John Banta

John Banta is an experienced investment executive currently serving as Vice President of Investments for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, as well as President and Managing Director of the Blue Venture Fund. With a robust background in early-stage technology investment, John previously held the role of CEO and Managing Director at IllinoisVentures, LLC, where significant contributions were made towards fostering globally competitive companies within the Midwest. John's experience spans various leadership positions, including Managing Principal at the Illinois Emerging Technologies Fund and President & COO at DigitalWork. Educationally, John holds an MBA in Finance and Statistics from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an MS in Finance from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.