SANTA BARBARA, CA (July 29, 2026) — World Business Academy, a nonprofit think tank and action incubator, has elected scientist, corporate executive, entrepreneur, and author James A. Cusumano as a Fellow.
“Jim brings a unique blend of scientific expertise and business leadership to the Academy,” said World Business Academy Founder and CEO Rinaldo Brutoco. “He understands that the future of business rests on our ability to integrate advanced scientific discovery with a higher, purpose-driven consciousness, directly supporting the World Business Academy’s mission. We are honored to welcome him to the Fellowship.”
Cusumano brings with him decades of experience researching and developing clean power generation technology. After earning a PhD in experimental quantum physics at Rutgers University, studying business at Stanford University, and being designated a Foreign Fellow of Churchill College at Cambridge University in the UK, he joined Exxon as a research scientist. He later became the research director for Exxon’s Catalytic Science & Technology Group. He subsequently cofounded two public companies in Silicon Valley: Catalytica Energy Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CESI), devoted to clean power generation; and Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which manufactured drugs via environmentally benign, low-cost, catalytic technologies. Additionally, he has authored more than 12 books, both fiction and nonfiction, exploring the source, nature, and function of consciousness, three of which were co-authored with the Academy.
Academy Fellows are recognized thought leaders, innovators, or practitioners who contribute their expertise to advance the Academy’s mission of shifting business consciousness from profit-centric to purpose-driven. Cusumano joins the nearly 75 Academy Fellows who share this goal. As a Fellow, Cusumano will serve as an advisor to the Academy’s Board, offering guidance on public policy, global trends, and the intersection of business and social progress.
Learn more about the World Business Academy’s Fellows and their respective work online at https://worldbusiness.org/fellows/.
About World Business Academy
Founded in 1987, the World Business Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank and action incubator dedicated to redefining the role of business in addressing humanity’s greatest challenges. Focused on climate change and energy security as the most urgent threats to both human and economic survival, the Academy advances systemic solutions through research, public engagement, and real-world projects like microgrids and renewable energy innovation. By mobilizing leaders and shifting business consciousness toward long-term stewardship, the Academy empowers a resilient, sustainable future.