Creekstone Capital’s CEO is Buford Ray Conley. As the firm’s General Securities Principal, he holds the FINRA Series 79, 24, 63, and 7 licenses. Ray has led technology companies across multiple industry sectors, including financial services, technology, and aerospace, and has contributed to the advancement of science across multiple disciplines.

Before launching Creekstone Capital’s investment banking, Ray was CEO of Benetic, a financial services technology company. As the co-founder of Finance Technology Leverage, a firm focused on project finance, he formed Breakwater, a Bermudian reinsurance company, and was executive chairman of Space Systems Infrastructure, a pioneer in space robotics acquired by Maxar. 

As a partner at Palo Alto Investors, he led the firm’s public equity investments in technology and venture capital across technology, retail, energy, and biotechnology as the firm grew from $300 million to over $2 billion in assets. He co-founded Oak Hill Venture Partners and was a partner in Oak Hill’s $1.6 billion buyout fund. Ray co-founded Golden Oak Ventures, which focused on the emerging blockchain industry. He is an active angel investor and has led over two dozen venture capital and leveraged buyout investments, including Financial Engines (NASDAQ: FNGN), Telephia (NASDAQ: NLSN), Limelight Networks (NASDAQ: LLNW), and Digital Island (NASDAQ: ISLD) and has served on the board of directors of 18 technology companies.

His career began as a satellite propulsion engineer at Hughes Aircraft Company and later as a consultant at McKinsey & Company after receiving his Bachelor and Master degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics with a concentration in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 1995, he advanced plasma physics by discovering a generalization of Child’s Law, leading to his invention of the ramjet ion rocket engine. In 2005, he discovered a cause of aortic aneurysms arising from dysfunction in pressure-sensing glomus cells.

Ray was a NASA Space Grant Fellow and a TRW Fellow. He is a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and is a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

To meet with Buford Ray Conley, or any of our excellent mentors, please fill out this interest form.