Chris Ripley

Chris Ripley has a wealth of experience in the start-up industry, beginning in 2001 as an Executive with 15 years of start-up experience specializing in building sales models and teams at CBR Development. In 2002, they founded CBR LLC, where they grew the company to three divisions and was accountable for business development, sales, and marketing. In 2006, they founded and served as CEO, Chief Sales Architect, and Chief Innovation Officer for Smart Permanent Coating Systems until it was sold to the primary manufacturer. In 2008, they founded Sample America and served as COO until it was sold. In 2009, they founded Smarter Sealants and in 2012 they joined Pro Guide Direct as Chief Technology Officer and later Chief Revenue Officer until 2014. From 2015 to 2019, they were the Founder and CEO of Smarter Sorting, a machine learning platform that automates store level decision making. In 2018, they joined the National Stewardship Action Council as a Board Member and in 2019 they became an Unreasonable Fellow at Unreasonable, an organization, investment fund, and private global network dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs. In 2020, they became a Member of Abundance 360.

Chris Ripley obtained a High School diploma and an EMT certification from The Salisbury School between 1994 and 1997. Chris then attended Williams College between 1997 and 2001, where they obtained a degree in Economics and Psychology with a focus on Quantitative Economics and Psychology: Decision Making. In 1999, they obtained a Private Pilot certification from the FAA. Chris also has an Advanced Scuba Diver Certification and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification.