All Around Excellence: Ryan Sanders Named 2024 Venture Capital Outstanding Director

Every year, Utah Business and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) present annual awards to directors and board members who advise private, public, and nonprofit organizations. The event is designed to celebrate and honor some of Utah’s most engaged and effective board leaders, who exemplify knowledge, leadership, and excellence in corporate governance.

At this year’s event, Mercato Managing Director Ryan Sanders was honored as the 2024 Venture Capital Outstanding Director. Recognized alongside long-time family friend and personal hero Gary Crittenden, theLifetime Achievement award recipient, and Heather Zynczak, the public company award recipient and a 3x Mercato portfolio company board member, Sanders was in excellent company.

 Throughout his career at Mercato, Ryan has sat on eight boards, not including those he’s actively observed. From Stance to Lendio to Lambda, the spectrum of portfolio companies he has a hand in helping govern are broad, however, he brings the same experienced, singular focus on growth-stage strategy to each. His excellence in guiding Mercato’s portfolio companies along a path of sustainable growth is evident in both this recent recognition and his past efforts.
‍

The best board members bring active engagement. They are prepared and stand at the ready.

The NACD recognition comes just a year after Ryan’s graduation from the Kauffman Fellows program, a two-year, global leadership development program for venture capitalists; the close of Mercato’s largest fundraise, a multi-year effort that was led by Sanders; and Business Insider naming Ryan one of the top 23 VCs in the Rockies. It also comes at a critical time for exceptional board governance within the venture ecosystem. As venture-backed companies prioritize profitability over growth-at-all-costs, executive teams and boards are needing to exercise, encourage, and enable more discipline, grit, and creative thinking than in previous years.

These unyielding demands on executives and founders are top of mind for Sanders. During a recent Utah Business interview, he opined, “The best board members bring active engagement. They are prepared, and stand at the ready to see around the proverbial corners, help the CEO set the strategic direction, and move the business forward.” His embodiment of these beliefs is evident in the dog-eared decks, extensive notes, and open mind that he brings to every board meeting.

Ryan’s preparedness is similarly matched by his unbridled enthusiasm. It is undeniable that he feels fortunate to spend his career earning the opportunity to provide support, advocacy, and partnership to founders. As a result, he strives to be his executives’ biggest cheerleader and advocate both inside and outside of the boardroom, enthusiastically lifting up, amplifying, and championing these entrepreneurs and their mission.

‍