Eric Edwards is the Founder and Managing Partner of Avalon Growth Capital, where he leads the firm’s business strategy, consulting, investment banking advisory, fundraising, and investor relations activities. His sector expertise includes Food & Agribusiness, Timber & Forest Products, Sustainable Building Materials, Water & Water Technology, Recycling & Circular Economy, Industrials & Manufacturing, Infrastructure & Project Finance, Energy, and Digital & Technology Services.

Eric began his career in the financial services industry in 2002 and has served in a variety of roles including Federal Bank Regulator, Senior Credit Officer, Commercial and Asset-Based Lender, Investment Banker, and Private Equity Investor. Throughout his career, he has focused on providing growth capital to underserved lower- to middle-market rural businesses, having helped commit more than $1.5 billion in growth capital to rural-based businesses across the United States.

In addition to capital formation and advisory-focused work, Eric has extensive experience leading complex due diligence efforts, business integrations, and system conversions for both public and private enterprises. He also has a strong track record in distressed investing and turnaround situations, having led numerous corporate restructurings, special asset workouts, liquidations, and loss recovery assignments.

Prior to founding Avalon Growth Capital, Eric served as Managing Partner of IFG Asset Management, a boutique investment banking advisory, merchant banking, and asset management platform focused on the private real assets sector. Before joining IFG, Eric was Senior Vice President and Managing Director at NBH Bank, where he founded and led the NBH Food & Agribusiness Banking division. Earlier in his tenure at NBH Bank, he served as Senior Credit Officer.

Prior to NBH Bank, Eric worked at CoBank, the lead bank of the Farm Credit System, where he served as Senior Collateral Examiner and Senior Asset Review Officer. Earlier in his career, Eric was a Commissioned Bank Examiner with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, where he led examinations of distressed banks and bank holding companies.

Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from The Ohio State University and a Graduate Degree in Banking from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Eric is a Registered Representative of BA Securities, LLC and holds FINRA Series 63, 79, and 82 licenses.