Draft:Paul S. Hutchinson

Paul S. Hutchinson is an American business leader and philanthropist. He co-founded Bridge Investment Group Partners, LLC, which managed over $10 billion in assets when he retired in 2017. As founder of the Child Liberation Foundation, he took part in more than 70 undercover child rescue missions and served as executive producer for the movie Sound of Freedom.

Early life

Paul was born in 1970 in Provo, Utah, and raised in a devout Christian home in Salt Lake City with his four younger sisters. In high school, he served as a peer counselor, helping teens overcome addictions, depression, and family challenges. He initially pursued a career in pediatric cardiology and was an accomplished pianist, but a car accident severely damaged the tendons in his hand, changing his path. Paul also developed a passion for self-defense and weapons handling, skills that later proved invaluable in his work as an undercover operator.

Career

In his early 20s, Hutchinson founded a business offering programs and mentorship for adults recovering from depression, anxiety, addictions, and emotional trauma. At 29 years old, he sold the company to a public firm for $20 million in stock.

In 2006, Hutchinson co-founded Bridge Loan Capital Fund LP (BLoC Fund I), specializing in asset-based bridge loans. In 2008, they shifted their focus to creating the Real Estate Opportunity Capital (ROC) Fund, which acquired, improved, and managed real estate properties.

The company evolved into Bridge Investment Group Partners, LLC, the predecessor to BRDG, which went public on the NYSE in 2021. Hutchinson retired in 2017 to focus on philanthropy and the Child Liberation Foundation. At the time of his retirement, Bridge Investment Group Partners, LLC managed over $10 billion in assets (AUM). Paul is the primary investor and Executive Producer of the blockbuster film Sound of Freedom, released on July 4, 2023. His leadership played a crucial role in raising global awareness about human trafficking. The film, which grossed over $250 million worldwide in its first year, portrays the harsh realities of child trafficking and rescue missions, drawing from several operations Paul personally participated in, including a notable mission in Cartagena, Colombia.

In 2019, Hutchinson launched his professional speaking career, teaching principles of entrepreneurship, business success, personal transformation, and philanthropy. Then, in 2023, he went public about his child rescue work, sharing his inspiring and captivating journey from managing a multi-billion-dollar fund to becoming an undercover operator. As a keynote speaker, he has addressed elite real estate groups and ultra-high-net-worth family office conferences, often speaking before world leaders and royalty.

In 2023, Hutchinson founded Liberating Humanity, an organization dedicated to providing alternative healing modalities while addressing the deep-rooted causes of child trafficking and abuse. With a focus on helping individuals and families break free from cycles of generational trauma, anxiety, depression, and addiction, Liberating Humanity provides tools for healing. The organization provides resources and organizes transformative retreats designed for personal growth and emotional recovery.

Philanthropy and charity work

In 2017, Paul Hutchinson founded the Child Liberation Foundation, which funds child rescue missions and provides rehabilitation support for victims of abuse. He has led or actively participated in over 70 undercover operations across 15 countries to combat child trafficking. After retiring from active undercover work in 2023, Hutchinson began publicly sharing his experiences to raise awareness and increase support for the global fight against child trafficking.

Hutchinson has also supported law enforcement by serving on the board of directors for the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation and the FBI Citizens Academy. He is also an honorary colonel with several police organizations.

In his efforts to support children, Hutchinson has worked with Primary Children’s Hospital, raised and contributed millions of dollars to anti-child trafficking organizations, and served on the board of the Utah Make-A-Wish Foundation for over seven years.

Awards and recognition

• Recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor
• Received the 2022 Medal of Freedom Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Global Fight to End Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking.
• International Commissioner of Human Rights
• Knighted Sir Paul Hutchinson by the Knights Templar in 2016
• Knighted by Prince Lorenzo in the Order of San Martino in 2019
• Recognized by The Community Foundation of Utah as one of the "Enlightened 50" top innovators committed to the common good.
• Recognized as one of the 40 most influential young business leaders by Utah Business Magazine as he was selected as one of the "Forty under 40."
• Honored by Hollywood F.A.M.E. with the International Humanitarian Award
• Recognized by Powerteam International with the Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award
• Winner of the Global Race Award from Harvard Law School
• Awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree from 12 Universities