James S. Taylor has an enduring love of and appreciation for Mexico—the result of his upbringing in that country. Born in the Texas panhandle and raised in Tamaulipas, James’ bi-cultural background and bi-national experience have infused his career, personal interests, and community endeavors.

An underlying purpose of James’ multi-faceted career has been to deepen connections and knowledge between the U.S. and Mexico in business, the arts, and politics. He graduated from Texas State University with a degree in international studies and began pursuit of opportunities that help bridge a better understanding of the two neighboring countries.

James has successfully started and grown several multi-million-dollar companies by leveraging his knowledge and experience of markets in the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico. He is a co-founder of Vianovo, an international strategic advisory consultancy, and of Grupo Compadres, a company that produces and markets SUSTO Mezcal, a new brand of Mexico’s oldest agave spirit.

James is a member of the advisory board of the Texas Book Festival and of the Wittliff Collections. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. In 2018, the Government of Spain named James its first Honorary Consul in Austin, Texas.

James and his wife Ingrid have two children, Benjamin and Gabriela.