James Dondero Dallas Texas: An Inspiration to Businessmen

Highland Capital Management is one of the largest and most experienced worldwide alternative credit managers in the industry. Highland Capital Management has risen to this rank over the past two decades. In 1990, James Dondero and Mark Okada founded HCM by beginning a joint project with Protective Life Insurance Corporation. They focused on fixed income markets such as managing senior secured loans from banks. Three years later, this joint project turned into Protective Asset Management Company, of which Dondero and Okada owned 40%.

In 1997, it was clear that this joint venture on wikipedia.org was a success and it would only continue to grow. Because of this, Dondero and Okada purchased the entire company and renamed it Ranger Asset Management, L.P. This was now an independent advisor company that was registered with the

As the company began to take off in May of 1997, James Dondero and Mark Okada purchased Protective Life’s stake in PAMCO and established Ranger Asset Management, L.P. as an independent advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It only took a year after that to change the name of the company to Highland Capital Management, L.P., as they are still currently named.

At the turn of the century, Highland began to expand their business by launching its first blended bank loan fund. During that time, they also established a new platform for the Investment Company Act of 1940, which defines the responsibilities and limitations that are on open and closed-end funds and unit investment trusts that offer investment products to consumers.

Highland continued to grow throughout the years by expanding their product lines and acquiring floating rate funds from other companies. Additionally, they opened an office in Singapore and following that, in Seoul.

As previously mentioned, James Dondero co-founded Highland Capital Management and currently acts as the president of the company. He lives in Dallas, TX. Dondero has over three decades of experience in the credit sector and equity funds, mainly focusing on high-yield and distressed investing. focused largely on high-yield and distressed investing. Dondero also holds several chairman positions. He is chairman of Cornerstone Healthcare in High Point, NC, CCS Medical in Texas, and Nexbank, also located in Texas. Dondero is also a board member of American Banknote, based in New Jersey, and MGM Studios.

Aside from his professional life, Dondero is an active philanthropist. He supports non-profit organizations in education, veterans affairs, and public policy. Dondero graduated from UVA, more specifically from the McIntire School of Commerce, double majoring in accounting and finance. Mr. Dondero is also a CMA.