John Keisler
Sunstone Management
CEO and Managing Partner
John P. Keisler is currently the CEO & Managing Partner for Sunstone Management Inc., a venture capital firm located in Southern California that invests in diverse early-stage technology startups through innovative public-private-partnerships that blend unique expertise across government, education, and private sectors.
Previous to Sunstone Management, Mr. Keisler spent over 20 years in public service, most recently as the Economic Development Director for the City of Long Beach. With approximately 500,000 residents, the City of Long Beach is the 7th largest city in California and a major engine of economic development for the region and the nation through its university, history of aerospace manufacturing, and its international seaport. Under his leadership, the organization created an innovative Blueprint for Economic Development, and helped to facilitate an historic increase of private sector investment in the city. The mission of the award-winning organization, and John’s personal passion, is to increase equitable economic opportunities for workers, investors, and entrepreneurs in Long Beach and throughout California. After completing bachelors degrees in Philosophy and Religion at St. Olaf College, John committed his life to public service, joining Teach For America and becoming a middle school teacher in Newark, New Jersey. Having first-hand experience with the economic and social challenges facing his students, John turned to a career in city management, completing his Masters of Public Administration at the nationally ranked USC Price School of Public Policy and leading transformational public-private-partnerships across several sectors including public health, safety, finance, and economic development. John continues to live in Long Beach with his beautiful wife Laura and his two sons Christopher (12) and Benjamin (15), where he serves on a number of non-profit boards and coaches youth sports.