Biography

Melvin J. Gravely II, Ph.D.

Melvin Gravely is the majority shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of TriVersity Construction

Company. Under his leadership, the commercial construction firm has established itself as one of the

leading companies of its kind in the region. With 2016 revenues of $86 million, Gravely’s success and

attention is focused on building a strong executive team, developing a solid strategic business platform and

paying close attention to the customer experience. He has quickly become known as an innovator in the

construction industry by leveraging the power of diversity to deliver better solutions to customers and

aggressive growth for the business.

Mel Gravely has more than 26 years of business management, sales and strategy experience including

Fortune 500 positions with The Timken Company and IBM. Gravely believes in empowering individuals to

perform at their best. He has a personal passion for supporting the growth and development of women and

minorities in business.

Gravely is also the founder of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking, Ltd. The Institute is a think-tank

focused on getting the best results from minority business development initiatives. He is seen as one of the

leading national thinkers on the topic of minority business development. Gravely, is the author of nine

books on business success, leadership and minority entrepreneurship. His latest; The Capacity to Succeed:

Fulfilling the Mission of Minority Business Development.

He is an active civic leader. His current activities include the Board Chair of Spring Grove Funeral Homes,

Board of Directors of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, Society for Marketing

Professional Services Foundation (SMPS), African American Chamber of Commerce, United Way of

Greater Cincinnati and TriVersity Construction Company, the executive committee for ArtsWave, the

advisory board of the Minority Business Accelerator and an Advisor for Glad River Ventures.

Gravely graduated from the University of Mount Union with a degree in computer science. He has a

Masters in Business Administration from Kent State University and a doctorate degree from The Union

Institute and University.

Gravely leads TriVersity, which is one of the top ten commercial builders in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana

tri-state region. TriVersity has offices in Cincinnati and Indianapolis and offers construction

management, general contracting and design build services. The company portfolio spans the industry

and is fueled by a diverse and empowered team of professionals who strive to create vibrant

communities.