TVV CAPITAL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Founder
- President
Andrew Byrd is the Founder and President of TVV Capital. A 35-year private equity veteran, he's been directly responsible for leading the sourcing, financing, acquiring, operating and exiting of more than 33 successful manufacturing enterprises. Andrew has always allowed compassion and community service to be the guiding forces of his business career - which goes a long way toward explaining his track record of having chaired so many successful companies.
This commitment to helping others can best be seen in his extensive service in the community - where he's served as Chairman of Monroe Carell Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, helped found the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, acted as President of the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and was elected as Clerk of the Session, First Presbyterian Church, Nashville.
Andrew earned his B.A. and J.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University and his LL.M degree (Taxation) from Georgetown University. Married for over four decades, he's the proud father of three and grandfather of four. When not helping steer companies to a more successful future, he enjoys spending time in the country and playing tennis.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Ben Eley brings a host of highly relevant skills to his work sourcing acquisitions for TVV. To begin with, he's a master at building relationships - an art he learned in his decade-plus working for non-profits, advocacy groups, and political organizations before joining TVV in 2011. What's more, he has a passion for small and medium-sized businesses. But perhaps most important of all is the extraordinarily high value he places on maintaining a sense of dignity and respect in all of his business interactions - perhaps a result of his Midwest upbringing and his focused, persistent, "straight-shooter" personality.
Ben earned his Bachelor of Science at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. The proud father of three very active boys, he admits that virtually all of his free time revolves around attending their sporting events.
Jeremy leverages his diverse and extensive Fortune 50 leadership experience to guide and manage TVV's direct sourcing program. He and his team evaluate incoming investment opportunities - drawing on his business development and talent acquisition expertise to guide our portfolio companies through both sales and marketing improvements and executive recruiting. He also leads TVV's external marketing efforts.
Before joining TVV in 2013, Jeremy held multiple leadership positions with Dell in the sales, process management, talent acquisition, global audit, and marketing organizations. He serves as an advisor for the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, where he teaches classes on Sales and Marketing while also working one-on-one with local entrepreneurs. Jeremy earned his Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from Middle Tennessee State University, and an MBA with honors from Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management.
Outside of the office, Jeremy is happiest when trying to improve his deadlift or squat in the gym, hiking with his Goldendoodle, or traveling to a new country.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Katie Neal brings a wealth of experience to her acquisition sourcing role. Married to a business owner, Katie truly understands the ups and downs of business ownership, as well as the significant considerations involved when selling a business. She is a natural bridge builder and enjoys meeting new people, all thanks to her southern upbringing.
Prior to joining TVV in 2022, Katie spent a decade as a management consultant leading and delivering on strategic change initiatives for Fortune 500 companies. She is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, State of Tennessee Rule 31 Mediator, and a 2016 honoree of Nashville's Top 30 Under 30. Katie earned her Bachelor of Management and MBA with honors from Belmont University's Jack C. Massey College of Business.
In her free time, Katie enjoys live music, traveling, and making memories with her three young children.
Throughout his career, Ken has been solving problems for organizations with a patient, strategic approach that emphasizes listening. He was essentially the "fix-it guy" for the Bridgestone Corporation during his 30-year tenure, serving in a variety of roles including President of Bridgestone North American Tire Commercial Sales, CFO of Bridgestone Americas, and Chairman, CEO and President of Firestone Diversified Products.
Today, Ken leverages his vast experience and expertise working with the leaders of TVV Capital's portfolio companies to both assess current capabilities and develop plans for future growth. As he has throughout his career, he emphasizes listening as an integral component of his leadership philosophy - believing that teams are capable of handling any problem once they properly face and define it. He takes a patient approach, providing a strategic perspective that focuses on long-term results and sustainable value creation.
Ken serves on the Industrial Development Board of Nashville as well the national board for the Boy Scouts of America - an organization that honored him with the Distinguished Eagle Scout award in 2011. Ken earned both his Bachelor degree in Business and his Master of Business Administration degree from Pennsylvania State University.
When he's not helping businesses realize their full potential, Ken happily spends his time in the role of proud father and grandfather. He also loves spending time outdoors - either on the lake or the golf course.