Lester F. Alexander III

Education: B.S. in Commerce, University of Virginia; MBA, University of North Carolina

Les Alexander is the John Glynn Endowed Professor and a Professor of Practice in the Finance and Strategy, Ethics & Entrepreneurship areas at Darden. He teaches Venture Capital Leadership, Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), and ETA Velocity. He also leads the Venture Capital Learning Series and supervises numerous independent studies. Alexander has previously taught Financial Management & Policies and Global Client Projects. He is an instructor in the iLab Workshop and teaches in the Emerging Legislative Leaders Program. In October 2024, he received the Frederick S. Morton Faculty Leadership Award.

He is a leadership team member for the Venture Capital Initiative and the Private Equity Initiative in the Mayo Center for Asset Management and is a Faculty Fellow with the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology. Alexander established and chairs the annual UVA Venture Capital Conference. In addition to his teaching at Darden, he conducts educational sessions about venture capital on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for policymakers in partnership with the National Venture Capital Association. 

Alexander writes and publishes business school cases, teaching notes, and technical notes. He has been interviewed for articles related to venture capital, private equity, and ETA, and is a speaker on venture capital, private equity, ETA, mergers and acquisitions, entrepreneurship, and other finance topics in conferences, meetings, webinars, classes, and seminars.

As a partner with Jefferson Capital Partners, he has completed a variety of venture capital and private equity investments. Alexander serves on the board of directors of Jefferson Capital portfolio companies where he is involved in strategic planning and corporate governance. Prior to joining Jefferson Capital, he was an investment professional at Advantage Capital Partners where he financed private businesses and served on the boards of portfolio companies.

Alexander provides consulting services to business owners, board members, and economic development organizations. He is often sought out for his advice and assistance in the areas of venture capital, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, financial analysis, board governance, and strategic planning. He has also been engaged as an expert witness.

Before joining Darden, Alexander was a professor at Tulane University and Loyola University in New Orleans. He has taught graduate, undergraduate, and executive MBA classes domestically and internationally including Venture Capital and Private Equity, Energy Investment Banking, Cases in Finance, Entrepreneurial Finance, Advanced Financial Management, Investments, and Entrepreneurship. 

He is an experienced corporate executive and investment banker.  Alexander was president of Ferrara Fire Apparatus, a leading fire truck and emergency vehicle manufacturer. At Ferrara, he was responsible for 450 employees producing over 300 vehicles annually for its domestic and international customers. As an investment banker for 15 years with Howard Weil, Southcoast Capital, and J.C. Bradford, Alexander completed over 50 public offerings, private placements, and merger and acquisition transactions for public and private companies in many different industries.

Alexander serves on the board of directors of CAV Angels and is a member of the Local Impact Investing Committee of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. He is a governing board member of the Small Business Investor Alliance and served on its executive committee. He founded the Louisiana chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), served as its first president, and remains a board member. He was the ACG Global Chairman of Finance, a ACG Global board member, an executive committee member, and Chairman of the 2016 ACG InterGrowth conference. Alexander received the ACG Global Meritorious Service Award and the ACG Louisiana Outstanding Service Award.