Speaker

Chris is a Founder and Partner of Fontinalis, where he is responsible for a wide range of critical processes ranging from deal sourcing and execution to corporate operations and business strategy. Chris also works in concert with Fontinalis’ portfolio companies on business development, sales and marketing initiatives.

Prior to Fontinalis, he worked at Ford Motor Company in Sustainable Business Development and Treasury. Previously, Chris served in the U.S. Army as a Communications Officer in Iraq. Before joining the military, Chris worked as an Investment Banker at UBS within its Technology and Energy groups in New York and San Francisco.

Chris currently serves on the Board of Directors of two of Fontinalis’ portfolio companies, nuTonomy and Karamba Security. He also currently serves as a Board Observer of three of Fontinalis’ portfolio companies: Life360, SmartKargo, and SQLstream. Additionally, Chris serves on the Board of Directors of the Detroit Regional Chamber and is a member of both the Global Cleantech 100 expert panel and the Techweek Detroit Executive Advisory Board.  Chris has previously served as the Chairman of Read to a Child, a national children’s literacy and mentoring nonprofit and as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Personal Transportation Systems.

Chris earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management. While at Yale he served on the Honor Committee and graduated with distinction in former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s seminar on Faith and Globalization. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Economics and International Relations from Michigan State University. Chris is a resident of the City of Detroit and a staunch advocate of smart cities, early childhood literacy, and the doctrine of the strenuous life.