Tony is a longtime active investor, mentor and executive coach to startup founders. Wilkins has mentored entrepreneurs through the Polsky Exchange at the University of Chicago, the Garage at Northwestern University, 1871 (Chicago’s leading Technology & Entrepreneurship Center), and The Junto Institute. His professional experiences include serving as a Relationship Executive at BNY Mellon, based out of Chicago, Illinois, where he was responsible for ensuring the satisfaction of multi-billion dollar, domestic corporate, public and not-for-profit pension and endowment plan trustees. He has also played instrumental roles as part of Hyde Park Angels, a 100+ member angel investment organization active in the Healthcare, IT, Business and Financial Services and Consumer Services.
Wilkins’ work as a Senior Vice President at Northern Trust Asset Management for fifteen years gave him deep experience in institutional asset management sales focused on consultant relations and crafting solutions to financial challenges facing large corporations.
His early career included working as an engineer on software and firmware projects, leading the design, development, documentation, testing and implementation of airborne anti-submarine detection systems.
Wilkins is married with three children and is an avid tennis player and long-distance cyclist.
He sits on the boards of TraknProtect and Mile 1 as well as the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. Very active in the early stage community, he holds office hours for founders, meetings with portfolio leaders and sessions with clients when he’s not cycling, sailing, kiting or spending time with family.