Khalil Pettus

I was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, the second oldest in a big, blended family of 7 half- and step-siblings. I was raised primarily by my mother – a woman who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Watching her grind day after day, passed over for professional opportunities she deserved simply because she didn't have a college degree, instilled in me something I've carried ever since: a deep belief in the power of education, and an even deeper drive to earn my own way. I went on to attend the University of Maryland, put myself through school, and became the first in my family to earn a college degree.

I began my career in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs, covering financial services firms. I later joined boutique investment bank Ardea Partners in its inaugural year, becoming one of the firm's earliest employees. Over the course of my investment banking career, I developed deep expertise advising the nation's leading wealth managers and RIAs through both buyside and sellside mandates – dozens of transactions representing nearly $30 billion in enterprise value.

That work gave me a front-row seat to what separates good business transitions from great ones: trust, character, and the relationship between a seller and the person they hand their life's work to. I watched owner after owner wrestle not just with valuation, but with legacy. And I took note.

Despite a decorated career, I knew I was ready to stop advising from the outside and start building from within. I wanted ownership, direct impact, and the chance to lead a team – not just a deal. So I walked away from Wall Street, earned my MBA at Harvard Business School, and co-founded RHT Growth Partners.

Outside of work, I care deeply about giving back to the communities and institutions that invested in me. I serve on the Board of Directors at DeMatha Catholic High School, my alma mater, and established the Kiyomi D. Harper ODK Scholarship at the University of Maryland in honor of my mother – providing annual financial support to a student in need. I am an avid traveler, a basketball lover, a distance runner, and someone who believes that the greatest things in life are built slowly, with intention – little by little.