The Shrimp Tank brings you interviews with some of the most successful business owners in the United States to learn the do’s and don’ts of starting and running a successful business. Then, the fun really starts when we bring in high school and college students to pitch their business ideas to the Shrimp Tank. We don’t fund any business, but we do teach kids how to turn their business ideas into a successful business.
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Jim Hall / CEO Triatek
James (Jim) Hall serves as the CEO of Triatek and has over 27 years of experience in the healthcare industry. He led an investment group that purchased the assets of Triatek in 2008 and successfully transformed the company into an international leader in the critical environment airflow controls industry.
He is an accomplished executive with a proven track record of increasing sales, developing organizations, and exceeding objectives for Fortune 500 companies, start-up ventures, and privately held organizations. Jim has served in leadership roles at several healthcare companies including US Surgical Corporation (which was later acquired by Tyco), ViaCirq, Prism Controls, and MAST Biosurgery.
Thanks to Jim’s strong leadership, Triatek was named a “Small Business Rock Star” by the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Economic Developers Association, saluting the innovations and contributions of the company to the economy. Jim also represented Triatek at the Georgia Capitol during the ceremony where Governor Nathan Deal proclaimed Georgia’s first ever “Small Business Week.” He was also named the 2014 “Business Person of the Year” by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
Jim volunteers as a member of the Distinguished Clown Corps for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and also as a speaker for the University of Georgia Terry School of Business Leadership Speaker Series. He is an active member of ASHRAE® and received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from College of the Holy Cross. He enjoys disc golf, regular golf, and playing bass in several local bands.
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Ted Jenkin/Oxygen Financial
(Co – Host)
Ted Jenkin has spent the past 22 years giving personal financial advice to thousands of people across the United States. After graduating from Boston College in 1991, Ted spent more than 16 years working for American Express Financial Advisors/Ameriprise Financial. He was one of the youngest people in the history of the company to reach both Field Vice President and Group Vice President level. He managed more than 800 financial advisors throughout 8 states in his last position with the company. He won the premier performer award, leader of the year award, and had the number one office in the country for more than two years in a row. In 2008, Ted founded oXYGen Financial to help revolutionize the financial services industry by creating a new company that focused on serving the X and Y Generation. oXYGen Financial now has more than 1,700 clients throughout 25 states across the country. Ted has been featured in over 25 magazines and newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and The Huffington Post. He has six advanced designations from the College for Financial Planning (CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS®, AWMA®, AAMS®, CMFC®) and is an on air radio personality featured on the popular drive time Atlanta radio show The Rock 100.5 Morning Show on Rock 100.5 FM. Ted lives in Milton, GA with his wife Genna and three kids Olivia, Lyla, and Louden.
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Chris Hanks/ KSU EC
(Co – Host)
Christopher C. Hanks is the founder and executive director of the KSUEntrepreneurship Center. Prior to this, Hanks was the founder and director of the entrepreneurship program at the University of Georgia. He has owned multiple businesses, including music, e-commerce, publishing, and export ventures. He is also the co-author of a best-selling book on low risk entrepreneurship.
Hanks leads the International Entrepreneurship Institute and is certified in business valuation, providing expert witness testimony. Before teaching at UGA, Hanks taught entrepreneurship at Georgia State University and assisted in leading the Russell Center for Entrepreneurship. He earned a BBA from University of Georgia and an MBA from San Jose State University. Before launching his first business, Hanks held corporate risk management positions in the pharmaceutical and beverage industries.
