CLT Alliance Talks: Recent Episodes
Charlotte Regional Business Alliance
We work together, creating connections to promote and advance the Charlotte Region’s vibrant, innovative and healthy economy.
Are you an entrepreneur looking to scale your business? In this podcast, we are spotlighting a partnership program designed to accelerate the growth and success of minority-owned businesses in the Charlotte Region. Hear from Scale Up CLT partnership leaders and entrepreneurs involved with the program about how you can get involved, the importance of the growing small business community, and advice to entrepreneurs looking to take their next steps.
As a global company looking to establish a North American headquarters, GNT had several competitive regions to consider. So, what led leaders to choose Gaston County? In this podcast, we sit down with Vice President of GNT USA Jeannette O'Brien to talk about why the Charlotte Region is the best place for the company's, workforce, innovation, and continued growth.
Employee wellness in a crucial element to organizational success, but studies show only about 24% of employees believe their employer cares about their wellbeing. In this podcast, we hear from leaders at the American Heart Association, Catapult, and Ten Minute Mindfulness about how organizations can address stress, burnout, mental health, and cultural health.
Learn more about services and suggestions from the American Heart Association, Catapult, and Ten Minute Mindfulness.
E & J Gallo Winery recently opened a new state-of-the-art production facility and distribution center in Chester County, South Carolina. In this podcast, Gallo's Vice President of Eastern Operations Erich Kaepp gives us an inside look at what led to the $423 million investment. Listen to learn why factors like talent, geography, and quality of life make business better in the Charlotte Region.
From the road to the rail and the sky, cargo is moving in and out of the Charlotte Region every day. In this podcast, we sit down with leaders from American Airlines, Armstrong Transport Group, and Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway Company to talk about supply chain trends and opportunities. Find out why these companies choose to do business in the Charlotte Region and how they're looking to grow.
As we strive to create economic opportunity for all in the Charlotte Region, we are sitting down with the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber to get an in-depth look at the economic impact of the LGBT+ community and the challenges the LGBT+ workforce faces. In this podcast, learn about the importance of intersectionality, how the chamber is working to create equity, and what should be top of mind for business leaders during Pride Month and every month.
With several economic development wins in its portfolio and a big project in the pipeline, Rowan County continues to bring new business to the Charlotte Region. In addition to creating jobs, Rowan EDC is also attracting diverse talent with its new campaign and working to grow its young professional community. Find out why both companies and people are choosing to call Rowan home in this podcast.
Sports wagering could become legal in North Carolina. In this podcast, CLT Alliance Chief Advocacy Officer Joe Bost sits down with Rep. Jason Saine (R - District 97) and Sen. Majority Whip Jim Perry (R - District 2) about the legislation advancing through the state legislature. Hear how, if passed, sports betting could help the business community, benefit economic development, and advance professional and collegiate sports programs.
Get to know some of the newest leaders at the CLT Alliance Foundation. In this podcast meet Foundation President Nate Hogan, Foundation Executive Vice President Lauren Wooden, and Foundation Director of Small Business & Entrepreneurship Tya Bolton. Find out why these leaders choose to call the Charlotte Region home and how they are looking to make an impact.
Ready to join the movement and stay connected with the CLT Alliance Foundation team? Don't miss out on the latest developments and work being done by the CLT Alliance Foundation. Fill out our "Stay Connected" form now and become part of our community!
How is economic development evolving in the Charlotte Region? In this podcast, CLT Alliance Chief Business Recruitment Officer Danny Chavez sits down with EDAC Chair Jenn Bosser to discuss current and future strategies that benefit the 15-partner region. Hear about regional strengths and the importance of regional relationships. Plus, find out what led Bosser to leave Raleigh to lead economic development for the booming Iredell County.
The Charlotte Region has a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, but the business community has the opportunity to help small businesses scale up. In this podcast, we are continuing our "Start Up and Scale Up" conversation from our Exploring Economies trip to Tampa. Hear from three local entrepreneurs about how trust and collaboration with small businesses can make the entire region stronger.
This podcast features:
Vanessa Mathews, President, Asfalis
Miguel Avila, President, Daily View Pools LLC
Giovanni Avila, Construction Project Manager, daily View Pools LLC
What is talent looking for in an employer? What makes young professionals want to stay at their job, and want makes them want to leave? In this podcast, we are expanding on a conversation started on our Exploring Economies trip to Tampa where we heard from young professionals about their expectations of an employer. Hear from three YPs about the importance of professional growth, compensation, creativity, and authenticity in and out of the workplace.
This podcast features:
- Solange Tricanowicz, Director of Corporate Engagement at UNC Charlotte and Young Professionals Board Chair for the CLT Alliance
- Michaelina Franks, Senior Venue Sales Manager for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and former YP Board Chair for the CLT Alliance
- Antoine Richards, Chief of Staff for the Institute for Diversity & Inclusion in Emergency Management (I-DIEM), and 2021 Chair of the Emerging Leaders Inclusion Group
Why start and grow a business in the Charlotte Region? Nufabrx Chief Marketing Officer Jason Andree answers that question in this podcast with 704 Shop Co-Owner Chris Moxley. Plus, hear how collaboration drives innovation for both of these successful businesses and advice on how to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
After years of experience building relationships and advocating for business in both Raleigh and Columbia, Joe Bost has now stepped into his new role as chief advocacy officer for the CLT Alliance. In this podcast, CLT Alliance Advocacy Committee Chair Kevin McLaughlin asks Joe about his biggest priorities for both his new role and the business community. Find out what policies Joe will lead advocacy efforts for and why Joe's previous jobs have set him up for success in building consensus with leaders.
As the Charlotte Region continues to grow, transportation infrastructure must advance. In this podcast, Tony Lathrop, who sits on the N.C. Board of Transportation and chairs the board's Funding/Appropriation Strategies (FAST) Committee, discusses the vital connection between economic development and investment in transportation. Learn why our current road system is graded as "low/adequate," and what it will take to keep the region's competitive edge.
As we head into the new year, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Select CLT team is looking ahead to several projects and investments across industries. In this podcast, the CLT Alliance Lead Principal Economic Researcher Adrienne Hua sits down with the CLT Alliance Managing Director of Business Recruitment Jeremiah Anderson to discuss which industries are increasingly interested in our region and why FDI is likely to increase this year. Plus, hear how the Select CLT team is strategizing to set the region up for success despite talks of a potential recession.
As Bank of America's Kieth Cockrell transitions into the role of CLT Alliance 2023 chair, he shares his vision for the organization and the business community. In this podcast, hear how Cockrell plans to help leverage public and private partnerships, strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, bring economic success to the Charlotte Region, and create opportunity for all.
The CLT Alliance’s 2022 Citizen of the Carolinas, Michael Marsicano, shares the pivotal moments in his impactful career. In this podcast, he shares tips for future leaders and advice on how everyone can continue to move the Charlotte Region forward. Plus, hear what drives him to never stop improving the community and his plans for retirement.
The Queen City is adding a new jewel to its sporting crown with the Jumpman Invitational. The two-day event will feature both of the men's and women's teams from four of the original Jordan Brand-sponsored programs. In this podcast, leaders from the Charlotte Sports Foundation share how this one-of-a-kind sporting event came to be and what sports fans can expect this December.
As we near Election Day, we are focusing on the $226 million Charlotte city bond package on the ballot. In this podcast, City of Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston and President & CEO of Lumin Strategies and Vote Yes for Bonds Campaign Manager Brian Francis detail the impact these bonds could make on city streets, housing and infrastructure. Find out how this bond package is different than in elections past and how voting 'yes' could impact neighborhoods from University City to Ballantyne.
Higher education and the business community are working together to foster a strong talent pipeline and spark innovation within the Charlotte Region. In this podcast, hear from QM Power Inc. on why it chose to partner with the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) and UNC Charlotte to grow its business in the evolving energy industry. This conversation spotlights how public-private partnerships are pushing the Charlotte Region to the forefront of engineering and innovation both in higher education and in the business community.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance has added several members to its newly rebranded Select CLT team this year. In this podcast, Chief Business Recruitment Officer Danny Chavez hosts a conversation to help the business community get to know the Select CLT team and the specialties they bring to economic development. Meet the team of six helping businesses relocate and expand to the Charlotte Region.
In this podcast, leaders from Northeastern University-Charlotte and Atrium Health discuss the current challenges facing the health care workforce and opportunities to grow the talent in the Charlotte Region. The CEO and Dean of Northeastern University-Charlotte Angela Hosking details new programs meant to help more students earn degrees and certifications. Atrium Health's AVP of Learning and Career Development Gerard Camacho shares opportunities to improve talent pipelines in order to fill a growing number of jobs.
The Charlotte Region will soon be at the center of the world stage as the President Cup tees off at Quail Hollow Club. We sat down with the Executive Director of the 2022 Presidents Cup Adam Sperling and Executive Committee and Host Committee Chair for Corporate Hospitality and Sales Geoff Gray to discuss the tournament itself and its overarching benefit for the business community. Find out what fans can expect, the changes to the famous golf course and why Charlotte was the perfect host location as the tournament ventures into the southeast for the first time.
In the first six months of 2022, the Charlotte Region saw a strong labor market with a high number of job announcements and low unemployment rate. In this podcast, CLT Alliance Chief Business Recruitment Officer Danny Chavez and Principal Economic Researcher Antony Burton take a look at where the Charlotte Region's economy is now and what the economic development landscape looks like for the rest of 2022. Hear why companies are moving to the Charlotte Region and which industries are looking to invest.
Neighboring Concepts has a history of transforming underserved areas. Even as Darrel Williams, founding partner of the architecture firm, looks to transition leadership, the mission to bring opportunity and create sustainable communities drives the entire staff. In this podcast, hear from Willams, Cathy Morrison and Luke Volkmar as they share the projects underway in the Charlotte Region right now. Plus, hear the success stories of how Neighboring Concepts has used architecture and design to create better lives for the communities where we work, live and play.
The Aggie-Eagle Classic is heading to Charlotte to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the football rivalry in the Duke's Mayo Classic. In this podcast, the athletic directors from North Carolina Central University and North Carolina A&T talk about their excitement for this match up. Not only will Charlotte feel the excitement of the game, fans will get to experience a career fair, step shows, a concert, and the highly-anticipated 5th quarter.
Charlotte is known for being a financial services hub. But why? CEO of Ally Financial Inc. Jeffrey Brown answers that question as he details Ally's continued growth in the region. Plus, Brown explains why culture and innovative technology make Ally a one-of-a-kind financial services company.
What steps can you take to make your workplace more inclusive? In this podcast, we sit down with Madison Hiatt, Chip Bryan and Justin Taylor from Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont to discuss how their organization has cultivated a culture of inclusivity and intersectionality. Hear about Madison’s journey to find belonging in the workplace as a transgender woman, how to have importance conversations about inclusivity, and the internal and external steps organizations can take to support the LGBTQ+ community.
With the N.C. legislative short session in full swing, one item being closely watched is Medicaid expansion. In this podcast, Sen. Paul Newton shares his thoughts on the proposal along with other big changes across the state that he is keeping an eye on.
The Charlotte Region is home to a growing and evolving workforce; young professionals make up a large piece of that talent. Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Young Professional Board Chair Kristerpher Smith and Vice Chair Solange Tricanwicz sit down to discuss how YPs (ages 21-39) impact the business community. In this podcast, hear tips on how to advance your career, grow your network and be a part of the Charlotte Region’s future.
Sign up for CLT Alliance YP emails here.
Spiracle Media CEO Tim Baier was just named one of the CBJ’s Most Admired CEOs. His company has been named one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ four years in a row. We asked Baier and co-founder Jarod Latch, former sports journalists turned award-winning video content producers, how they’ve created a culture where employees enjoy working for their company, and want to do so – together, in the office. Here’s how these professional storytellers hope their story is told.
As his time in the S.C. Legislature winds down, Rep. Gary Simrill has his sights set on the future. In this podcast, he discusses the legislative priorities for the remainder of the session as well as what comes after his 30-year career in politics. Plus, you will hear his thoughts on the impact of the planned Panthers facility in Rock Hill that recently hit a few snags.
In Raleigh, Columbia, and Washington, the public and private sectors are working together to improve the Charlotte Region. In this podcast, we hear from Duke Energy Vice President of Governmental Affairs and External Relations Kevin McLaughlin. He explains how advocacy starts in an elected leader's hometown before it's ever brought to a capitol. Find out how his work at Duke Energy and as the vice chair of the CLT Alliance Advocacy Committee has led to historic legislation in the Carolinas. Plus, find out what legislative priorities lie ahead for the business community.
During the CLT Alliance's Exploring Economies trip to Austin, business and civic leaders from Charlotte got a first-hand look at what makes the Austin regional economy thrive. In this podcast, find out how the Charlotte Region stacks up against Austin in areas including talent, transportation, entrepreneurship and affordability. EY Central Private Leader and Charlotte Managing Partner and CLT Alliance Chair Malcomb Coley and CLT Alliance President and CEO Janet LaBar discuss what they learned, why the Charlotte Region is competitive and how we can continue to make Charlotte a great region for all to work and play.
The Charlotte Region is quickly growing with new talent moving here every day. In this podcast, Truist Chief Teammate Officer & Head of Enterprise Diversity Kimberly Moore-Wright describes the banking company's recruitment strategies and how they changed during the pandemic. Plus, hear her thoughts on diversity, equity and inclusion as well has how Truist is advancing the community and economic mobility.
In this podcast, we get an inside look at global manufacturer DMG MORI. General Manager of Southeast U.S. Christoffer Stigsby explains why the company chose the Charlotte Region for its new regional headquarters and shares his message to other businesses looking to relocate. Plus, hear his vision for the future of manufacturing in the U.S. and across the world.
Are you an entrepreneur looking to scale your business? Listen up. Chairman of EO Accelerator Bryan Delaney explains his successful entrepreneurial journey and how he is working with the CLT Alliance to help the entrepreneurs in the Charlotte Region. Through Scale Up CLT, a scholarship program to help diverse entrepreneurs, and the EO Accelerator program, entrepreneurs are transitioning from working for their business to working on their business. Learn more about the program and hear tips for entrepreneurs in this podcast.
Learn more about Scale Up CLT and EO Accelerator by visiting CharlotteRegion.com or EOCharlotte.org.
Are you a high-potential professional? If so, listen to Director of Corporate Operations for Security at Atrium Health Phillip Kemp describe how he’s growing professionally in the Emerging Business Leaders program. Find out how this program is helping a dynamic and diverse group of professionals enhance their leadership capabilities and connect with high-performing peers from across the Charlotte Region. Hear why Kemp joined the program and his message to others looking to become a leader in their industry.
Learn more about the EBL program here.
Regional Director of Government Affairs for American Airlines Tracy Montross shares an update on the airline industry amid the pandemic and the latest on changes at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Plus, Montross details her goals as the 2022 chair of the CLT Alliance Advocacy Committee; those goals include a bi-state agenda advocating for legislation related to hate crimes, transportation and Medicaid expansion.
Read more about the 2022 CLT Alliance Advocacy Agenda here.
In this podcast, hear how the newly announced partnership between the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce and NASCAR came to be after years of work. Plus, Chad Turner, the chamber's president and CEO, explains how inclusivity is evolving in the Charlotte Region and what businesses can do to change culture.
The CLT Alliance Chair Malcomb Coley, EY central private leader and Charlotte managing partner, says he will continue to push for progress when it comes to equity, transformational mobility and more in 2022. In this podcast, hear his plans to grow and develop the Charlotte Region in the new year.
In this podcast, get to know the CLT Alliance's new Chief Business Recruitment Officer, Danny Chavez. Hosted by our 2021 EDAC Chair, Scott Millar, hear how Danny plans to use his recruitment experience to help bring investments and jobs to the Charlotte Region. Plus, find out what he calls the region's biggest strengths and his goals for 2022.
You can learn more about Danny's professional background here.
The CLT Alliance’s 2021 Citizen of the Carolinas, Andrea Smith, Chief Administrative Officer at Bank of America, shares the pivotal moments in her trailblazing career. In this podcast, she shares tangible things all businesses can do to better workplace culture and gives advice to the next generation of leaders. Plus, hear what drives her to never stop improving the community and her hopes for the Charlotte Region as she moves on to her next chapter.
You can learn more about Smith's career and impact on the Charlotte Region here.
In this podcast, Michelle E. Nance and Jason Wager from Centralina Regional Council discuss the regional mobility plan, CONNECT Beyond. Learn how the plan looks to connect rural, suburban, and urban communities in the Centralina Region by utilizing high capacity transit lines, enhanced bus services, local mobility options and innovative transportation technologies.
This podcast is a recording from our Young Professionals meeting on November 10, 2021.
In this podcast, the CLT Alliance's Adrienne Hua, PhD, lead principal researcher, and Antony Burton, principal researcher, discuss the growth in the Charlotte Region over the third quarter. Find out which companies contributed to $1.5 billion in capital investment. Plus, learn which industries are growing the quickest despite the delta variant.
You can see the Full Q3 Growth Report here.
Entrepreneur Desmond Wiggan Jr., CEO and Co-founder at BatteryXchange, and Bryan Delaney, Chairman at EO Accelerator, discuss the evolving entrepreneurial community in the Charlotte Region. Both share their challenges to get capital investments and opportunities with corporations. Wiggan and Delany explain what they believe is needed in the Region to help the ecosystem grow in an equitable way. Plus, hear what programs are helping entrepreneurs at various levels.
Dr. Ryan James, Specialist Master at Deloitte Consulting, explains his research into what is driving development in the New South. Dr. James details the changes and new trends across the workforce and ecosystem that supports business growth. Plus, hear which Charlotte-based company he says is a prime example of building itself and its community to meet the needs of a changing, skilled workforce.
The U.S. Senate recently passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which includes some of the largest proposed investments into infrastructure in American history. In this podcast, Michael Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, U. S. Department of Transportation explains how this legislation could impact transportation, roads, drinking water and more in the Charlotte Region.
This podcast was created from content during the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Leadership Retreat on Oct. 7, 2021.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and CLT Alliance President and CEO Janet LaBar host a discussion on racial equity and the importance of advancing Black and brown leaders. Hear from Mayor Lyles about how businesses can improve diversity in the workplace and how young professionals of color can advance their careers.
This podcast was created from content during the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Leadership Retreat on Oct. 7, 2021.
As leaders across the Charlotte Region continue to seek guidance around the potential impacts of a federal vaccine requirement for businesses, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance® provided deeper understanding for the business community through a conversation with the North Carolina Department of Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson. Hear his ideological and logistical thoughts on the mandate. Plus, Commissioner Dobson explains what makes N.C. unique when it comes to implementing the mandate and the options the N.C. Department of Labor will have in the near future.
Read more about the discussion with Commissioner Dobson here.
As the impacts of Covid-19 evolve, we are gaining insight into how businesses are managing back-to-work strategies. In this podcast, hear from Amazon, Ally Financial, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and Premier, Inc. about changes being made in various industries to promote mental and physical health. Plus, our panelists describe their strategies to adjust policies for pandemic-related mandates. This is part two of our Combined Talent and Research Collaborative Meeting on Sept. 22.
This podcast includes:
- Tara Beck, Senior Staffing Manager, Amazon
- Kathie Patterson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Ally Financial
- Lindsay Powers, Senior Vice President of People, Premier, Inc.
- Phil Kuttner, Chief Executive Officer, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting
- Moderator: Laura Stanley, Associate Professor of Management, Belk College of Business, UNC Charlotte
As we navigate the impacts of Covid-19, we continue to gain insight into how organizations plan to manage back-to-work strategies. In this podcast, hear from Amazon, Ally Financial, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, and Premier, Inc. about retaining employees during "the great resignation" as well as collaboration and onboarding in a hybrid business environment. Plus, our panelists describe the generational differences across industries as employees return to the office. This is part one of our Combined Talent and Research Collaborative Meeting on Sept. 22. Stay tuned for part two next week.
This podcast includes:
- Tara Beck, Senior Staffing Manager, Amazon
- Kathie Patterson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Ally Financial
- Lindsay Powers, Senior Vice President of People, Premier, Inc.
- Phil Kuttner, Chief Executive Officer, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting
- Moderator: Laura Stanley, Associate Professor of Management, Belk College of Business, UNC Charlotte
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance talks with Mohammad Jenatian from the Greater Charlotte Hospitality Alliance and Heath Dillard from the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority about the current trends and potential future of the hospitality industry. These experts discuss hiring shortages, successful industry leaders, and vaccine and mask mandates.
The 2020 social injustices heightened the need to create safe spaces for workplace conversations, designed to provide a non-judgemental mindset towards growth. As part of the CLT Alliance’s Young Professionals Spotlight series, CLT Alliance Young Professional board chair Michaelina Antahades and vice chair Kristerpher Smith share an authentic dialogue about how courageous conversations can help us grow, personally and professionally.
In this episode, CLT Alliance Chief Advocacy and Strategy Officer Kelly O’Brien sits down with David Head, Chair of the CLT Alliance Foundation, to discuss its signature programs: Young Professionals, Emerging Business Leaders, Power of Women, and ScaleUp CLT. Tune in as David shares insight about these important programs, his passion for serving the community, and more.
Founded in 1984, Microban International is a global leader in antimicrobial, odor-control, and continuously active surface disinfection and sanitization technologies. Tune in as Michael Ruby, Vice President of Global Built-In Business at Microban, discusses the company’s history in the Charlotte Region, how their important products work, and how companies can partner with this highly relevant company with global headquarters in Huntersville.
In this episode of the podcast, CLT Alliance Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Joe Bost hosts a panel including Katie Titus with the S.C. Chamber, Tiger Wells with Duke Energy, and Jeff Wafford at UPS, as they discuss how the business community can help drive racial equity.
On this episode, the CLT Alliance spoke with Senators Mujtaba Mohammed and Danny Britt about ways to drive racial equity in the business community and bipartisan solutions to some of the challenges on criminal justice reform.
Recorded live at the CLT Alliance Investor Quarterly meeting, Erik Spanberg, of the Charlotte Business Journal, moderates the panel, as Fred, Tom, and Adam share perspective and valuable facts about how sports drives our regional economy.
The CLT Alliance is one of over 200 chambers in a coalition intended to emphasize the importance of infrastructure. On this episode of the podcast, Ed Mortimer, vice president of Transportation and Infrastructure at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce joins us to discuss the state of the Charlotte Region’s comprehensive infrastructure investments, identifies the related key leaders the CLT Alliance should engage, and explains the timeline for getting things done in Washington.
In the latest podcast episode, South Carolina House Majority Leader Gary Simrill discusses the 2021 Legislative Session and points out some key victories of the business community. Tune in as he sheds light on what’s to come for the South Carolina General Assembly.
As we begin enrollment for our 10th class, join these Emerging Business Leaders program alumni as they share stories from their own professional journeys. Guests include:
Michaelina Antahades,
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Brad Brogdon, Gensler
Monifa Drayton, Atrium
Health/Lead 2.0
Chris
Moxley, 704 Shop
What’s in it for you?
In this powerful episode,
four talented leaders share how the CLT Alliance Emerging Business Leaders
program helped propel their professional journeys. Here, they’ll share what
they learned and offer suggestions for the future, as we continue to focus on
cultivating social capital; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and leadership
development.
On today's episode of CLT Alliance Talks, we speak with Kelly King, CEO at Truist Financial. Here, King shares how Truist works to build better lives and community in Charlotte, and why the company chose this region for its headquarters.
As the world moves toward a low-Carbon future, there is a growing range of technology and equipment facilitating the transition to more sustainable energy sources. In the transportation and energy production sectors, electric vehicle (EV) developments have expanded demand and interest in sustainable battery storage.
When looking for sustainable solutions, many see the City of Charlotte and the 15-county region as a growing hub for the Lithium and EV market. Last month, the CLT Alliance partnered with SelectUSA and the U.S. Embassy Japan to showcase our region as a leader in this emerging market. You can listen to that presentation here.
Today, we followed up with local lithium supplier Piedmont Lithium and spoke with their Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, David Klanecky for a deeper dive into the world of Lithium, EVs, and battery storage to find out why the Charlotte Region is making such a major impact on this industry worldwide
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance recently joined Capital Analytics for the release of their latest business intelligence report Invest: Charlotte 2021. The guide offers 160+ pages of information and data tailored to the local, national, and international investor that highlights Charlotte as the place to do business.
CLT Alliance President and CEO Janet LaBar was invited to moderate the innovation panel. On this panel, you can expect to hear insights from:
- Tom Murray, CEO with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
- Tracy Dodson, Assistant City Manager & Economic Development Director with the City of Charlotte
- Malcomb Coley, Central Region EY Private Leader & Charlotte Managing Partner with EY
- Geoff Gray, Executive Vice President, with Signature Consultants
Tune in to hear how innovation has helped position our city and region for growth in a recovering economy.
To download the Invest: Charlotte 2021 report and other Capital Analytics resources, click here.
Sven Gerzer, Eileen Cai and Greg Sizemore recap an exciting week of activity at the Select USA Summit. Over 3,400 participants from around the world in a virtual summit focused on economic development in the United States.
In partnership with SelectUSA and the U.S. Embassy Japan, the CLT Alliance hosted a panel discussion on lithium batteries and this emerging market’s growing demand in the City of Charlotte and the 15-county region.
Featuring discussions from Charlotte Regional Business Alliance President and CEO Janet LaBar, Albemarle Corporation’s Chief Commercial Officer Tina Craft, and Piedmont Lithium’s Chief Operating Officer David Klenecky, listen in to hear how the Charlotte Region is taking a leading role in the U.S. battery industry.
This panel was originally presented in both Japanese and English. To watch the fully translated presentation, click here.
On this episode of CLT Alliance Talks, we met with Charlotte entrepreneur Chris Moxley, Co-Owner of 704 Shop. As a Charlotte native, Chris shares his story of success on how three former UNC Charlotte college roommates turned their passion for their hometown into one of the Charlotte Region's most iconic apparel brands.
With a mission to bring people together to be part of a broader conversation supporting positive change and culture in Charlotte, Chris shares "the secret sauce" behind 704 Shop and how the power of relationships, regional collaboration, and Charlotte's culture of uplifting small businesses has helped their business grow and thrive here.
This recording is part of an ongoing series of one-on-one discussions that were conducted in-studio with C-Suite executives throughout our region.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women in the workforce. According to the 2020 Women in the Workplace study, 1 in 4 women are reported to be considering downshifting their careers or exiting the workforce due to the pandemic. Today, nearly 3 million women and mothers have already left the US workforce due to lack of access to childcare, difficulties balancing the demands of work-life-home-school needs, industry furloughs, and disproportionate economic circumstances and opportunities.
In this special Power of Women episode of CLT Alliance Talks, Cherise Walker, VP of Talent and Inclusion at the CLT Alliance, has a powerful conversation with four female leaders who are making an impact in the Charlotte Region through their commitment to uplift women in the workforce. We welcome:
- Johnelle Causwell, Citizen Diplomacy Director – International House
- Kellie Lofton, President-elect – The Junior League of Charlotte
- Anna London, Chief Operating Officer – Charlotte Works
- Natalie Williams, Executive Director – The Women’s Business Center of Charlotte
They share their perspectives on what women need to be successful in the workforce post-pandemic and how we can bridge the gender gap in the workplace.
For more information on the CLT Alliance’s Power of Women network, click here.
Earlier this month, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance released its first quarterly Growth Report of 2021. Reflecting on the fourth quarter of recovery from the pandemic, the CLT Alliance's Vice President of Economic Research, Antony Burton, spoke with two leading economists on the state of the regional economy. From exploring the reasons behind a slow growth rate to explaining impacts on employment levels, this esteemed panel gives context to the trends and data around recovery from COVID-19.
Joining the conversation is Dr. John Connaughton, Professor of Financial Economics and Director of the UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast, Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte, and Dr. Laura Ullrich, Regional Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Charlotte Branch.
ICYMI: Download a copy of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Q1 2021 - Growth Report here.
Upcoming events:
UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast, May 26, 2021, beginning at noon.
This virtual event is free and open to the public.
Scale Up CLT is an initiative of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Foundation that accelerates the growth of minority-owned businesses, in partnership with EO Charlotte and the City of Charlotte.
Jerrianne Jackson, Senior Economic Development Specialist at the City of Charlotte, sits down with EO Accelerator participants to talk about the success they've found in the entrepreneurial and small business community through this program. On this episode, we hear from:
- Jeni Bukolt, Founder, Haven Creative
- Kevin Monaghan, Founder, Intuitive Compensation Group
- Vanessa V. Mathews, Founder, Asfalis Advisors
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 14,000+ influential business owners with 198 chapters in 61 countries. The EO Charlotte Accelerator program supports the achievements of those early-stage entrepreneurs driven to seek out the resources necessary to grow your business to more than US$1 million in sales and provide you with the skills to make yourself a better entrepreneur and leader.
To learn more about ScaleUp CLT and other CLT Alliance Foundation programs, click here.
Fondly called "MYEP," the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program works to provide all Charlotte youth with equitable career development opportunities to explore the world of work, build social capital, and enhance economic mobility. On this episode of CLT Alliance Talks, Cherise Walker, VP of Talent & Inclusion, speaks with the City of Charlotte’s MYEP Manager, Dawn Hill, about how this program is connecting our business community with our city’s youth to create pathways to attainable career goals.
This year marks the 35th season of MYEP, and leaders are poised to offer hundreds of work-based learning opportunities. To participate as a Host Business, or learn the ways your business can support the talent of tomorrow, visit the MYEP website at charlottenc.gov/youth or contact the MYEP team at myep@charlottenc.gov or at 704-336-5577.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Power of Women (POW) is a program series and network platform designed for women business professionals to engage, inform and inspire, as well as connect professionally to women's groups and organizations throughout the Charlotte Region.
On this episode of CLT Alliance Talks, we host a Power of Women panel to look at the impact the year’s double pandemic of racial injustice and COVID-19 has had on professional women of color. Cherise Walker, Vice President of Talent & Inclusion at the CLT Alliance hosts a candid conversation on how the events of last year have particularly impacted professional women of color in our community. From discussing coping strategies to sharing the important role of allyship in the business community, we are joined by:
- Carrie Cook, Founder & Executive Director, GreenLight Charlotte
- Keisha Rivers, President and Chief Outcome Facilitator of The KARS Group, LTD.
- Monifa Drayton, Executive Coach and Consultant of L.E.A.D. Squared Coaching and Consulting and professional for a major healthcare system.
For more information on the Power of Women network, click here.
On today’s episode of CLT Alliance Talks, we met with Seemantini Godbole, Chief Information Officer at Lowe’s. From looking at the new Lowe’s Tech Hub coming to South End in Charlotte to exploring the future of tech with Lowe’s Innovation Labs and talent in the region, tune in for an inside look why one of the world’s largest home improvement centers is proud to call the Charlotte Region home.
This recording is part of an ongoing series of one-on-one discussions that were conducted in-studio with C-Suite executives throughout our region.
The Charlotte Alliance Young Professionals (CAYP) network is a group of future change-makers and budding business minds. In this week’s podcast, 2021 YP Board Chair Michaelina Antahades with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, speaks with YP veteran Ben Lassiter, Director of Business Development & Operations, Carolina Legal Staffing LLC, on how the YP Network has helped him better connect with his hometown of Charlotte.
Interested in learning more about the CAYPs? Join our next Virtual YP Luncheon on Wednesday, April 28 at 11:30 am as CLT Alliance leaders discuss how Diversity Drives Success. Learn more here.
What do bread makers and PlayStations have to do with FDI? The CLT Alliance’s Akofa Dossou, Director, Economic Research, hosts a dynamic panel to take a look at the latest trends in Foreign Direct Investments in the US and the Charlotte Region. Guests include,
- Paul Brogan, VP of Client Services at ROI Research On Investment
- Chris Knight, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Wavteq
- Eileen Cai, VP of Business Recruitment - Asian Sector at the CLT Alliance
- Sven Gerzer, VP of Business recruitment - Europe, India & North American Sectors at the CLT Alliance.
From the impact of international travel to exploring emerging markets and up-and-coming industries for FDI, listen in to this expert panel on what’s happening in the global market.
After spending nearly two decades as a leader in the Atlanta Metro market, Kari Hackett joined the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance as our new Chief Development & Investor Relations Officer.
From creating meaningful opportunities for investor engagement to opening new opportunities to make an impact on our community, Kari sits down with Kaitlin Rogers, Director of Communications, to talk about her vision and experience, and some of the exciting opportunities Investors can look forward to with the CLT Alliance.
For more information about Investor opportunities with the CLT Alliance, click here.
The CLT Alliance's Power of Women network is designed to engage, inform and inspire, as well as connect professional women to resourceful women’s groups and organizations in Charlotte and our region. In honor of International Women's Month, we connected with the Junior League of Charlotte to talk about how Junior League is developing the potential of women and improving the Charlotte community through the effective action and leadership.
Cherise Walker, Vice President of Talent Insights & Partnerships, speaks with Kellie Lofton, President-Elect of the Junior League of Charlotte about how this organization has created leadership development and community impact opportunities for women throughout our communities.
To learn more about the Junior League of Charlotte, visit jlcharlotte.org.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance has conducted over 65 inter-city visits over the years, which was transformed into our annual Exploring Economies signature event in 2019. For the first time in the event's history, we have the unique opportunity to virtually explore multiple metros and bring national, state, and local leaders together to discuss how they are approaching economic revitalization, supporting policies to advance racial equity, and planning for more inclusive spaces.
Today, Dr. Chuck McShane, Senior Vice President of Economic Research, speaks with Laura Ullrich, regional economist at the Charlotte branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, on some of the topics and main discussion points we'll be covering during the Exploring Economies 2021 event. From the strengths of the Charlotte Region to important lessons in transportation infrastructure, listen in for a sneak peek at some of the major topics we'll be discussing at this year's signature event.
Exploring Economies 2021 is Wednesday, March 24 from 8:45am - 12:00pm. Joining usis an impressive line up of experts and leaders:
- Tom Barkin, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, will show us how our region stacks up against the competition.
- Leaders from our peer cities around the US will share their successes and lessons learned around transportation and infrastructure.
- North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will share their vision for the economic future of our bi-state region in terms of economic revitalization, racial equity, and regional transformation.
- Take a virtual tour of some of our peer cities for placemaking inspiration and discover best practices.
Register today at charlotteregion.com.
A special thanks to our sponsors at Wells Fargo and PWC for their support of this event.
This week, Kelly O'Brien joined the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance as our new Chief Advocacy and Strategy Officer. Kelly joins the team by way of the Chicagoland Tri-State “mega-region,” where she led two sister organizations dedicated to strengthening the economic competitiveness of the Chicagoland Tri-State area.
Kaitlin Rogers, the CLT Alliance's Director of Communications, met with Kelly during her first week in Charlotte to share more about her background and hear what's she's looking forward to the most about joining the Charlotte Region.
To learn more about Kelly and the CLT Alliance's Advocacy and Public Affairs efforts, visit CharlotteRegion.com.
In a pandemic world where social distancing practices have helped eCommerce to soar, subscription box services have become all the rage. From viral beauty product subscription boxes like Ipsy to monthly pet supply boxes like Bark Box, customers all over the US find joy in unboxing monthly subscription kits.
Today, we’re talking with Big Sky Fulfillment CEO, Patrick Claytor, about their recent East Coast expansion to Charlotte to provide their clients with the growing demand for Warehousing and Third Party Logistics (3PL) solutions. From offering warehouse space, subscription box and kitting services, and pick-pack-ship processes, Steven Pearce, SVP of Business Recruitment, unpacks this booming industry and shares how the Charlotte Region is helping brands get their products closer to their East Coast customers.
For more information on Big Sky Fulfillment, visit bigskyfulfillment.com.
The Charlotte Region’s economy entered its third quarter of recovery early in 2021. But how does it compare to the rest of the Carolinas, the Southeast, and the US as a whole? CLT Alliance SVP of Economic Research, Dr. Chuck McShane, spoke with three leading economists on the context behind the economic numbers and their outlook for 2021:
Dr. John Connaughton, Professor of Financial Economics and Director of the UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast, Belk College of Business, UNC Charlotte
Jeff Korzenik, Chief Investment Strategist, Fifth Third Bank
Dr. Laura Ullrich, Regional Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Charlotte Branch
ICYMI: Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Q4 2020 Growth Report
Upcoming events:
UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast, March 5, 2021, Noon-1:30
Federal Reserve District Dialogues, beginning Feb. 18
The CLT Alliance's Laura Foor invites Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), and Jonathan Eaton, Principal, National Supply Chain Practice Leader at Grant Thornton, to take a deep dive into the Charlotte Region's supply chains and manufacturing.
From discussing supply chain risk and resiliency to exploring how our local economic development groups are helping our region’s manufacturers find local solutions to strengthen supply chains, you won’t want to miss this insightful information.
For more information on STREAM 2021, visit https://stream2021virtual.pathable.co/.
With international travel bans and many safety protocols in place this year, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s international recruitment team has found creative ways to connect with companies interested in the US market.
After first introducing you to the Better. Stronger. Smarter. , a virtual European Road Show held at the end of 2020, Sven Gerzer, Vice President, Business Recruitment at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, speaks with Doug Mitchell with USI Insurance as they discuss how they organized the recent virtual roadshow, and why German, Austrian and Swiss companies are so attractive to the Charlotte Region.
In December 2020, British-based global electric vehicle innovator Arrival announced they are joining the Charlotte Region by establishing its North American headquarters in the South End of Charlotte as well as its first U.S. Microfactory in Fort Mill, SC in York County.
On this episode of CLT Alliance Talks, Eileen Cai, Vice President Business Recruitment for Asia & North America, speaks with Michael Abelson, CEO of Arrival, Richard Colley with Arrival’s Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs, and the CLT Alliance’s Dr. Chuck McShane, Senior Vice President, Economic Research on the impact of these announcements on our region, and what’s on the horizon for this innovative organization in our community.
As part of the CLT Business United initiative, the CLT Alliance launch a Small Business Marketing Program. This program helped connect our region’s Small Businesses to Marketing and Creative Services with little to no cost, to help support their needs.
In Part 2 of this series, today we are speaking with Marcie Kelso of Kelso Communications and Doug Bacon of Throwing Words. They join us to talk about their collaboration on creating a Creative Brief to support Throwing Words' growth marketing efforts, and the importance of identifying and leveraging your differentiator as a business.
For more information on the CLT Business United visit charlotteregion.com.
As part of the CLT Business United initiative, the CLT Alliance launch a Small Business Marketing Program. This program helped connect our region’s Small Businesses to Marketing and Creative Services with little to no cost, to help support their needs.
One of the collaborations from this initiative was between Loyd Visuals and F&D | Integra Design. In Part 1 of this series, we'll speak with Khaleel Loyd with Loyd Visuals and Richard Cuebas with F&D Integra Design. They join us to share the success of this project and talk about their new partnership.
*As noted in the episode, a link to the video launch will be posted here after the public launch.
More than 155,000 people in the Charlotte Region work in the Manufacturing industry -- nearly double the employment in the financial sector. Over the past five years, the Charlotte region’s manufacturing industry has grown at twice the national average, and now contributes to nearly $26 Billion to our local economy.
Join Antony Burton and Dr. Chuck McShane of CLT Alliance's Economic Research Team to dive into our region's manufacturing sectors as they discuss the findings in the new "Manufacturing In the Charlotte Region" report.
To download a full copy of the report, visit charlotteregion.com
The 2020 pandemic has been challenging on many fronts. CLT Alliance's VP of Talent Insights and Partnerships, Cherise Walker, speaks with Amy Wartham, Director of Corporate & Custom Training and Continuing Education at UNC Charlotte, to discuss why resilience is important and what you can do to protect your mental well being and manage your productivity.
For resources mentioned in this podcast, visit charlotteregion.com
CLT Alliance’s Akofa Dossou and Eileen Cai discuss reshoring to the Charlotte Region. From supply chain management to future trends of international business recruitment, this week’s podcast looks at some of the short and long term impacts COVID-19 has had on bringing international business back to our shores and into the Charlotte Region.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our region’s sports industry, our region’s sports teams made a new game plan. Our SVP of Government Affairs, Joe Bost talks with Tom Glick, President of Tepper Sports & Entertainment and Greg Walter, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway on how their industries overcame the statewide shutdown earlier this year. We’ll discuss some of strategies around adapting to phased reopenings and what plans they have to pivot for the future.
2020 has been a year for the record books, and on top of everything we just had the 2020 General Election. Our SVP of Government Affairs, Joe Bost talks with Dr. Eric Heberlig, professor of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. He is co-author of Congressional Parties, Institutional Ambition, and the Financing of Majority Control—winner of the 2014 D.B. Hardeman Prize for the best book on the U.S. Congress; American Cities and the Politics of Party Conventions; How Government Got in Your Backyard; American Labor Unions in the Electoral Arena; Classics in Congressional Politics; and numerous articles on the politics of Congress, interest groups, elections, and campaign finance. In our conversation, we’ll talk with Eric about the 2020 elections from a national, state, and regional perspectives.
Coworking Spaces Formally Announce Coalition and Partnership with Charlotte Regional Business Alliance
Several coworking spaces across Charlotte and surrounding areas – from Fort Mill to Concord – have announced a formal partnership referred to as the Charlotte Regional Coworking Coalition (CRCC) dedicated to “keeping work local.” Our CMO, Rob Horton spoke with Dan Roselli, Founder, Packard Place; Kevin Giriunas, Founder, Advent Coworking; and Jennifer Belk Owner and Programming Coordinator, LOOM Coworking, Gallery and Events Space about what we can expect from the coalition.
We are pleased to partner with the CRCC and build business community awareness for this independent co-working collaboration. We are fortunate to live in a region that has achieved great things when our business community works together.
CRCC’s mission is to “keep work local.” The partnership between spaces is meant to foster local economic and social growth by keeping remote workers and small business-owners within locally-owned-and-operated coworking spaces. In order to contribute to the local economy, CRCC believes it’s vital to create ways for individuals and companies to stay connected within their communities, and to also avoid large, national commercial real estate corporations.
CRCC partnered spaces include:
- Advent
- C3 Labs
- CoCoTiv
- HB5 in Concord
- Hygge
- Launch Factory
- Loom in Fort Mill
- Mito Station
- Packard Place
- Tabbris
- The Mill
More about CRCC:
Local coworking places in our community are critically essential to the future of our ecosystem. CRCC is committed to focusing our attention on getting workers back to work, creating a community connection, and adjusting to our “new normal.” Learn more about CRCC on their website and Instagram.
Improving economic mobility in Charlotte has been top of mind for business and civic leaders lately. A 2014 Harvard study called attention to the region’s low ranking in respect to helping low-income kids move up the income ladder. New research from the Brookings Institution dives deeper into how social networks in Charlotte affect access to economic opportunity. Camille Busette, Brookings Senior Fellow, Director of the Race, Prosperity and Inclusion Initiative, and author of the report “How We Rise: How Social Networks in Charlotte Impact Economic Mobility,” discussed the report and its implications with Alliance SVP of Economic Research Chuck McShane.
The Charlotte Region isn’t known for tourism. Still, visitors spent $7.8 billion in the region during 2019. That’s more than any region in the Carolinas, including tourism magnets like Myrtle Beach and Charleston. The leisure and hospitality industry has also been one of the hardest hit industries during the COVID-19 pandemic as travel declined. On this week’s CLT Alliance Talks, SVP of Economic Research Chuck McShane talks with Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) Director of Insights Heath Dillard about the state of the leisure and hospitality industry, where the Charlotte Region’s visitors come from, and the future of the tourism economy post-pandemic.
Joe Bost, SVP of Government Affairs with the CLT Alliance talks with Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt and Brian Francis of Francis Consulting. In their conversation they discuss the three bond questions that will appear on the ballot this fall. They share with us the potential impact these bonds will have on our community and what we need to know in advance of voting in the 2020 election.
CLT Alliance business recruitment team members Steven Pearce and Kati Hynes discuss the role site selection consultants play in the economic development process and how the pandemic has impacted outreach to this important audience. Stay tuned to the end for a couple funny stories!
Joe Bost, SVP Government Affairs speaks with Greg Boulanger, the Charlotte Practice Leader and Group Director for HNTB’s Charlotte office whose primary focus is on serving the transportation needs of the region. They discuss Greg's role within the organization, the Alliance’s infrastructure series and the future of our region.
The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance just released their white paper on "International Business and Foreign Direct Investment in the Charlotte Region." Our Director of Economic Research, Akofa Dossou spoke with Sven Gerzer, VP of European Sector and Eileen Cai, VP of Asian Sector from our Business Recruitment team. They discussed the more than 1,000 international businesses in the Charlotte Region and what makes the Region a great place for international companies to do business.
The United States recently celebrated the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. In the midst of a resurgent call for racial equity and justice it’s time to renew our understanding of – and commitment to – “The Dream” through Educational Equity, Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Economic Access. In this week’s CLT Alliance Talks podcast Rod Garvin SVP of Talent Insights for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Speaks with Dr. Shante’ Williams, Founder and CEO, Black Pearl Global Investments; Henry Rock, Executive Director, City Startup Labs and Don Thomas, Jr., Executive Director, My Brother’s Keeper Charlotte Mecklenburg.
Jon Eldridge, Americas COO & Operational Excellence Lead with ISS Facility Services, talks about the challenges facing businesses both short-term and long-term, how to effectively meet those challenges and creating a safer workplace for the future.
https://insights.issworld.com/hubfs/ISS-NextNormal.pdf
Listen as we get to know Ralph Lopez, learn more about Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and American Airlines’ commitment to the Charlotte Region, its customers, and regional employees.
Since 2010, nearly 400,000 people have moved to the Charlotte Region, and they all need some place to sleep. Housing sales in the Charlotte Region were up more than 11% in July 2020. Housing supply has struggled to keep up with fast-growing demand, leading to lower inventory and rising prices. John Kindbom, President of Canopy Realtor Association and Dr. Yongqiang Chu of the Childress Klein Center for Real Estate at UNC Charlotte joined SVP of Economic Research to discuss the state of the housing market and the future of housing affordability in the region.
The CLT Alliance Foundation is partnering with Grow with Google (an initiative to create economic opportunities for all) and Coursera, (a leading online learning platform for higher education) to help scale the upskilling of workers in the Charlotte Region who have lost their jobs due to the economic impact of COVID-19. Both organizations are committed to supporting regional talent ecosystems, so that individuals can access the education and training they need for new skills – and careers – through the alignment of global and local resources. In this week’s CLT Alliance Talks Rod Garvin, SVP of Talent Insights for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, speaks with Christian Michael, Program Manager at Grow with Google and Sam Combs, Senior Manager of Government Partnerships at Coursera.
If you’ve lived in Charlotte for long, you might have heard the story of the Brooklyn neighborhood. Covering most of what is today known as Second Ward, Brooklyn served as the heart of African American life, culture, and business from the early 1900s up until around the 1960s. Federal policies on urban renewal during the 1960s and 70s, led to the bulldozing of the neighborhood, replaced mostly with government buildings. About 1,000 families were displaced.
On Third and Brevard streets, however, a handful of buildings survived, including the Grace AME Zion Church and the Mecklenburg Investment Company. Now., those buildings have been revived as the Brooklyn Collective, including a small business incubator and cultural center.
To understand the history of these buildings, and the future of the collective, we talked with Dr. Willie Griffin, historian from the Levine Museum of the New South, Jason Wolf. And three business owners within the Brooklyn Collective, Monique Stubbs Hall of Studio 229 on Brevard, Dr. Willie Keaton of Restorative Justice and Gwen Jackson, of community engagement group Urbane Environments.
Symmetrix Composites Tooling headquartered in Rhode Island expanded into Statesville last year. Steven Pearce, SVP of Business Recruitment spoke with Symmetrix Composites Tooling Vice President, Scott Vogel about the company's expansion journey and what made the Charlotte Region the best fit for them.
CLT Alliance SVP of Business Recruitment, Steven Pearce sits down with Conway VP of Global Innovation, Guillermo Mazier to talk about national trends emerging as a result of the global pandemic. Additionally, Pearce and Mazier discuss local and regional solutions that economic development organizations, the public sector, and private sector can embrace to position the Charlotte region for a post-pandemic economy.
When it comes to economic development, business recruitment and expansion typically come to mind, but the availability of talent has become a key factor in whether companies choose to relocate or grow within a given market. Additionally, upward mobility and opportunity for all are key determinants of a healthy economy. In this week’s CLT Alliance Talks Rod Garvin, SVP of Talent Insights for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, speaks with Amy Holloway, Partner/Principal and National Director, Economic Development Advisory Services at EY.
Back in 2003, Ryan Kennedy was in an engineering class at UNC Charlotte when he thought of the idea for a digitized circuit breaker. Seventeen years later, he is CEO of Atom Power, an expanding company that produces those solid state circuit breakers and the software that runs them for construction companies and industrial manufacturers looking to improve worksite safety. This month, Atom Power received nearly $18 million in Series B funding from Rockwell Automation and ABB Technology Ventures to expand their technology into the electric vehicle charging space. Kennedy talked with Chuck McShane, Alliance SVP of Economic Research, about how software is changing electrical distribution, why Charlotte beats the Bay Area for energy entrepreneurship and engineering, and how electric vehicles could reshape our region and world.
CLT Alliance SVP of Government Affairs Joe Bost talks with Warren Vigus about his partnership with Joey Logano to create Clutch Studios and Clutch Management, plus the great work being done by Joey Logano Racing and the Joey Logano Foundation.
CLT Alliance SVP of Government Affairs Joe Bost talks with Jon Ferry of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP about the Paycheck Protection Program - some of the strings that may be attached to the funds, how enforcement could work, and the new rules just rolled out by the SBA.
Global pandemic. It still seems surreal to say those two words and yet, the reality of the worldwide COVID-19 crisis is a constant part of our lives. For global businesses, such as Sealed Air with its headquarters in Charlotte, adapting to the “new normal” requires a strategic response created to manage talent across countries while also planning for future workforce needs. In this week’s CLT Alliance Talks, Rod Garvin, SVP of Talent Insights, speaks with Susan Edwards, Global VP and Chief Human Resources Officer at Sealed Air.
Chances are you are past due for your bi-annual dentist visit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joe Bost discusses COVID-19’s effects on the delivery of oral care services with Curt Ladig, Delta Dental of North Carolina, and Dr. Richard Dest with Senior Dental Care. Hear how dentists pivoted in their care delivery during the stay-at-home order and what could be lessons learned for the future.
Transportation infrastructure is a critical component to any community’s growth and economic success. Without proper planning and access to a variety of transportation modes, we as individuals – in fact, our region - are limited by what can be achieved. To address these critical needs now – and plan for the future - Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles called for the creation of a mobility task force led by former Mayor Harvey Gantt and comprised of 25 members from across the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area who represent business, government, transportation and planning, education, nonprofits and more. In this week’s CLT Alliance Talks, Joe Bost, senior vice president of government affairs, discusses the challenges ahead for the task force with Assistant City Manager, Taiwo Jaiyeoba.
The Charlotte Region has added nearly 400,000 people since 2010. Nearly 150,000 of those in the Charlotte city limits elevating the city to 15th largest in the U.S., passing San Francisco, according to Census Bureau data released last week. To find out what that really means Alliance SVP of Economic Research Chuck McShane talked with Brian Landes, JLL’s Carolinas Director of Research, and Ely Portillo, Assistant Director at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. The conversation covered why cities like Charlotte are resilient through crises, why suburbs and small towns in the region continue to grow, and why millennial marketing isn’t just about breweries anymore.
The Charlotte Region has been one of the hottest real estate markets in the country for the last several years. With highly competitive prices and a steady flow of people moving to Charlotte daily, inventory has been tight. Then came the second week of March and everything changed across the Carolinas. Within just a few weeks, the business as we had known it took a back shelf. Buyers and sellers, as well as realtors, did not want to risk exposure to coronavirus and local departments of health ordered them to shelter at home. Now, seven weeks later, things are beginning to return to the new normal. Business is slowly returning safely. In this week's episode of CLT Alliance Talks, we hear from Pat Riley, CEO and president of Allen Tate Companies, about the challenges facing the real estate industry, what's in store for the future, and if things will ever be the same.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, construction was deemed an essential business by the county and state so general contractors needed to find a way to keep crews working and safe. Marcus Rabun, CEO of Myers & Chapman Construction and an Ally level member of The Alliance, knew collaboration with other general contractors was going to be the key to success so he quickly organized a virtual group called 4C: The Charlotte Commercial Construction Coalition. We talked with Marcus about what 4C has accomplished over the past eight weeks and what’s next?
From the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, hotels and restaurants were among the hardest hit.
With people across the country instructed not to travel and stay-at-home orders issued, the tourism, convention and hospitality sector has been virtually shutting down.
Here in Mecklenburg County, the largest hotel chains report a 90 percent drop in business. Across the Charlotte Region, one out of every nine jobs is in the hospitality sector.
With the future uncertain, many wonder when will convention traffic resume, and how will we make up all of the lost revenue?
Joining us to discuss those questions and much more is Tom Murray, CEO Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. The CRVA manages the Charlotte Convention Center, Spectrum Center, Bojangles’ Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte Regional Film Commission and Visit Charlotte.
Northeastern University made groundbreaking news eight years ago when it was announced that Charlotte would be the site of the school’s first remote campus. Situated in the heart of the city’s business district, Northeastern University- Charlotte has grown to offer more than 40 masters and doctoral degrees, accelerated bachelors, graduate-level certificates, and non-credit programs. The campus serves students across the Southeast U.S. and now offers corporate talent solutions programming that provides customized solutions for employee learning and professional development helping to close talent gaps for employers.
In this unprecedented time of stay-at-home orders and social distancing, we are all working toward one common goal – to stay healthy.
We are encouraged to have our groceries delivered, order take out when possible to help support local restaurants, and contact our health care providers for digital appointments. But, what if you didn’t have the ability to do any of those things? Perhaps you recently lost your job or have struggled to find steady employment.
Fortunately, Care Ring, can – and is – helping thousands locally. The organization annually serves more than 7,000 people in Mecklenburg County and is a leader in collaborative efforts to improve community health. Joining us today to talk more about those efforts is Care Ring’s Executive Director Donald Jonas.
Cabarrus Economic Development’s Robby Carney and CLT Alliance Economic Development Recruiters Eileen Cai and Marvin Price discuss what it takes to attract an international company like GoldenHome to open its North American headquarters to the Charlotte Region.
Charles Bowman, Charlotte Market President at Bank of America, discusses how the global bank is staying connected with its 150,000 employees working remotely; and relying on crisis preparedness training and past experiences to weather the pandemic. That and more in this week’s edition of CLT Alliance Talks.