Austin Jack’s smile says everything you need to know about him:  authenticity, authority, and altruism. 

“I’ve found that the ultimate tool for success when building relationships, advising, or fundraising is just being yourself,” Austin says as he sits down and flips open his daybook. While a globe trotting connector has shown him the finer things in life, he still appreciates the simpler things, like a cocktail at the local brewery where he once recorded his interview style podcast Brewing Business with Austin Jack powered by America’s Future. 

“When you’re authentic, you don’t need to impress anybody, they gravitate towards you because they can sense that you’re somebody they can trust.” 

While his advice is true, he can still impress. His resume speaks for itself:  he currently sits on the board of the NASCAR Arizona Accelerators, is the Executive Vice President of StarNav, and the former Chief Development Officer of the Goldwater Institute. Each experience, while just some of those listed on his resume, highlight his ability to be a leader across industries and organizational levels. 

“When I’m authentically Austin,” he chuckles at the accidental alliteration, “I’m a more effective leader because my words and actions are aligned. I’m a transparent and open communicator.” 

This authenticity was key to building the network he has. His rolodex is star-studded, full of deep and meaningful relationships with global leaders, politicians, and spectacular entrepreneurs. From the United States, particularly the Southwestern region, to emerging markets like Eastern Europe or the Middle East, Austin has established himself as the guy that knows who to talk to for any scenario. These relationships, Austin explains, he’s developed and grown because of his give to get mindset and by faithfully protecting his network’s best interests. 

This network has, in his past roles, demonstrated a tremendous ability to get stuff done and fundraise on a prolific level. Now, as the President of Jack Development Strategies, Austin manages dozens of clients in multiple areas of philanthropy on major gift cultivation, stewardship, internal operations, and all aspects of fundraising for their organizations whether they are a non-profit 501c3 or political action group. 

Yet, the fundraising is just the tip of the iceberg. 

StarNav, where Austin is the Executive Vice President, is the latest in successful business ventures he’s been a part of. StarNav is a darling technology-based company focusing on solutions to positioning, timing, and navigation for the US Department of Defense and private companies. Recently, the company was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $256,000 to conduct research and development on a network of receiver ground stations that will be deployed around the globe to extract position, navigation, and timing (PNT) information from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signals. Changing the world, StarNav converts ambient signals that were never intended for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) into accurate and reliable PNT information for GPS challenged applications. This will have wide impacting implications in transportation, search and rescue, weather monitoring, climate research, emergency-911 caller locating abilities, and more.

His experience, like with StarNav, is what lends Austin the authority he has as the go-to guy in the free market. His career has dramatically changed in just the last decade. From starting his first company fundraising for non-profit organizations and political campaigns in Arizona, he has evolved into one of Arizona’s most accomplished business and non-profit leaders.

Austin started his career as a political fundraiser for well known national firm Coleman, Dahm, & Associates, before jumping into the position of Chief Development Officer for the Goldwater Institute, catapulting him to the next level. Austin backs up his authenticity with his deft ability to find, and cultivate, resources for his clients. 

“I’m incredibly thankful for my opportunity with the Goldwater Institute,” Jack smiles fondly as he reflects on the early days of his career. “It was a crash course in creating win-win scenarios.” 

Since then, he’s grown his authority with other successes like Yard Service on Demand, an uber for landscaping business model bringing yard care services to home owners throughout Arizona. Or his role in starting AZ Party Bike, the largest party bike rental business in Arizona, with a second location in Dallas, Texas. Mindful U, a project Austin started to help fight the stigma against mental health and wellness among university students, particularly those that travel from out of state for school, is another example of his growing authority. Austin’s ability to think outside the box, and change the way “things were always done,” shows his vision, and creativity. 

“Look, fresh never gets old,” Austin says, speaking with his hands. “If you can breathe new life into an old model, the resources and the network always follow.” 

He’s taken this creativity in a new direction with Jack Venture Group, a private holding company he created for his personal business portfolio. His rolodex has followed him, trusting in his ability to stay ahead of the curve. 

Lastly, Austin’s altruism is perhaps his most defining characteristic. Through all of his success, Austin maintains a philanthropic mindset. From his personal giving to organizations specializing in mental and emotional wellness in teens and young adults, to suicide prevention, and international relations, Austin pays it forward. 

“Each morning, I’m grateful,” Austin leans forward in his chair, smiling. “Life is awesome, and a lot of people took chances on me, so I make sure I take chances on others.” 

After all, it’s the trust people had in Austin that put him in a position to skyrocket the way he has. It’s his authenticity, authority, and altruism that pushes him forward. Now, Austin spends generous amounts of his energy enabling politically driven organizations that are focused on bridging the gap between all parties. He takes a keen interest in young, talented professionals with diverse backgrounds to support them in their goals of finding success within emerging markets. 

“I have a responsibility,” Austin pauses with the weight of his words, “to make the world better for my clients, my community, and for our children.” 

Austin just celebrated the birth of his first son, deepening the meaning of all of his work. “Ensuring the world is a better place has never been more important to me,” Austin says, indicating it’s a huge part of “why I started shifting my giving to overlooked organizations that need small dollar support to achieve their visions.” 

That personal responsibility embodies Austin’s authenticity, authority, and altruism. His mission to change the world, serve his network, and pay it forward, continues to push Austin’s value to the next level. When people think “network,” or “know-how,” they think Austin Jack.