Phi Alpha and the 100 Black Men of Atlanta.

Bailey resides in East Atlanta with his beloved wife (NBC News correspondent Blayne Alexander) and their two cherished daughters.