Ray Moncrief has held various positions within Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation since 1984 and is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He is President and Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Ventures, Inc., a Small Business Investment Corporation (SBIC) licensed by the U. S. Small Business Administration and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation. In these capacities, Mr. Moncrief is responsible for the investing activities of Kentucky Highlands and Mountain Ventures including analyzing new investments and portfolio management. He has served as Chief Executive Officer of five of Kentucky Highlands’ investee companies and has been instrumental in providing financial and operational leadership in many turnaround and financial restructuring situations. Mr. Moncrief has in-depth experience in startup, expansion, and divestiture of businesses.
Mr. Moncrief is President and Chief Executive Officer and a board member of Southern Appalachian Management Company, LLC, the General Partner of the Southern Appalachian Fund, L.P., organized to make equity investments in small business enterprises as defined by the New Markets Venture Capital regulations of the U. S. Small Business Administration. Mr. Moncrief is a Manager of the Southern Appalachian Fund.
Additionally, Mr. Moncrief is President and a board member of Eclipse Management, LLC, the General Partner of Meritus Ventures, L.P., organized to make equity investments in small business enterprises as defined by the Rural Business Investment Company regulations. Mr. Moncrief is one of two fund managers for Meritus Ventures.
President George W. Bush appointed Ray to the Community Development Advisory Board in 2008 and most recently Ray received a second appointment to the board from President Donald Trump. This national board advises the director of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund on policies regarding activities and programs.
Mr. Moncrief served on the Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank located in Washington DC for six years, with his term ending May, 2016. The National Consumer Cooperative Bank is a US government-chartered, member owned cooperative corporation. NCB provides nontraditional community development finance coupled with technical assistance, public policy outreach and development services.
Ray also served on the Board of Directors of Capital Impact Partners for six years, with his term ending May, 2016. Capital Impact Partners is an affiliated non-profit corporation of NCB providing financial and technical services both directly and indirectly through separate subsidiary LLC’s. For 30 years, NCB has been a valued strategic partner in delivering capital for mission related investments and assistance to underserved communities.
Ray is a founding director and is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA). CDVCA honored Ray with a special Lifetime Achievement Award in March, 2004. This award recognized his deep-rooted commitment to using venture capital tools as a means of creating lasting change in the lives of low income individuals and the economies of distressed communities. Mr. Moncrief is a past member of the board of directors of the New Markets Tax Credit Coalition and the Community Development Financial Institution Coalition.
Ray is a founding director and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Appalachian Community Capital, Inc.
Mr. Moncrief received the NASVF Lifetime Achievement in Seed Investing Award. This award was presented to him by the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds in 2012.
Ray is a graduate of Leadership Kentucky and a 1972 graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a B.S. Degree in Accounting and completed graduate courses at Lamar University.