James Velissaris, CEO and Founder of Finch Fortress Films. James Velissaris is the founder and CEO of Finch Fortress Films. James grew up in Chicago. He credits his mother for his humility, confidence, and faith. James always excelled at school from an early age. James Velissaris was an athlete who was known for his football skills. He was a local football star and played football at Glenbrook North Illinois high school, where he set a single-game rushing record in 2001. James Velissaris ended up at Harvard University, where he played first as a running back and second as a cornerback. Harvard’s football team website shows Velissaris graduated from the university with a degree in economics. He also received a master’s degree in operations research, concentrating in financial engineering, from Columbia University. During his academics, James Velissaris received several scholarships and took on several jobs on campus in order to pay his tuition fee. He was a part of religious clubs and other various student groups. Velissaris began his career at Goldman Sachs as an analyst, then moved to Arden Asset Management, analyzing asset allocation and portfolio construction. While at Arden, Velissaris published research on diversified statistical arbitrage. James Velissas James Velissaris is a very well-known name in the industry. His qualifications speak for themself, and there is a lot that today's youth can learn from such an esteemed individual by simply having a conversation with him about his experiences. His ocean of knowledge and humble nature can definitely be looked upon as an example to succeed in the film and production industry.