Steve Young is a leader in the global food and beverage industry, with over 25 years of experience in both large companies and small emerging brands focused on health and wellness and driving change in our broader food system.

Prior to Manna Tree, Steve served as the Chief Executive Officer of Bellisio Foods, the third largest manufacturer of frozen meals in North America.  Bellisio has deep roots as an entrepreneurial, disruptive business, dating back to its origins in Duluth, Minnesota over 50 years ago.  The company has a portfolio of businesses in the branded, co-manufacturing and foodservice spaces – with strong relationships across all retail channels.  Bellisio was acquired in 2018 by CP Foods, a global food leader based in Bangkok, Thailand.

Steve served as the EVP, Managing Director for Sunrise Strategic Partners, a $200+ million venture fund based in Boulder, CO that provided growth capital and operating expertise to emerging brands in the consumer products space.   Steve worked with founders and management teams across ten portfolio companies to scale their businesses, including the IPO of Vital Farms.  In doing so, he helped to advance their missions across essential opportunities like organic acreage conversion, non-GMO, and grass-fed/pasture-raised.

Steve had a successful general management career at General Mills, leading businesses across all segments including cereal, snacks, yogurt and baking.  He also served as leader of General Mills’ broader $800+ million portfolio of natural/organic brands, including the Annie’s acquisition, a pioneering organic food company that General Mills acquired in 2014. In addition, Steve spent five years working abroad with Cereal Partners Worldwide, General Mills’ joint venture with Nestle, in Australia and Switzerland, where he led Global Marketing.

Steve lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife, Denise, and their six kids ranging in ages from 12 to 22 (cue the “Brady Bunch” theme song).  He is an avid cyclist, hiker and loves the outdoors – from the lakes of Northern Minnesota to the mountains and ski slopes in his original home state of Montana.  Steve holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Montana and an MBA from the Anderson School of Business at UCLA.

Allyson Patterson joined Manna Tree in 2019 and has been an integral part of establishing Manna Tree’s culture, operations, and compliance standards. Allyson holds a BA in Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

With more than 20 years of expertise in investor relations and operations gained through positions at Morgan Stanley, Zayo Group, and Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, Allyson now oversees the investor relations and operations functions, holding the positions of the firm’s Managing Partner and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). Through her strategic guidance and dedication to excellence, Allyson plays a crucial role in driving the firm’s continued growth and success.

Allyson Patterson is a firm believer in holistic well-being, understanding that nurturing the mind, body, and soul is essential for personal growth. She embodies this philosophy by prioritizing simplicity and nutrition in her diet, finding strength and vitality through exercise, and seeking fulfillment in meaningful work. Allyson thrives on outdoor adventures, whether basking in sunshine or playing in the snow, and cherishes quality time spent with family and close friends.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Allyson resides with her husband and young children. She embraces the vibrant outdoor lifestyle of the region, indulging in activities like running, cycling, and snowboarding. Boulder’s renowned food scene and abundant sunshine further enrich her life, while hiking and running in the mountains, hold a special place in her heart. Leveraging her extensive network in Colorado’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Allyson actively supports Manna Tree, its partners, and portfolio companies, driving the firm’s continued growth and success.

As co-founder and managing partner, Ross co-chairs Manna Tree’s investment committee and drives the firm’s investment strategy through his leadership of Manna Tree’s investor relations team.

Ross has built his career around balancing investment decisions, market expansion, and leadership within organizations to reach optimal scale. This mindset landed Ross on the Worthy 100 list in 2021 as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country building firms that are making a difference.

His experience growing investments came originally as an operating President where he scaled his firm 400%, and exited to a private equity investor in 2009. His industry leading efforts placed him on the Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing firms in his category due to an innovative mortgage program he co-developed with two of the nation’s leading publicly traded homebuilders.

In 2009, Ross founded an advisory firm Strategic Architect, where he worked closely with over 20 companies annually, each with between $5M and $500M in revenue. He counseled the C-Suite and family offices on investment decisions, market expansion strategies, and how to scale teams and operations.

Ross has trained 5,000+ leaders on implementing strategies linked to cash flow, debt structures, sales strategies, and marketing plans to unlock growth. Clients have included: the PGA Tour, Vail Resorts, DOW, and the University of Colorado.

Ross earned his finance degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, an Executive Leadership Scholar at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and a Financial Management Certificate from Cornell University. He has volunteered at the University of Colorado to help launch the first-ever leadership certificate program, and has been active in supporting the school through experiential leadership retreats in Vail, serving as an advisor for the Natural and Organic MBA program, and supporting students to develop a values-based approach in business.

Outside the office, Ross loves to share nature and longevity hacks with his friends and family; he is an avid hiker, skier, biker, and fly-fisherman.