# Chris Melton

> Chris Melton is the Atlanta-based founder and CEO of The White Oak Group, with a career spanning IBM executive assignments, company leadership and private equity. He has served as DataPath chairman and interim CEO and supported entrepreneurship education at the University of South Alabama.

- **Role:** Founder & Chief Executive Officer at The White Oak Group
- **Organizations:** The White Oak Group, IBM (former), Amplified Holdings (former), CNP, Inc. (former), DataPath (historical chairman and interim CEO), University of South Alabama, Society of International Business Fellows
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Finance, University of South Alabama, Mitchell College of Business, Postgraduate education programs; no degree verified, Harvard University, Postgraduate education programs; no degree verified, Columbia University, Postgraduate education programs; no degree verified, Babson College, Postgraduate education programs; no degree verified, Thunderbird School of Global Management
- **Known for:** Founded The White Oak Group., Named to the 2017 Mitchell College Alumni Fellow class., Contributed $250,000 for an entrepreneurship-center endowment, matched by South Alabama to $500,000.

## Career timeline

- **1981** — Graduated from the University of South Alabama with a finance degree.
- **—** — Spent roughly two decades at IBM, including Asia Pacific CFO and investment-corporation president assignments.
- **—** — Served as CEO of Amplified Holdings and subsequently CNP before White Oak.
- **2002** — The White Oak Group was established.
- **2004-2006** — Served as DataPath co-chairman through its public offering.
- **2007** — Returned to South Alabama as visiting executive lecturer; university reported his entrepreneurship endowment and scholarship gifts.
- **2014** — A White Oak-led investment group acquired DataPath from Rockwell Collins in July.
- **2017** — Named a Mitchell College Alumni Fellow.
- **2018** — Named interim CEO of DataPath in February; Sherin Kamal was announced as successor in May, effective June 11.
- **2020** — Identified as DataPath chairman when David McDonald became interim CEO.
- **2022** — Spoke at South Alabama’s Executive Leadership Series on March 8.

## Achievements

- Founded The White Oak Group.
- Named to the 2017 Mitchell College Alumni Fellow class.
- Contributed $250,000 for an entrepreneurship-center endowment, matched by South Alabama to $500,000.
- Contributed $12,500 toward an entrepreneurship scholarship honoring his parents.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — The Melton Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted Launch Lower Alabama’s pitch competition with a $53,000 prize purse. This is an institutional update, not a claim of Melton’s personal participation.

## Links

- Website: https://www.thewhiteoakgroup.com/chris-melton
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-melton-24484a28

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/chris-melton
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-08