Jared Schutz Polis (created May 12, 1975) is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and politician. He’s a former member of the Colorado State Board of Education. Polis is the first openly homosexual parent in Congress.
Polis co-founded American Information Systems (AIS), Inc while still in school. AIS was an internet access provider and was sold in 1998. In December of this year, economist Dr. Arthur Laffer started guiding Polis and joined ProFlowers as a Manager. ProFlowers, afterwards renamed Provide Commerce, Inc., went public on NASDAQ as PRVD on December 17, 2003. In 2005, Provide Commerce was obtained by media conglomerate Liberty Media Corporation for $477 million. In 2000, Polis founded the Jared Polis Foundation, whose mission will be to “create chances for achievement by supporting teachers, increasing use of technology, and strengthening our community.” Its primary applications will be the yearly “Teacher Recognition Awards”; the “Community Computer Connection” application, which refurbishes and contributes more than 3,500 computers a year to schools and non-profit organizations; and the semiannual “Jared Polis Foundation Education Report”. Polis has additionally founded two charter schools, one with multiple campuses across three states as well as a post-secondary school, the New America College, for at risk pupils.
$200 Million
