General Investing >> Money Manager Interviews >> August 13, 2026
Michael S. Cross is a Portfolio Manager and Principal at SouthernSun Asset Management. He joined SouthernSun in 2008. His responsibilities include the research and analysis of investment opportunities, monitoring of existing portfolio companies, and he provides input on portfolio management and construction. Prior to joining SouthernSun, Mr. Cross was an officer of Cummins, Inc. and responsible for leading one of Cummins’ business units. He has global experience in Sales, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Logistics, Operations and General Management. Mr. Cross received his B.S. from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Vanderbilt’s Owen School with concentrations in Finance, Accounting and Management Information Systems. He has also passed the CPA exam. Mr. Cross serves on the Board of the Neighborhood Christian Center. Profile
Tread Thompson is a Portfolio Manager and Principal at SouthernSun Asset Management. He joined SouthernSun in 2014. His responsibilities include the research and analysis of investment opportunities, monitoring of existing portfolio companies, and he provides input on portfolio management and construction. Prior to joining SouthernSun, Mr. Thompson was an analyst at Mercer Capital, where he determined valuations for businesses in a wide variety of industries and conducted related industry research. Mr. Thompson graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in History and subsequently received his M.S. in Accounting from Rhodes College. He is also a licensed CPA. Profile
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TWST: To start, Michael, could you tell us a bit about your background in the finance industry and what you do for SouthernSun Asset Management?
Mr.
