PONTE VEDRA, FL / ACCESS Newswire / November 3, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who is proud to honor Stephen Murray for his distinguished contributions to human capital strategy, executive leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and artificial intelligence-driven business transformation. Mr. Murray's recognition reflects a 25-year career combining strong financial performance with a people-first approach to organizational change.

Mr. Murray is the founder and managing partner of GrowFast in Jacksonville, Florida, where he is redefining succession planning and enterprise value creation for middle-market companies. His work focuses heavily on mergers and acquisitions and private equity, particularly the development of valuation-grade succession models that account for the growing influence of artificial intelligence on jobs, skills, workflows and organizational value.

In an interview with Marquis Who's Who, Mr. Murray explained that AI should not be viewed simply as technology to adopt, but as a strategic tool that must produce measurable enterprise value. It's about "the total framework, where it makes sense, where technology is going, and what AI provides," he said. "AI means a lot of different things to people, but the key is putting that aside, using it strategically for long-term flexibility and consistency."

Through GrowFast, Mr. Murray is developing diagnostic and scalable processes that examine how technology, work systems and employees fit into a company's long-term strategy. His goal is to help organizations determine where AI creates genuine value rather than implementing new tools without a clear business purpose.

Mr. Murray's approach draws on decades of human resources and operational leadership. Before establishing GrowFast, he served as vice president of people for North America at Ocado Group plc, where he built the North American human resources function in approximately six months and supported new locations incorporating robotics and AI. Earlier, he spent nearly a decade as senior human resources director at KONE, overseeing HR operations across half of the United States.

His career also includes leadership roles with The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo and International Paper. At Coca-Cola, Mr. Murray led a major transformation in employee engagement, increasing survey results from the mid-60s to the low 90s over approximately three years and achieving a world-class ranking within the organization. He attributes the improvement to listening to employees, treating people with respect and helping them better understand their role in the business.

Earlier at International Paper, Mr. Murray successfully negotiated a critical labor contract extension during an acquisition involving KKR, helping ensure completion of the transaction. Experiences such as these shaped his ability to balance the demands of financial performance with the consequences business decisions can have on employees and their families.

Mr. Murray describes himself as a business-minded operator whose expertise happens to be rooted in human resources. He believes people and profitability are closely connected, noting that employee engagement, leadership and organizational structure ultimately influence financial results. This perspective now informs his work with middle-market businesses navigating AI adoption, acquisitions and workforce transformation.

His work in AI-driven succession and valuation has also earned industry attention. Mr. Murray was selected for a cover feature by Manage HR magazine and was interviewed for the Association for Corporate Growth podcast. He is pursuing patent protection for elements of his methodology as he continues developing GrowFast's approach to valuation-grade succession planning.

Mr. Murray earned a master's degree in human resources and labor relations from Michigan State University, a master's degree in sociology and law from the University of Florida, and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Furman University. He is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor through the Exit Planning Institute and maintains memberships with ACG and the Exit Planning Institute.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Mr. Murray participates in 100 Men Who Care Jacksonville and supports the Organization for Handicapped Children. He also enjoys off-roading in the Jeep community and spending time at the beach. A lifelong connection to football has helped shape his views on teamwork, discipline and leadership. He was part of a Georgia state championship team during his senior year of high school, while his father played quarterback at the University of Michigan.

Looking ahead, Mr. Murray intends to expand GrowFast into a broader advisory platform connecting specialists in human capital, AI, wealth management, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. His vision is built around a simple principle: people first, with artificial intelligence serving as a tool to help people and organizations create greater value.

"Stephen Murray exemplifies the caliber of innovative business leader Marquis Who's Who is proud to chronicle," the editorial team stated. "His ability to connect people, technology and enterprise value reflects the kind of forward-looking leadership organizations increasingly need as artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace." Through its recognition of Mr. Murray, Marquis Who's Who celebrates an executive whose work continues to influence how businesses prepare their people and organizations for the future.

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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America^®, Marquis Who's Who^® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America^® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis^® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who^® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who