As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Manna Tree, Ross drives the firm’s overall growth strategy and strategic partnerships. Ross is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, a member of the firm’s Investment Committee, and a meaningful contributor to Manna Tree’s capital formation efforts. He has served as a Board member for Health Ade and Urban Remedy and Gotham Greens.
Ross has built his career around balancing investment decisions, market expansion, and leadership within organizations to reach optimal scale. This mindset landed Ross on the Worthy 100 list in 2021 where he was highlighted as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country building firms that are making a difference.
Ross originally gained experience growing investments as an operating President/Owner, where he scaled his firm 400% and exited to a private equity investor in 2009. His industry leading efforts placed him on the Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing firms in his category due to an innovative mortgage program he co-developed with two of the nation’s leading publicly traded homebuilders.
In 2009, Ross founded a boutique advisory firm, Strategic Architect, where he worked closely with companies between $5MM and $500MM in revenue. He counseled the C-Suite and family offices on investment decisions, market expansion strategies, and how to scale teams and operations to prepare for exit or generational transition. Ross has trained 5,000+ leaders on implementing strategies linked to cash flow, debt structures, sales strategies, and marketing plans to unlock growth. Clients have included: the PGA Tour, Vail Resorts, DOW, and the University of Colorado.
Ross earned his finance degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, an Executive Leadership Scholar at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and a Financial Management Certificate from Cornell University. He has volunteered for over a decade at the University of Colorado to help launch leadership certificate programs, experiential leadership retreats, and has supported students in developing a values-based approach in business.
Outside the office, Ross spends most of his time with his family, raising three boys, hiking with his yellow lab, and pursuing optimal health. Â He is an avid skier, biker, golfer, fly-fisherman, aspiring wake surfer, and has recently added yoga to the mix to help the joints recover!
