Don Thompson brings his signature blend of savvy business acumen and warm personal touch to his role as CEO and Founder of Cleveland Avenue (CA), LLC. Founded in 2015, with his life partner and wife, Liz Thompson, CA is a prominent Chicago-based investment firm specializing in lifestyle consumer brands and companies that positively disrupt large and growing markets.

The Thompsons concurrently formed The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education which is committed to supporting and mentoring students and professionals as they progress from the classroom to the boardroom through philanthropy and education support services.

Mr. Thompson launched his own recipe for success at CA following over 25 years of climbing the ranks at McDonald's, where he departed after successfully running the company as President & CEO.

Thompson not only invests in but also mentors entrepreneurs by combining his electrical engineering background, global leadership, and business expertise with his passion for customer innovation to create a powerful environment of analytical thinking and creativity.

He presides over a global portfolio as rich in humanity as it is in strong investment returns. Thompson stands at the intersection of insight and opportunity by merging CA’s talented diverse teams and resources with his global business leadership experience and connections.

As a distinguished global speaker, coveted thought influencer, and friend to many, Thompson brings people together through a shared vision of nurturing and advancing innovative brands worldwide.

Thompson is also at the intersection of potential and purpose by cultivating a culture that stays true to his foundations of faith, family, service, philanthropy, diversity, and inclusion. Thompson is a member of the Commercial and Economic Clubs of Chicago, World Business Chicago, the Arthur M. Brazier Foundation, and serves on the National Football League (NFL) Diversity Advisory Committee as well as is a Trustee of The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education.

In addition to Footprint, Thompson lends his expertise to high-profile boards as a Director at Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, The Northern Trust Corporation, and Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. He formerly served on the boards as a Director at Beyond Meat, Exelon, McDonald’s Corporation, as an Advisory Board Member with DocuSign, and as a Purdue University Board Trustee.

Thompson received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an Honorary Doctorate in Science from Excelsior College. In 2021, Thompson received the Dreamer Award from his alma mater, Purdue University, for his service and impact on the lives of millions of Boilermakers across the country throughout his career.

Cleveland Avenue and the Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education have received numerous awards and recognition for their social impact, including the Baumhart Center at Loyola University Chicago Social Impact Award. Additionally, Mr. Thompson has been honored with the National Black MBA Association's Outstanding Leadership Award, been inducted into the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame, and received 1871's Momentum Chicagoness Award.

As CEO of The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group (The CAFE Group), Liz Thompson is deeply engaged in the social innovation and philanthropic communities. The CAFE Group provides financial and programmatic support to Leaders of Color whose proximity to current and historic challenges in education allows them to influence philanthropic decisions and create meaningful and relevant solutions. By leveraging lived experiences and the genius within our communities, The CAFE Group creates a glide path from College Intern to Established Leader designed to catalyze lasting systemic change.

Liz began working with nonprofits in 1993 as founding Executive Director of City Year Chicago, a national service organization that was the template for the AmeriCorps Program. Then in 1995, Liz served as Executive Director of Family Star Montessori School in Denver, where she led a multi-million dollar expansion of their Early Head Start program. In 1998, she became active with nonprofit boards in the San Diego area, which further fueled her interest in philanthropy and education. Before following her passion in the nonprofit sector, Liz had a successful ten-year career with Ameritech Corporation after having received an Electrical Engineering degree from Purdue University.

In addition to her commitment to serving students, professionals, and communities, Liz and her husband, Don Thompson, are co-founders of the investment firm Cleveland Avenue, LLC. Cleveland Avenue provides financial resources, expertise, and individual support to entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses. Their collective work was highlighted by World Business Chicago through their Corporate Ambassador Award and by Loyola University Chicago's Baumhart Center with their Innovator Award for Social Impact.

Liz is currently a Director of the Lamar Advertising Corporation and a Director for Chicago Public Media/WBEZ. She is a National Director for Braven and Chairman of Braven's Chicago Board. She serves on the board of the Partnership for College Completion, and as Special Advisor to OneGoal.

Liz is an alumnus of the Nonprofit Leadership Program of Denver and Leadership Greater Chicago, where she served on the Board for ten years. Liz is a past Trustee of the University of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Most recently, Liz received an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology where she was the commencement speaker for the graduating class of 2023. She was recognized as an IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy 2023 Black Women Give Back Honoree, an inaugural Crain’s Chicago Business’ Women of Note and is a member of the distinguished Aspen Institute’s Pahara Fellowship. She has received the Chicago Public Media's Amplifier Award, YWCA Chicago's Community Leadership Award, the Outstanding Community Leader Award from The Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Dream Builders Award from the Chicago Child Care Society, and the John J. Dugan Award from OneGoal. She was featured in Make It Better Magazine as one of Chicago’s Top Black Women of Impact. She has appeared as a keynote speaker for the Grantmaker's for Education Conference, The Walton Family Foundation, the National Center on Family Philanthropy, the Forefront Annual Luncheon, the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, and the Chicago Venture Summit.

Liz has been married to Don for 30 years. They have two adult children and live in the southwest area of metropolitan Chicago.

Keith is currently the Chief Investment Officer of all of Cleveland Avenue LLC’s various investment funds. He has been at Cleveland Avenue since its inception in September 2015.

Prior to Cleveland Avenue, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Ovation Brands (D/B/A Buffet Inc.) from July 2013 to August 2015 after successfully monetizing the brand for its shareholders. He previously served as Group Vice President, Controller, and Corporate Officer of SUPERVALU Inc. between April 2011 and June 2013. During his time at SUPERVALU, he was the key strategic partner in developing financial and operational strategies to turn around results and create shareholder value. Keith was the financial lead during the completion of the $3.3B sale of SUPERVALU’s underperforming retail grocery chains to the Cerberus Capital consortium.

Prior to SUPERVALU Inc., Keith spent 16 years at McDonald’s, where he held four progressive executive management positions, including being responsible for Worldwide Financial Reporting, Strategy, and Corporate Development when McDonald’s acquired Chipotle; CFO of Latin America; and Controller of McDonald’s USA.

Keith began his career at Ernst and Young in the Chicago office, working his way up the audit ranks during his eleven-year tenure and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Keith maintains several board positions on businesses within the Cleveland Avenue investment portfolio and advises several founders of entrepreneurial food and technology concepts.

Joseph Q. McCoy currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for Cleveland Avenue, a venture capital firm that invests in lifestyle consumer brands and technology companies that positively disrupt large and growing markets.

McCoy's key responsibilities include advising on strategic initiatives, developing strategic business relationships for the organization, managing risk, and addressing legal issues for the organization and its portfolio companies. Prior to his current roles, he served as the Chief Strategist and Outside General Counsel at Cleveland Avenue from 2015 to 2020.

Before joining Cleveland Avenue, McCoy led the Business Transactions Practice at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP. Joseph has twenty-five years of experience structuring and documenting various business transactions. He is a trained lending and transactional lawyer who also managed real estate portfolios for corporate clients. In addition, he counseled entrepreneurs as their outside general counsel on a variety of transactions, including M&A transactions, fund formation, general corporate matters, and commercial contracts. McCoy was also a well-known advisor in all aspects of airport concession transactions across the country.

Earlier in his career, McCoy served as the Managing Partner of the Chicago office of Bryan Cave, an Am Law 100 law firm, and served as the Chair of the Firm's Airport Concession practice from 2012 to 2017. His legal career also includes roles as a Partner at Schwartz Cooper Chartered from 2004 to 2008 and an Equity Partner at Perkins Coie LLP from 2008 to 2012. He started his legal career at Katten Muchin.

McCoy founded and managed a sports management firm, Legacy Sports Management LLC, from 2004 to 2012. He also founded and managed Horizon Management Group LLC, which owned and operated the Chicago Blaze Women's Professional Basketball Team from 2001 to 2005.

Joseph is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law (Pritzker), where he served as an adjunct professor teaching a course in Secured Transactions for ten years. He received both his Bachelor's Degree(with honors) and his Master's Degree from the University of Chicago. He is a member of Northwestern's Wall of Fame and is a member of the University of Chicago's Athletics Hall of Fame.

Additionally, McCoy is a Board Member and Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee for The CAFÉ Group, a Board Member of Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace, and a Board Member and Member of the Finance and Audit Committee of Beatclub.

In his leisure time, McCoy enjoys concerts and hanging out with family.

Harry L. Coaxum has over two decades of experience as a valuable supervisory business asset. His executive leadership, management, strategic planning, and evaluation consultancy have been highly regarded both across the United States and internationally. Coaxum has a keen eye for growth potential and has contributed to recovery, profitability, and human resource valuation in multiple disciplines. Throughout his career, Coaxum has made a positive impact on bottom lines. He has provided superintendence to key executives, managers, and stakeholders for all business entities under his charge.

Coaxum's experience in accountability for the structure and value chain of a large enterprise, including franchisees, associates, supplier/partners, and over sixty thousand employees, led him to pursue entrepreneurship. In 2015, he founded HLCDBC, INC, dba Coaxum's Low Country Cuisine, a restaurant that reflects his coastal South Carolina roots.

Coaxum's experience in successful restaurant industry governance led him to worldwide accountability and onus for the cohesion of business model and performance. He has expertise in talent development, operations, training, franchising, franchisee relations, menu development, marketing, advertising, real estate development, and the effective use of technology to drive business results. He has also engaged in consultancy relationships and involved himself in cultural and philanthropic initiatives.

Coaxum has received numerous awards and recognitions from organizations such as McDonald's Corporation, Foundations for Growth, National Black McDonald's Operator Association, 100 Black Men of America, Dollars and Sense Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Atlanta Tribune Magazine, United Negro College Fund, National Society of Hispanic MBAs, National Association of Black Accountants, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., City of Philadelphia, and Who's Who Among African Americans. He is affiliated with various regional and national organizations, including The African American Museum of Philadelphia, Please Touch Museum of Philadelphia, YMCA of San Francisco, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., 100 Black Men Inc., Chicago Chapter, Quad County Urban League, Sigma Pi Phi, Inc. Boule, and The National Association of the Guardsmen, Inc.

Coaxum, a recipient of the Honorary Doctorate of Letters at Talladega College, is Chairman Emeritus of the Talladega College board of trustees. He graduated from Talladega College with a B.A. in Economics and completed additional coursework at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Coaxum is married to Donna Bunch Coaxum, Esq., with whom he shares three adult children: Todriq, Nia, and Maya.

In her current role at Cleveland Avenue, Ms. Zopp leads the organization’s work investing in and supporting minority and women entrepreneurs and their companies. Previously, she served as President and CEO of World Business Chicago, where she led the organization’s mission of inclusive economic growth, supporting businesses, and promoting Chicago as a leading global city. Prior to joining WBC, she served as Deputy Mayor, Chief Neighborhood Development Officer for the City of Chicago.

Ms. Zopp has held executive leadership positions at several Fortune 500 companies. She was General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer at Exelon Corporation and served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Sears Holdings Corporation. Ms. Zopp also served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Sara Lee Corporation. As the former President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, she led the nationally-recognized organization's focus on expanding economic opportunity in underserved communities. Andrea also served as a federal and state prosecutor, serving as an Assistant United States Attorney and as the first woman and African American First Assistant in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Ms. Zopp currently serves on the boards of Relativity, a global e-discovery and document management software company; the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, a federally chartered wholesale bank with $90 billion in assets; and Intelligent Growth Solutions, a Scotland-based vertical farm manufacturer. She previously served on the boards of Empowerment and Inclusion Capital I Corp. (NYSE: EPWR), Andrew Corporation (NYSE: ANDW), and Urban Partnership Bank. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees at Chicago State University and also serves on the boards of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation, and the Black Ensemble Theater. She received her BA in History and Science from Harvard University and her JD from Harvard Law School.

Dr. Mingu Lee currently holds the position of Managing Partner at Cleveland Avenue Technology Investments. In his role, Mingu spearheads the CA Tech Fund, an innovative investment platform targeting disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Experience, and Robotics. The fund strategically invests in tech companies with applications spanning significant lifestyle-driven industries, including Food, Fashion, Home, Work, and Culture & Entertainment.

As part of his multifaceted responsibilities, Mingu serves on the boards of prominent companies, including Bear Robotics (specializing in serving robots for restaurants), Soul Machines (a pioneer in digital people), SparkCharge (offering on-demand EV charging solutions), bemyfriends (focused on the creator economy and fandom management), and Better Foods (a trailblazer in alternative food). Additionally, he acts as an Advisor or Board Observer for Aigen (solar-powered agriculture robots for weed control and soil regeneration) and NeuReality (an AI semiconductor company).

Before joining Cleveland Avenue, Mingu served as the Chief Business Officer and Senior Vice President at Samsung SDS America. He played a pivotal role in leading the company's business initiatives, with a primary focus on enterprise mobility, digital displays, blockchain, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, smart factory solutions, IoT, and 5G technologies.

Prior to his tenure at Samsung, Mingu served as Lockheed Martin's Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Environmental and Technology Services. His career also includes significant roles as a senior project manager and software engineer at Northrop Grumman, where he contributed to the development and integration of enterprise systems for the U.S. Department of Defense.

In addition to his corporate leadership, he serves on the boards of TALK Youth Leadership and the Korea-U.S. Science Cooperation Center, highlighting his commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration.

Mingu earned his Ph.D. in systems engineering from George Washington University and participated in the Advanced Management Program (AMP 196) at Harvard Business School. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration (Summa Cum Laude) from The Ohio State University and a master's degree in information and telecommunication systems from Johns Hopkins University.

Randall joined Cleveland Avenue in 2020 and is responsible for leading investment and management of the firm's ag tech portfolio investments and supporting the CAST US Fund.

He has over 35 years of finance, risk management, and operations experience. This includes his years with GE, Wells Fargo, and Elevance Health, Inc. (formerly Anthem). While working for these Fortune 500 companies, he held various senior executive roles, including Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Executive Vice President and Chief Auditor, Managing Director of Corporate Development, and Chief Executive Officer for a startup logistics firm which was sold.

Mr. Lewis obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in General Management/Accounting and MBA in Finance from Purdue University. In addition to serving on several portfolio company boards of directors, he is a Director for Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG).

As chief financial officer, Ryan Tlusty is responsible for the company’s financial functions, including accounting, audit, tax, treasury, and financial planning & analysis. His career spans more than 15 years of varied financial roles, most recently serving as Cleveland Avenue’s Vice President of Finance.  Prior to Cleveland Avenue, Tlusty held various finance roles at Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN), Smithfield Foods, and most recently led the finance function of Bobak Sausage Company in Chicago.

Ryan has consistently driven top and bottom-line growth throughout his career.  His strategic focus on process creation, technology system implementation, revenue and cash management, cost savings initiatives, and detailed understanding of financials have driven his continued success.  Ryan brings extensive knowledge and expertise in business unit finance, which includes pricing analytics, margin and inventory management, corporate strategy, FP&A and accounting reporting responsibilities.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Dominican University (IL), where he was a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Scholar-Athlete as part of the men’s baseball team.  Ryan is a Certified Public Accountant.

Lisa Merchant-Harrell is the Chief Human Resource Officer for Cleveland Avenue, LLC, a Chicago-based investment firm. In her capacity, Lisa also serves as the Executive Director for the Entrepreneurial Development and Leadership Institute (EDLI), preparing Black, Latinx, and women-owned businesses for funding.

Before joining Cleveland Avenue, Lisa founded AMD Business Solutions, a human capital consulting firm supporting entrepreneurs and corporations. Before founding AMD, she served as Vice President of Human Capital and Executive Development for United Health Group. Prior roles include senior executive positions with CNA Insurance Company, St. Paul Travelers, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, and Monsanto Company.

In addition to her corporate roles, Lisa is passionate about education and service to her community. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Trustees for Governors State University and served as Board Secretary for her local school board. She is also active in several service organizations, including as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Top Ladies of Distinction. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech and Interpersonal Communications and a Master's in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership with a focus on Nonprofits and Social Entrepreneurship.

Lisa has received numerous honors for her contributions to the field of human resources and executive and leadership development and was most recently recognized as a 2021 Chicago United Leader of Color and a 2024 Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence.

Lisa is the proud mother of three and a tireless champion for our next-generation leaders!

Evette Phillips Williams currently serves as Managing Director, Investor Relations & Chief of Staff at Cleveland Avenue. She brings to this role over 20 years of financial management, strategy, relationship management, and sales experience. She is an accomplished leader with a vast network, and her career exemplifies the significance of building and maintaining relationships. In her current capacity, she manages executive priorities, leads fundraising and investor relations activities, supports relationship-building efforts across the organization, and provides financial oversight to the Thompson Family Office and The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education. Prior to joining Cleveland Avenue, she was a team lead & Executive Director at JPMorgan’s Private Bank, overseeing a $2B book of business, and advising affluent families with wealth planning strategies including liquidity management, recapitalization of debt, and customized credit solutions. Other previous roles include Vice President at LaSalle Bank, N.A., managing commercial relationships with Am Law 100 firms, providing customized credit solutions and treasury management products; and Credit Portfolio Manager & Private Banker at The Northern Trust Company.

Evette holds a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University. She is an avid supporter of education and the arts and currently serves on the Board of the Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education and the Ravinia Women's Board (Ravinia Festival).

Accomplished business leader with over 35 years of experience driving results through strategic alignment, relationship building, and effective communications. As Managing Director, Footprint Relationship and CA Communications, Steve focuses on fostering collaboration between Cleveland Avenue and Footprint as well as strategic alignment and communications. With Footprint being the largest investment for Cleveland Avenue, Steve is also the relationship lead with the Phoenix Suns/Mercury organization for activation of the Footprint Center sponsorship. In addition, Steve leads strategic communications, media relations, and social media direction for Cleveland Avenue, LLC.

Steve’s career spans various strategic alignment and corporate communications positions; supporting Senior Executive Officers and their teams with passion in the U.S. Army; at Abbott Laboratories; Tenneco Automotive; the McDonald’s Corporation; Gagen MacDonald professional services; Avail Consulting, LLC leadership coaching; and at Cleveland Avenue, LLC. Steve thrives in an environment where he can be a strategic thought partner, liaison, influencer, and aggregator to ensure the Senior Executive team operates as a high-performing group while ensuring the company's strategic business priorities are successful.

Steve holds a BA in Journalism (Public Relations) from The Ohio State University and an MA in International Affairs (Communications) from Ohio University. He is also Prosci certified in change management.