Steve Lerner

Steve has spent the last 30 years helping small and medium sized businesses maximize their potential. He has been involved in the formation of a number of companies. He is Chairman of both Capstrat and FGI marketing services companies located in North Carolina both of which he founded. He was Chairman of Yankelovich Partners prior to its sale to in 2008 and KBM prior to it sale to in 1999. He was also co-founder and Vice Chairman of Sterling Cellular prior to its sale in 1993. Currently Steve serves as founder and Managing Partner of the Blue Hill Group. Blue Hill invests in entrepreneurial companies and helps them manage rapid growth. In this capacity he sits on the Boards of Bandwidth.Com, Accent Energy, Petroliance, and Piedmont Community Bank Holdings. He is also a Partner in LaunchBox Digital that provides seed capital and mentoring through a 12 week accelerator program to start up companies. Over the years he has served on the Boards of a number of locally based organizations that have a primary focus on education and news. Steve received both an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He lives in Chapel Hill with his wife Sharon Van Horn and their two daughters Sarah and Naomi.