Embrace Your Unique Expertise: Lee Burrows on His Career Journey from Journalism to Investment Banking

Lee Burrows , an Atlanta resident, North Carolina native and 美国北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校 graduate, is a successful businessman with a unique array of interests. Lee has been a part of CAN since 2017, making him one of CAN's earliest joiners. His innovative pursuits throughout his career truly speak to his go-getter spirit, one that has been the driving force of his endeavors.?

Lee graduated from UNC in 1982 with a B.A. in Journalism. Coming from a family with deep Carolina roots and now having two seventh generation Tar Heel daughters, his love for Carolina has always been an innate part of who he is. After graduating, Lee began working at WITN-TV selling TV time to small businesses in Eastern North Carolina. Through a college friend, he was offered the opportunity to work with Trident Financial Corporation, a growing investment banking firm focused exclusively on financial institutions.?

As a fresh journalism graduate, his investment banking knowledge was limited, but he still felt pulled to take the position. Lee helped build Trident into one of the most successful investment banking firms focused exclusively on?financial institutions. In 1999, Trident was approached by several companies expressing an interest in acquiring the growing business, and eventually Trident chose to sell to KeyCorp, based in Cleveland, Ohio.?

Lee expressed the unique edge his journalism background has given him throughout his investment banking career. One might suspect this could hold him back—but it has instead elevated his performance. In his time at Trident, Lee deployed his journalism experiences and understanding to approach news outlets across the country to cover Trident’s work. Soon enough, excitement for their company grew across North Carolina—and the entire country. In the mid-1990s, Trident was named Best Small Business in North Carolina by Business North Carolina magazine. This savvy marketing approach helped to make Trident Financial a well-known name in financial services circles.

In 1992, Lee also obtained his MBA from Emory University . After selling Trident, Lee started Union Bank, a community bank headquartered in Greenville, North Carolina. The bank had 14 offices extending from Raleigh to Wilmington, NC and grew to over $1.2 billion in total assets prior to its sale to NYSE-traded FNB Corp in December, 2022.?

In 2008, Lee also founded Banks Street Partners, another financial institutions-focused investment bank with offices in Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta. In 2019, Lee sold Banks Street Partners to Performance Trust Capital Partners , a Chicago-based investment banking firm, where he is now Vice Chairman of Investment Banking.

Immersed in the financial world and surrounded by passionate businesspeople, Lee’s interest in Venture Capital grew. This inspired Lee to launch FarmWheels in 2021, an investment vehicle focused on investing in or purchasing companies, investing in private equity, publicly traded securities, real estate and more. Lee beamed over the diverse backgrounds of the FarmWheels investment committee members and the importance of stewarding a broad range of lived experiences to the success of a company.?

“It’s been great having some original thinkers based on their age, their race, their? background, and business experiences. I love our investment committee and their diversity of thought, ages, and work experiences.”

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Lee co-founded a nonprofit called The Hopeful/Honest Initiative on Race & Understanding. Lee and his wife, Sunny Burrows , and several friends, have built a diverse community focused on courageous conversations. The Burrows’ passion for racial equity, inclusion, and reconciliation drove them to help found this initiative for positive change. Consisting of over 225 members, the group hosts monthly Zoom calls to discuss topics and causes to help drive racial equity. All of the funds they raise are put towards live educational events, such as visiting Bryan Stevenson 's Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, AL.

“We all firmly believe that, as Bryan Stevenson says, it all starts with proximity. Unless we are doing life together, we are never going to fully love and understand one another,” says Lee.

Lee is an early member of CAN, and has participated in many investments throughout the years. He shared that first and foremost his love for Carolina has fueled his passion for CAN, along with continued opportunities to see new ideas, build a network, and learn from younger, passionate entrepreneurs.?

“It’s nice to be inspired by people who are passionate about a product, and their vision for how they are going to build and drive the company.”?

Lee’s Carolina roots, vast business knowledge and passionate spirit make him an incredibly valuable asset to the CAN community. You can stay updated with Lee by following him on many of his social media accounts, where for nearly 15 years he has daily posted “Lee’s Song of the Day.”?

Lee’s story is an inspiration that your skill set on paper is not your limit—in fact, your unique expertise is your strength. In his time at CAN, Lee shares that he has gained a myriad of ideas from his fellow members. He encourages any prospective member to join CAN because of the many opportunities to learn from a diverse group of successful people, and the consistent encouragement to pursue new ideas.?