Franklin McLarty
Chairman and CEO
Franklin McLarty is the Chairman and CEO of McLarty Diversified Holdings (MDH). Franklin is a proven international partner and leader who builds successful businesses and world-class teams to deliver sustainable financial returns and scalable growth. His experience spans diverse industries including private equity, transportation, and real estate.
Franklin helped found RML Automotive, where he served as CEO from 2012 to 2015. While there, Franklin helped grow the business from a single dealership to one of the nation’s largest auto retailers with more than $1.6 billion in annual revenue.
In 2012, Franklin co-founded CapRocq, a real estate investment firm that owns and operates commercial properties across the Heartland region of the United States. CapRocq has successfully deployed over $415 million in over 40 real estate investments with high return on investment and consistent quarterly dividend payouts.
Also in 2012, Franklin co-founded and became chairman of The Firmament Group, a firm that provides tailored debt and equity capital solutions to small and medium sized businesses. The firm has secured multiple notable exits, including with Denali Water Solutions and Destination Pet.
In 2016, Franklin co-founded and became co-chairman at Southern United Auto Group, one of the fastest growing privately-held automotive groups in the southern United States.
Franklin is an anchor investor in and board member of XTR, a nonfiction film and TV content studio, where he provides strategic guidance on revenue growth and business scalability. He was executive producer of the award-winning documentary, Warrior Champions: From Baghdad to Beijing (2009), and the documentary, You Cannot Kill David Arquette (2019).
Franklin serves on several advisory boards and boards of directors including PAM Transportation, Tire Group International, Palo Verde Holdings, The Markham Group, The McLarty Companies, The Seaway Group, and DR31 Sports.
Franklin is a member of the Vital Voices Solidarity Council, a group of men who are allies in the fight to raise global awareness on behalf of women and girls around the world. In 2019, Franklin founded MDH Scholars, a scholarship program that aims to support the next generation of investment professionals by providing them the opportunity to have real experience and impact at the largest student-run venture fund in the country, University Growth Fund (UGF).
Franklin began his career in hotel-related private equity with McKibbon Hotel Group and The Seaway Group, where he led the sale of over $185 million in hotel assets. Franklin received his B.A. from the University of Richmond and M.B.A. from the University of Miami with a concentration in international business.