Matthew Schissler founder of Cord Blood America, private investor, and board executive. Explore his age, net worth, career journey, and business ventures in 2026.
Matthew Schissler is an American entrepreneur, investor, and business executive best known for founding Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI), one of the pioneering companies in the U.S. stem cell banking industry. Born on June 9, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland, Schissler has built a career spanning biotech, private equity, aviation, and fitness investments, earning a reputation as a tenacious builder of small and mid-cap companies.
Since stepping back from CBAI in 2012, he has evolved into a full-time private investor managing multiple funds and serving on boards across diverse sectors. His philosophy is as practical as it is driven — he measures success not just in financial returns, but in long-term value creation and purposeful leadership.
Key Highlights About Matthew Schissler
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Matthew L. Schissler |
| Date of Birth | June 9, 1971 |
| Age | 54 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, Private Investor, Board Executive |
| Education | B.A., Biology & Public Policy — St. Mary’s College of Maryland (1993) |
| Known For | Founder of Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI) |
| Spouse | Stephanie Schissler |
| Residence | Paradise Valley, Arizona |
| Net Worth | Estimated $5 million–$20 million (2026) |
| Current Roles | Managing Member, Multiple Private Funds; Board Member, Aztec Airways |
Early Life and Family Background
Matthew Schissler was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1971. Raised in a working-class environment that rewarded hustle and initiative, he developed a competitive, entrepreneurial mindset early in life. Those who know him describe him as effusive, decisive, and independent — traits that shaped both his business approach and his personal life.
He currently lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with his wife Stephanie, and remains active as a baseball and soccer coach in his community. Outside of work, he is an avid runner, skier, and traveler, having recently gone on safari in Kruger National Park.
Education: Biology, Policy, and Business
Schissler studied Biology and Public Policy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, graduating in 1993. That dual-discipline background — science paired with governance and policy — proved to be a foundational advantage.
It gave him the technical credibility to navigate the biotech world while also understanding the regulatory and strategic dimensions that early-stage healthcare companies must manage. This combination of science and business acumen would later prove decisive when he entered the uncharted territory of cord blood banking.
Building Cord Blood America: The Biotech Pioneer
Before founding CBAI, Schissler built early career experience in sales and business development. He worked at Delmarva Broadcasting and later at TMP Worldwide, sharpening skills in communications, client management, and organizational growth. By the early 2000s, he was ready to bet on himself in a new and emerging sector.
In 2003, Schissler founded Cord Partners, Inc., a stem cell storage company that would become the seed of something much larger. Just two years later, in 2005, Cord Partners was absorbed into the newly formed Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI), which was publicly traded on the OTC Bulletin Board under the ticker CBAI. Schissler served as founder, Chairman of the Board, and CEO — steering the company through nearly a decade of aggressive growth.
Under his leadership, CBAI expanded rapidly through a series of strategic acquisitions. In 2006, the company purchased CORD, a cord blood bank in Middletown, New York. In 2007, CBAI acquired Philadelphia-based CorCell Inc. — then the fourth-largest umbilical cord blood bank in the country — and Charleston-based CureSource. By 2010, the company had gone international, acquiring a majority stake in stellacure GmbH of Hamburg, Germany (then the third-largest cord blood bank in that country) and a majority ownership of BioCells Argentina. That same year, Schissler relocated CBAI’s headquarters to Las Vegas, citing business-friendly tax laws, affordable laboratory space, and logistical advantages near the airport.
Global ambitions continued. Schissler founded China Stem Cells, Inc. as a CBAI subsidiary in 2010, establishing a cord blood storage operation in Shenyang in northeast China. In 2011, CBAI made two more acquisitions in Chicago — Reproductive Genetics Institute, Inc. and NeoCells — further cementing its position as a multi-continental stem cell banking company. Schissler stepped down as CEO in 2012, leaving behind a company that had grown from a single U.S. startup into an internationally recognized biotech business.
Transition to Private Investing: The “Super Value” Strategy
After his decade running CBAI, Schissler took what he learned and applied it to private investment. Starting in 2015, he began founding and managing a series of privately held investment funds focused on small and mid-cap public companies. His approach — often described as a “super value” strategy — targets businesses with strong fundamentals and significant growth potential that the broader market has overlooked.
He also founded Work Your Core Investments (WYC), LLC in 2021. WYC focuses on purchasing stakes in fitness franchises and performance-driven business concepts — an area that aligns with Schissler’s personal passion for health, exercise, and coaching. In addition to these funds, he has served in advisory and executive capacities for a range of companies across biotech, IoT, and aviation.
Board Roles: Aztec Airways and Beyond
One of Schissler’s most visible current positions is as a Board Member of Aztec Airways, a Fort Lauderdale-based commuter airline certified by the FAA under Part 135. He joined the board in 2020–2021, coinciding with a significant investment commitment through MSM AAV, LLC. Aztec Airways primarily serves the South Florida and Bahamas corridor, and a key milestone during Schissler’s early tenure was the launch of a new passenger route between Fort Lauderdale and Bimini.
Beyond aviation, Schissler has held board and advisory positions across several industries. He served as chairman of the Biotech Committee for the Nevada Development Authority in 2011. He has also been a board advisor for the Las Vegas Science Festival, a board director for the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, and a member of the Karma Foundation. These roles reflect a consistent theme in his career: genuine civic and industry engagement, not simply resume-building.
Net Worth and Financial Standing
Matthew Schissler operates predominantly as a private investor, which means his full financial picture is not publicly disclosed. Based on his business history, equity holdings, fund management activities, and board compensation, his estimated net worth sits in the range of $5 million to $20 million as of 2026.
His income flows from multiple streams: returns from private investment funds, equity positions in small-cap public companies, management fees, advisory compensation, and ownership stakes in private enterprises including an insurance company and boutique fitness franchises. In 2008, he was named a finalist for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award — a recognition of his early success at CBAI.
Community, Coaching, and Personal Life
Away from the boardroom, Schissler is deeply embedded in his local community. He serves as an assistant high school baseball coach and recreational soccer coach roles he describes as among his most rewarding.
His wife Stephanie is both a personal and professional partner; the two co-created a private investment fund together focused on fitness franchises. An avid reader, he lists Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer among his recent reads a book that, not coincidentally, is about calculated risk, leadership under pressure, and persevering in uncharted terrain.
The Bottom Line
Matthew Schissler’s career is a study in reinvention. He turned a biology degree into a biotech empire, a biotech exit into a private equity practice, and a personal passion for fitness into a fund. He has navigated public markets, international acquisitions, board rooms, and baseball diamonds with the same characteristic energy.
What sets him apart isn’t a single iconic deal or headline moment — it’s the cumulative portfolio of decisions made with both analytical rigor and genuine conviction. In an investment world that often rewards noise, Schissler has built lasting value quietly and persistently.
His story is still very much in progress, and if his track record is any indication, the most interesting chapters may still be ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is Matthew Schissler?
Matthew Schissler is an American entrepreneur and private investor born on June 9, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland. He is best known for founding Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI), a publicly traded stem cell banking company, which he led as CEO and Chairman from 2003 to 2012. He currently manages multiple private investment funds and serves on the board of Aztec Airways.
Q2: What is Matthew Schissler’s net worth?
Schissler’s estimated net worth in 2026 is between $5 million and $20 million, though exact figures are not publicly confirmed. His wealth comes from his private investment funds, equity holdings in small and mid-cap companies, board director fees, and ownership stakes in private enterprises including boutique fitness franchises.
Q3: What is Cord Blood America?
Cord Blood America, Inc. (CBAI) was a publicly traded biotech company that Schissler founded in 2003. It specialized in collecting, processing, and storing umbilical cord blood stem cells for families, with operations expanding across the U.S., Europe, South America, and Asia before Schissler departed as CEO in 2012.
Q4: Where does Matthew Schissler live?
Schissler currently resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with his wife Stephanie. He relocated from Las Vegas, where he had moved CBAI’s headquarters in 2010.
Q5: What is Work Your Core Investments?
Work Your Core Investments (WYC), LLC is a private fund Schissler founded in 2021, focused on investing in fitness franchises and performance-driven business concepts. He co-manages this fund with his wife Stephanie, reflecting both a personal passion for health and a belief in the long-term growth of the fitness industry.
Q6: What awards has Matthew Schissler received?
In 2008, Schissler was named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, recognizing his work building Cord Blood America into a nationally recognized biotech company. He has also served in leadership roles for civic and scientific organizations in Nevada and Florida.
Q7: What is Matthew Schissler doing in 2026?
As of 2026, Schissler continues to manage his private investment funds, sit on the board of Aztec Airways, and oversee Work Your Core Investments. He remains active as a community coach and continues to take on advisory roles for emerging small and mid-cap companies seeking strategic guidance.
