Kenneth “DeWayne” Lanier, PharmD, RPh
Kenneth Lanier is an experienced entrepreneur and M&A advisor with a broad track record of building, scaling, acquiring, and selling companies across healthcare, technology, services, and consumer markets. His background spans pharmacy, e-commerce, health tech, and services, where he has led numerous acquisitions, operational turnarounds, and successful exits. He has owned and operated more than 15 businesses, giving him first-hand insight into what it takes to grow and position a company for strategic outcomes.
Kenneth began his career in clinical practice before founding and growing multiple ventures, including a nationally scaled pharmacy services company where he built care models that improved patient outcomes while generating strong financial performance. Over time, his role evolved from operator to advisor and investor, participating in many buy and sell-side transactions. His experience includes managing valuations, due diligence, integration planning, and negotiations, often serving as a strategic partner to business owners during high-stakes decisions.
What distinguishes Kenneth is his ability to merge strategic insight with empathetic leadership. He is recognized for his capacity to establish trust swiftly and to guide founders through the complexities of transaction processes with both precision and a deep understanding of their operational realities. Sellers consistently note his ability to articulate a company’s enduring value and to position it effectively for strategic acquisition.
Beyond healthcare, Kenneth has advised and operated businesses in technology, e-commerce, and services, making him a versatile partner for owners across industries. He has contributed to the growth and sale of portfolios comprising purpose-driven enterprises, with an emphasis on sustainability, operational scalability, and long-term enterprise value.
Kenneth earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Florida A&M University’s College of Pharmacy and brings a multidisciplinary perspective to his work, combining clinical training with commercial and financial expertise. His experience operating in regulated, high-accountability environments provides a foundation of rigor and systems-level thinking that translates effectively across industries. Whether advising a founder-led services business, supporting a growth-stage tech company, or executing a healthcare platform transaction, Kenneth applies a consistent framework for value creation and stakeholder alignment.
Kenneth also brings valuable perspective from his tenure as a senior leader within one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. This experience has given him an insider’s understanding of how Fortune 500 companies scale, acquire, and exit — and what it takes to drive complex structural and cultural transformation. He now applies those insights to help small and midsize business owners adopt best practices that improve enterprise value, performance, and readiness for strategic transactions.
Outside of work, Kenneth enjoys the strategic depth of chess and the hands-on creativity of woodworking. A lifelong football enthusiast, he rarely misses a Denver Broncos game. He is a devoted husband whose wife is both his muse and the heart and soul of their family, a proud girl dad to the next great icon in law and culture, and the favorite uncle to seven spirited nieces who keep him sharp, stylish, and endlessly inspired.