Chris has spent his entire professional life in and around startups and high-growth businesses in travel, hospitality, and technology having founded seven companies during his 35 years in business. Today he is a co-founder and Managing Director of Thayer Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in technology companies in the travel and mobility space, and co-CEO of Thayer Ventures Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: TVACU) a $176 million special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC) that merged with Inspirato (NASDAQ:ISPO) in early 2022.

Immediately prior to Thayer Ventures, Chris was founder and President of iCare Marketing (sold to Sysco Foodservice Corporation in 2012) and founder and CEO of Dynamic Payment Ventures (sold to Elavon, a subsidiary of US Bank in 2007). Prior to that, Chris was founder and CEO of CriticalArc Technologies, a supply-chain software provider to the foodservice industry, founder of E&O Kitchen and Bar, a casual dining restaurant based in San Francisco, founder of The Hemmeter Collection, a direct response retailer and founder of Hemmeter Publishing, a publisher and distributor of travel books and content.

Upon graduating from Cornell University in 1986, Chris joined Hemmeter Investment Company, a real estate developer of destination-resort properties. Founded by his father in 1962, the Hemmeter organization developed major destination resort hotels in Hawaii and operated several related hospitality and travel businesses in the food service, gaming, retail, and aviation sectors.
Chris received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Cornell University and his graduate degree from Harvard Business School in 1995, where he was recognized as a Baker Scholar for his academic achievement.