Chris Reap

Chris Reap is always on the lookout for new ideas, new connections and trying to improve the world around him. Just ask his parents, who hopelessly sought a cure for his childhood curiosity. Chris spent the majority of his youth deconstructing household items in order to invent new things (often causing neighbors to scratch their heads). It didn’t take long for the entrepreneurial bug to bite, and some of these ideas became businesses. 

Today, Chris’ approach to business still relies on that childhood curiosity, especially when investigating new acquisition and growth opportunities for Outlier. Chris deeply believes that understanding the needs of entrepreneur owners is just as important as analyzing the characteristics of an acquisition deal. For most entrepreneurs, choosing a partner is one of the most important decisions of their life, and Chris is proud of Outlier’s DNA and focus on forging thoughtful and creative acquisition partnerships. 

Prior to joining Outlier in 2005, Chris held multiple positions with Fortune 500 technology companies, including Texas Instruments, IBM and Cisco Systems. His early career focused on consulting with CXOs to leverage technology solutions to solve business problems. His experience includes engineering, product marketing, consulting, business development and leading national sales teams during one of the most rapid periods of growth in computing and the internet. Chris earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and an MBA in Finance from Virginia Tech. 

Outside of Outlier, Chris is a passionate advocate for the Make-A-Wish foundation. He has volunteered for over ten years, serving as a board member on multiple state chapters and as a consultant for the national board to facilitate board excellence across all chapters nationwide. 

In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with his two teen daughters, flying as a private pilot, and participating in Ironman triathlons. And yes, he’s still building weird things on occasion and always looking for that next cool thing.