James R. Leininger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James Leininger is an American businessman and conservative Christian activist.[1][2][3]

Biography

Early life

James R. Leininger grew up in Indiana and Florida. He received a B.A. in 1965 and an M.D. in 1969, both from Indiana University.[1][4][5][6] From 1969 to 1971, he did an internship at the University of Miami Medical School.[4] In 1971-1972, he took post-graduate courses at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, D.C., and Fort Sam Houston, where he lectured.[4] In 1972-1973, he taught at the University of Texas Medical School.[4] He then settled in San Antonio.[7]

Business

In 1976, he founded Kinetic Concepts.[1][2][3][5][7] He now served as Chairman Emeritus on the Board of Directors.[6][8][9] In 1991, he formed MedCare Investment Funds, a private venture investment firm.[1][3] He also co-founded the Renal Care Group.[3][5][6] In 1994, he co-founded ATX Technologies, and has served on the Board of Directors since then. From 1975 to 1986, he also served as director of the Emergency Department of the Baptist Hospital System in San Antonio.[2][5] He also sits on the Board of Directors of BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals and Spurs Sports & Entertainment.[1] He has also invested in Texas real estate, and in food companies such as Promised Land Foods, Sunday House Foods, Seafood Wholesalers of Houston and Plantation Seafood Co.[7] He also owns a direct mail firm, Focus Direct Inc., and a television station, Mission City Television Inc.[7] A basketball fan, he is a part-owner of the San Antonio Spurs.[7] From 1985 to 1991, he sat on the Board of Directors of the Texas Commerce Bank.[10] He is a member of the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, and the Institute of American Entrepreneurs.[10] In 2007, he was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame.[11]

Political activism

In 1988, he founded Texans for Justice, and he supported Thomas R. Phillips's campaign.[7] He is the founder of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.[12][13] He also controls Texans for Governmental Integrity.[7] He also made donations to George W. Bush when he was Governor, and to the Republican Party of Texas.[7] He has made significant donations to Texas Governor Rick Perry.[12][13][14][15]

Christian activism

He is a devout Christian, and he has been described as an extremist, a label he himself describes as "sad".[7] He sits on the Board of Trustees of Patrick Henry College.[16] He is a proponent of school vouchers, and he started CEO San Antonio to give vouchers to children from modest backgrounds.[7][12][14][17] He also sits on the Board of Directors of CEO America, another school voucher organization.[7] He is a former Board member of the Carver Academy.[10] He owns the copyright for The Beginner's Bible.[18] In 1997, it was reported he had donated $1.5 million to Vanderbilt University, $3 million to the University of Miami, and $300,000 for diabetes research to the University of Texas Medical Center.[7] He has also made donations to Boy Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, the Mental Health Association, the Young Men's Christian Association, The Miracle Foundation, as well as orphanages in India, Romania, Central America, Haiti, Ukraine, Russia, Myanmar, Thailand, and thirteen countries in Africa.[19] He is married with four children and five grandchildren.[4]

Bibliography

  • Daniel and the Lions (The Beginner's Bible) (1996)
  • Adam and Eve (The Beginner's Bible) (1997)
  • Noah's Great Adventure (The Beginner's Bible - Great Bible Adventure) (1997)
  • The Beginner's Bible: The Prodigal Son (1997)
  • The Beginner's Bible: Jesus Calls His Disciples (co-written with Lisa S. Reed, Kelly R. Pulley, 1997)
  • Favorite Bible Heroes (The Beginner's Bible) (1998)
  • David and Goliath (Beginner's Bible) (1998)
  • Bible Stories for Little Ones: Beginner's Bible (1998)
  • Noah's Big, Big Boat (1998)
  • David's Great Battle: Beginner's Bible (1998)
  • The Beginner's Bible, Favorite Bible People (1999)
  • Jonah and the Big Fish (1999)
  • Joseph's Book of Colors (The Beginner's Bible) (1999)
  • Adam's Counting Book (1999)
  • Noah's Ark (The Beginner's Bible Tab Book Series) (2000)
  • The Life of Moses (The Beginner's Bible - First Bible Words) (2000)
  • Jonah and the Whale (The Beginner's Bible) (2000)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Business Week profile
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Forbes profile
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 MedCare Investment Funds biography
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Official website biography
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Wall Street Journal biography
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals Board of Directors
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 7.11 R.G. Ratcliffe, 'Businessman invests capital in his causes / Leininger's millions helped conservatives make gains', in Houston Chronicle, 09/21/1997
  8. ↑ Kinetic Concepts, Board of Directors
  9. ↑ Reuters
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Official website, Civic & Community Affairs
  11. ↑ Official website, Honors & Awards
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 'Who is James Leininger?', in The Texas Tribune, 8/26/2011,
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Paul Blumenthal, 'Religious Right Millionaire Backed Rick Perry's Career, Paved Texas Conservative Politics With Money', in Huffington Post, 8/27/11
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Eileen Smith, 'Governor stumbles on the trail, leads in the polls', in The Texas Observer, August 26, 2011
  15. ↑ Nathan Bernier, 'Report: Christian Retreat For Perry This Weekend In Hill Country', in KUT, August 25, 2011
  16. ↑ Patrick Henry College, Board of Trustees
  17. ↑ Evan Smith, 'Money Talks', in Texas Monthly, June 2006
  18. ↑ Working Mother, Vol. 23, No. 5, ISSN 0278-193X, p. 55
  19. ↑ Official website, philanthropy
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