Christopher M. Lazzara is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MountainStar Capital. Mr. Lazzara is an expert in finance, operations, and management. He leads the firm’s investment committee, directs investment strategy, and oversees all major initiatives for MountainStar Capital and its affiliated companies. Mr. Lazzara’s focus is overseeing the success of the company by modeling and setting the company’s culture, values, and behavior, as well as building and leading the executive team, and allocating capital to the company’s priorities.
Prior to founding MountainStar Capital in 2013, Mr. Lazzara served as Managing Partner of Ponte Vedra Management Group, an asset management group with diverse real estate, securities, and corporate holdings.
Mr. Lazzara currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Georgia School of Orthodontics, the largest orthodontic residency program in the country. Additionally, he resides on the Board of Trustee’s Executive Committee as treasurer for the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation. He Chairs the Community Outreach Committee of the University of North Florida’s Student Affairs Community Council. Mr. Lazzara directs all operations of the Lazzara Family Foundation, which has provided more than $17 million in grants to worthy organizations since 1997. He has donated hours of his time to Beaches Habitat for Humanity, which provides affordable homes for qualified families in need at no profit. In addition, Mr. Lazzara co-chaired the 2016 Cowford Ball benefitting the American Cancer Society, which raised more $650,000 for the fight against cancer.
As a graduate of the Political Leadership Institute of Jacksonville, Christopher Lazzara is an influential leader in the community. He was recently honored with a “40 Under 40” award from the Jacksonville Business Journal. This award was given to the top leaders in Jacksonville that exemplify business success, leadership skills, and a high level of involvement in shaping the community where they live and work. Mr. Lazzara was also honored with the 2017 Cultural Council Robert Arleigh White Award for Advocacy. Through his generous donations and his desire to make a positive impact on the community, he is recognized as one of the six individuals who have demonstrated the highest dedication to arts and culture in the Jacksonville Community.
Mr. Lazzara graduated from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, and he received specialized training in Private Funds Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.