Drew Graham

Managing Partner, Ballast Point Ventures, Tampa

Ballast Point Ventures is a late-stage venture capital firm managing $550 million across four funds. BPV has invested growth equity capital in over 65 growing private companies in the health care, software and tech-enabled services industries since its founding in 2001. Graham has served as chair of the Tampa General Hospital Foundation and currently as chair of Tampa General Hospital.

EDUCATION: Princeton University (BA), Harvard Business School (MBA)

MENTOR: Don Burton, who was a pioneer in the venture capital industry in the Southeast when he moved to Tampa in the late 1970s. I learned the business of investing in private growth companies from him at his firm, South Atlantic Ventures, before I co-founded my current firm.

READING: Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: Good strategy, great people, detailed processes and a positive culture are the ingredients of success.