Matthew Schissler

From 2001 to 2003, Schissler founded and served as the president and CEO of the advertising agency RainMakers International.[2] Based in Tampa, RainMakers was direct marketing agency for TV, radio and the web that also specialized in placing salespeople in contract and permanent positions.[3][4] In 2008, the agency brokered a deal between Microsoft and the Michael Waltrip NASCAR Racing team to make Microsoft small business a sponsor for Michael McDowell's #00 car, in a deal where Microsoft's small business clients and resellers paid for the sponsor placement.[5][6]

In 2003 Schissler founded Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI), a company specializing in harvesting and storing stem cells in the U.S. and abroad, serving as the company's chairman of the board and CEO until 2012.[1] Parents who subscribe to CBAI supply the company with a small amount of blood taken from the umbilical cord at the birth of a child, which the company stores in the event that the family may need it as the result of a medical condition that could benefit from a stem cell treatment.[7] At the time, he also served as CEO and chairmen of the board for Cord Partners Inc., CBAI's original stem storage company, which was absorbed by CBAI in 2005.[8][9]

In 2006, CBAI purchased the assets of the Cryobank for Oncologic and Reproductive Donors (CORD), a bank in Middletown, New York, with inventory of 750 donors.[10] In 2007, the company acquired Philadelphia-based CorCell Inc., at the time the fourth-largest umbilical cord blood bank in America.[11] The same year, the company acquired CureSource, a Charleston-based cord blood storage facility that serviced about 340 customers.[12] CorCell maintained its presence and name as CorCell Inc., a subsidiary of the parent company CBAI, being responsible for cord blood storage facilities.[13][14] Schissler served as CorCell Inc.'s chairman, CEO and president.[8] In 2010, they acquired 51 percent of stellacure GmbH of Hamburg, at the time the third-largest cord blood banking service in Germany, as well as a majority ownership of BioCells Argentina.[15][16]

In 2010, Schissler relocated the company to Las Vegas, citing multiple reasons, including his frequent travels to Las Vegas for trade conventions, business-friendly tax climates and the ability to have low-cost laboratory space near the airport.[17][18][19] Schissler also served as the founder and president of China Stem Cells, Inc., a stem cell storage facility in northeast China.[3][20] In 2011, CBAI acquired two cord blood companies based in Chicago - Reproductive Genetics Institute, Inc, and NeoCells.[21]

In 2009, Schissler founded the Frozen Food Gift Group, serving as an independent chairman of the board.[22] A development stage company, they sell ice cream and related frozen products on the Internet. The company sells ice cream and ice cream cakes online through its site, Sendascoop.com.[23][24][25] In 2010, it was announced that Frozen Food Gift Group had secured $4.8 million in equity financing.[26] In February 2013, the company purchased the Miami Ice Machine Company, a refrigeration equipment provider, for $880,000 in restricted stock.[27]

In 2013, Schissler was named to the board of directors at Bourque Industries Inc., serving as its chair and secretary.[28][29] The Tucson-based company develops and produces metal alloys with applications in a variety of industries, including ballistic armor, and aviation and automotive industries.[30]

Schissler served as the chief operating officer of Parallax Enterprises.[8] Started by Dr. Jeffrey Woolford, Parallax has designed a tool for operating rooms known as Consolidated Healthcare and Resource Management System (CHaRM), a device based on a fighter pilot’s Heads-Up-Display (HUD), which gives everyone in a surgical suite access to critical information and procedure checklists.[31]

Schissler is also the founder and managing partner of Pyrenees Investments.[32] A microcap advisory firm, Pyrenees Investments helps companies with services that include cleaning up balance sheets and eliminating debt in order to become successful.[33]