Frank C. Schell III had an extensive career in international banking and finance, with postings in Nairobi, London, and Sao Paulo, also responsible for several countries in the Middle East. Mr. Schell started his career in 1972 at Continental Bank and was later assistant treasurer of Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation. Mr. Schell joined The First National Bank of Chicago in 1981 where he held domestic and international positions for over 20 years. He retired as Senior Vice President of Bank One, a successor firm, and was named President and CEO of Chicago Commons, where he had served on the board of directors. Mr. Schell joined The Private Bank as Managing Director from 2005 to 2006 and was an Independent Senior Consultant for Charles River Associates from 2009 to 2011. He was engaged by Argonne National Laboratory from 2015 to 2016 for a project in the energy sector, and subsequently by a private equity firm conceived at Argonne, Volta Energy Technologies, LLC.
Mr. Schell has long-standing ties to India, where he served in the U.S. Peace Corps. He was a lecturer on South Asian affairs at the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago from 2009 to 2018 and was a member of the Dean’s International Council. Mr. Schell also served on the boards of the National Foreign Trade Council, Bankers’ Association for Foreign Trade, and Music of the Baroque, and on the editorial board of the National Strategy Forum.
Mr. Schell earned an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in English from Stanford University. He is a contributor of opinion pieces to various journals.