James Morgan McKelvey Jr.
Jim McKelvey is the co-founder of Block, Inc. (formerly Square), author of the book 'The Innovation Stack', and independent director of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, who also founded LaunchCode and donated $15 million to Washington University’s engineering school.
James Morgan McKelvey Jr.'s Bio
American entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Block, Inc. (formerly Square) with Jack Dorsey. A St. Louis native, he holds dual degrees in economics and computer science from Washington University. His career spans technology, glassblowing, and civic initiatives, including founding LaunchCode and donating $15 million to Washington University's engineering school. He serves as an independent director of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and authored The Innovation Stack.
Jim McKelvey Jr. is an American entrepreneur, author, and public servant best known as the co-founder of Block, Inc. (formerly Square) alongside Jack Dorsey. He currently serves as an independent director and 2022 Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, while also leading his data privacy-focused startup Invisibly.
A St. Louis native, McKelvey earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in economics and computer science from Washington University in St. Louis in 1987, and even published the technical handbook The Debugger's Handbook in 1986 while still a student. His early career spanned both tech and creative industries, including co-founding Third Degree Glass Factory, a St. Louis-based glassblowing studio and event space, in 2002.
In 2009, he co-founded Square with Dorsey after being unable to accept a credit card payment for a piece of glass art he sold, a pain point that revealed a massive gap in payment infrastructure for small businesses. He went on to co-found LaunchCode in 2013,...
Career Timeline
1986 — Published technical handbook The Debugger's Handbook
Authored and released The Debugger's Handbook, a technical reference guide focused on software debugging best practices for developers.
1987 — Earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees from Washington University
Completed undergraduate studies at Washington University, graduating with dual BS degrees in Economics and Computer Science to build cross-disciplinary foundational expertise.
2002 — Co-founded Third Degree Glass Factory
Launched Third Degree Glass Factory, a St. Louis-based artisanal glassblowing studio and community event space that blends creative craft with public programming.
2009 — Co-founded Square (now Block, Inc.)
Co-created the mobile payment and financial services platform Square alongside Jack Dorsey, transforming payment processing accessibility for small businesses and independent sellers.
2013 — Co-founded LaunchCode
Established LaunchCode, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to technology careers through free education, training, and apprenticeship placement for job seekers.
2016 — Founded Invisibly
Launched Invisibly, a technology startup focused on empowering users to control, monetize, and protect their personal digital data and identity.
2016 — Donated $15 million to Washington University's engineering school
Made a $15 million philanthropic contribution to Washington University's engineering school to fund scholarships, research initiatives, and facility upgrades.
2017 — Appointed Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Joined the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, supporting regional economic development and monetary policy oversight.
2020 — Published The Innovation Stack
Released the book The Innovation Stack, which outlines unconventional problem-solving frameworks for entrepreneurs and business leaders building innovative companies.
2022 — Named Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Promoted to Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis board of directors, leading the institution's governance and strategic community and economic initiatives.
