Wallace Cheves
Chairman
Greenville, SC
Cheves, a current owner and member of the Greenville Pro Soccer (GPS) ownership group, will assume the leadership role as the clubs continue their rapid growth and prepare for the opening of their new stadium at Bridgeway Station in 2026. Cheves has been instrumental in elevating the international profile of both clubs, most notably through his work with Grupo Ronaldinho, which brought world-renowned soccer icon Ronaldinho into the ownership group in October 2024.
A graduate of Wofford College, Cheves brings extensive business experience and a proven track record of building successful enterprises across multiple industries worldwide. As principal of Cheves Capital, he has strategically invested across real estate, manufacturing, beverage, gaming, and professional sports sectors to drive economic growth and community impact.
Cheves’ philanthropic efforts extend throughout the state, including established family scholarship funds for education, leadership in the capital campaigns, and creating a wide-reaching charitable impact.
Ownership
Rick Pennell
Part-owner and President/CEO of Metromont Corporation
Greenville, SC
Metromont Corporation President & CEO Rick Pennell was inducted to the 2020/2021 South Carolina Business Hall of Fame, which honors outstanding business leaders who are champions of free enterprise and role models in business for the youth of South Carolina.
Like his grandfather and his parents, Rick Pennell believes in giving back to the community, and he has given his time as a board member for numerous nonprofit organizations across Upstate South Carolina. Rick has served as Director and Chairman of the board at the YMCA and co-chaired its capital campaign. He also has also served on the boards of The South Carolina Children’s Theater, Peace Center for the Performing Arts, Greenville Symphony, American Red Cross, and Artisphere. He is a current trustee of the University of Georgia Foundation, a trustee at Converse College, and a founding member of AltusGroup, a partnership of precast concrete manufacturers and industry suppliers dedicated to innovation, where he previously served as President and board member. As the President & CEO of Metromont, Rick embodies the company’s core values of faith, honor, and passion – fostering an environment of excellence for all Metromont associates.
Metromont Corporation is a third-generation Greenville company founded nearly a century ago by Rick’s grandfather, Capt. J. Roy Pennell. Under Rick’s leadership, Metromont has grown to become one of the largest precast, prestressed concrete manufacturers in the U.S., with more than 1,500 associates and six manufacturing facilities in four states.
Jim Casey
Co-head of Global Investment Banking at JP Morgan
Greenville, SC
Casey, an avid sports fan with a deep understanding of the economic dynamics of professional soccer in Europe and the United States, currently co-runs JP Morgan’s corporate debt businesses. Casey’s career includes significant tenures at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Kidder, Peabody & Co., Paine Webber, and CS First Boston, bringing extensive financial expertise to the team. Casey previously made a significant donation to the Triumph and Liberty Foundation.
Bruce Lee
Part Owner
Greenville, SC
Bruce Lee is a part owner of Greenville Pro Soccer and a seasoned financial executive with more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. He most recently served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Heartland Financial USA (HTLF), a publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Named CEO in 2018, he led HTLF and its 11 bank brands across more than 100 banking centers serving communities throughout the West, Southwest, and Midwest. Under his leadership, HTLF grew from $7.7 billion to over $20 billion in assets through the successful integration of 13 banks and a consistent focus on people, customers, and operational excellence. HTLF was acquired by UMB Financial Corporation in January 2025, at which point he retired from banking. Prior to HTLF, he spent 12 years at Fifth Third Bank in senior leadership roles including Chief Credit Officer and Commercial Banking Division Head, and served as President and CEO of a Fifth Third affiliate bank. He holds a BA in Business Administration and Management from Siena Heights University and has served on the boards of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Medical College of Ohio Foundation, Siena Heights University, and the University of Findlay. He became an investor in Greenville Pro Soccer, LLC in the summer of 2025.
Billy Webster
Part- Owner and American Business Leader, Educator, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist
Greenville, SC
William M. Webster, IV, is an American business leader, educator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist well known throughout South Carolina and beyond. He has served at the highest levels of government, including the White House, and currently participates in a wide variety of community and philanthropic endeavors such as voter rights, education and quality healthcare.
A 1979 graduate of Washington and Lee University and a Fulbright Scholar, Webster earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1983. Webster is a former board chairman for Greenville Health System, and currently serves on the boards of two publicly traded companies – LKQ Corporation and Golub Capital BDC. Previously, he served as President of Greenville-based Carabo, Inc., which at the time operated 27 Bojangles’ Chicken ‘n Biscuit restaurants in South Carolina.
Webster served multiple roles in the White House, including assistant to the President of the United States and Director of Scheduling and Advance. He was Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley during the Clinton Administration and when Riley served on the Presidential Transition Team.
Hiscommunity activities include service as Chairman of the Converse College Board of Trustees, and he sits on the Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees, the M.D. Anderson Medical Center Board of Visitors, the Spartanburg Day School Board of Trustees, and the Liberty Fellows Board of Directors. Additionally, Webster is an adjunct professor for health care policy at Wofford College.
Joe Erwin
Founding Owner
Greenville, SC
A Greenville native, Joe Erwin is the founder of the Greenville Triumph SC and Greenville Liberty, as well as president of Erwin Creates and founder of Endeavor, a co-working community for creative professionals in downtown Greenville. A Clemson University graduate, Erwin began his career in New York before returning home in 1986 to co-found Erwin Penland, growing it from two employees into a national marketing agency of more than 400 people with offices in Greenville and New York.
An Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year honoree, Erwin is deeply involved in community and educational initiatives, including Clemson’s Erwin Center for Brand Communications and the South Carolina Special Olympics. His leadership has helped make Greenville a thriving hub for creativity, business, and professional sports.
Grupo Ronaldinho
Miami, FL & Greenville, SC
Ronaldinho Assis joined the ownership group on Oct. 9, 2024 where he rang the closing bell as part of International Day at the New York Stock Exchange. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Ronaldinho’s investment is a powerful endorsement of what the organization has built during the past six years and elevates the standing of the Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty within the soccer community. With the global spotlight on North America for the 2026 World Cup and Atlanta serving as a host city, Ronaldinho’s involvement is set to bring international recognition to the Triumph and Liberty teams as well as Upstate South Carolina.
Ronaldinho’s passion for the sport and commitment to fostering the next generation of soccer talent aligns perfectly with the mission of the Greenville Triumph. Wallace Cheves, a member of the GPS ownership group, brought Ronaldinho on board through Cheves’ Groupo Ronaldinho ownership syndicate.
