MEET JEFF CARTER
Jeff Carter is a businessman, investor, and lifelong conservative who has spent four decades operating at the highest levels of global finance, entrepreneurship, and strategic leadership. He is running for public office not because he needs a title, but because he believes deeply that America works best when it is led by principled citizens, not career politicians.
EARLY LIFE AND VALUES
Jeff was raised in DuPage County, Illinois, then one of the most Republican counties in the nation. He learned early the values of hard work, personal responsibility, and accountability. Those principles have guided his professional success and now drive his commitment to public service.
Jeff graduated from Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois, going on to complete his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business. In 2007, he earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
CAREER, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND INVESTING
Jeff spent twenty-five years as a professional trader and market maker in interest rate futures and agricultural markets on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where integrity and a person’s word were everything. Elected by his peers to the CME Board, he helped lead its transformation from a member-owned exchange to a publicly traded company—building it into today’s roughly $99 billion global financial powerhouse.
He co-founded Hyde Park Angels, growing it into one of America’s most active angel groups and helping drive billions in venture capital into Chicago’s economy. Jeff also launched his own venture fund focused on early-stage B2B fintech companies worldwide. Over the years, he has personally invested in and mentored hundreds of startups.
TEACHING, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, AND WRITING
Jeff has lectured at universities including the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, Notre Dame, and Case Western, sharing real-world expertise in finance, trading, and entrepreneurship. His trading jacket hangs today in the experimental trading room at the University of Illinois in Champaign.
He has written extensively on finance, politics, startups, and markets for publications including Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Crain’s Chicago Business, the Chicago Tribune, Townhall, and others. Since 2010, he has authored the long-running blog Points and Figures, now hosted on Substack.
PUBLIC SERVICE, CIVIC LEADERSHIP, AND AFFILIATIONS
Jeff has long been engaged in public policy and civic leadership. He served on the Board of Trustees of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans from 2009 to 2016 and was a delegate to the first-ever i7/G7 conference in Torino, Italy, helping shape policy discussions on the future of work, artificial intelligence, and data-driven economies.
Jeff is a member of Keystone, serves on the advisory board of FairTax.org, and has participated in countless panels and conferences nationwide. He has more than 250,000 followers on LinkedIn.
FAMILY AND INTERESTS
Jeff has been married to his wife, Lisa, since 1987. They met at the University of Illinois and raised their family in the Chicago area before relocating to Las Vegas in 2020. They have two adult daughters, both married, and are proud grandparents, with a growing family that will include four grandchildren by early 2026. Their family also includes a rescue dog named Archie.
Jeff is an outdoorsman who enjoys fly fishing, golf and cooking for his family and friends. He is also an avid sports fan.
