Tony Cord, MBA is a seasoned advisor, fractional CEO, and M&A leader with a proven record of driving growth and capital readiness activities. He is a recognized social entrepreneur who co-founded ASPIRA-USA and actively supports women and minority-owned businesses through the NEW DAWN - NEW DAY! program. He is the Managing Director of Newport LLC and leads an elite team of partners focused on delivering tailored solutions to clients in the lower middle market. Tony brings decades of experience as an operating executive, deep connections, and access to capital sources, making him a go-to advisor for CEOs and PE sponsors. His strengths in maximization, strategy, and arrangement combined with the Clifton Strengths Assessment categories of Positivity and Includer, make him an excellent listener and pragmatic advisor. Tony is a recognized author and speaker who regularly showcases middle market leaders as the chair and co-host for in-person and virtual programming with Nasdaq. He studied Business Management at the University of Maryland and completed an MBA in Finance from Southern Illinois University.