Mark Jones River Associates

This one combines the insight of a WWF wrestling match with the virility of an Aspen Institute panel discussion. Mark Jones is a Partner at River Associates, the Chattanooga-based private equity firm currently investing out of its eighth vehicle. For better or worse (admittedly worse for him), Mark is also a longtime friend of Andy and Charlie’s. He is a true son of the south – childhood in Savannah, boarding school in Virginia, college at Vanderbilt before remaining in Tennessee for his career. Discussion sails through Mark’s early life and work, but mainly comprises 30 years of experience at one of the most active and highly regarded middle-market private equity funds. If a measure of the hosts’ comfort is Charlie and Andy’s willingness to joust with one another, this one is off the charts.