Our Founders

Russell R. Myers is Founder and CEO of Blue Ridge Industries, LLC, a “buy and build” holding company founded in 2005 to acquire distribution and manufacturing services businesses throughout the Southeastern United States. Prior to Blue Ridge Industries, LLC, Mr. Myers served as a Director and Vice President Finance for 18 years for Geneva Corporation, a privately held company formed in 1979 for the purpose of acquiring businesses for investment. Prior to joining Geneva Corporation, Mr. Myers was employed at Burlington Industries in several different capacities, including manufacturing, cost accounting, operations and financial reporting.

Mr. Myers attended Greensboro College where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Legal Administration. He currently serves on the Greensboro College Board of Trustees. He received an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with concentration in finance. Mr. Myers is a member of the Emeritus Advisors Society at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He previously served on the UNCG Bryan School of Business Advisory Board. In addition, he has served on the Children and Family Services of Greensboro Advisory Board.

Michael Pappas is CEO of Alpheus Capital Management (“ACM”), a single family office with offices in London, UK and Charlotte, NC. ACM is part of a European-based industrial and commercial group whose main interests comprise of Coca-Cola bottling and ancillary products.  ACM manages private equity investments in Europe, North America, China and Australia. It is particularly active in the Southeastern USA with holdings in Frontier Capital, Charlotte (of which Mike was a founding member and today sits on the Advisory Board), Capital South Partners, Charlotte (where Mike sits on the Advisory Board) and Blue Ridge Capital Holdings (where Mike is a board member). Prior to joining ACM in the early 1990s, Mike was in the M&A Department of Nationsbank Investment Banking Company, and before that with KPMG. Mike is a member of the Chartered Accountants of Scotland (equivalent to a US CPA) and holds a Degree in Law from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.