Michael H. Shuman

After graduation from Stanford Law School in 1982, Michael created a nonprofit to help communities launch their own foreign policies–to prevent wars, prevent human rights abuses, end poverty, and solve global environmental problems. Over the last 25 years, he has continued his focus on the relationship between the local and the global by helping communities create economies that can take advantage of the world economy–and not be whipsawed by it. He promotes “local economic development” grounded in local ownership, self-reliance, high social standards, and entrepreneurship.

Michael has authored ten books and hundreds of papers and articles that have made him one of the world’s top experts on local economy building. He is also credited with being a key architect of the federal and state laws legalizing investment crowdfunding. He has worked with hundreds of local governments, businesses, and nonprofits. A prolific speaker, Shuman has given an average of more than one invited talk per week, over the past several decades, in nearly every U.S. state and more than a dozen countries. In addition to working for Council Fire, he teaches at the Bard Business School and publishes The Main Street Journal.