The 2020 Leadership Planning Retreat Series
THE OPPORTUNITY Accelerating equitable economic growth in the Charlotte Region toward our North Star of a vibrant, innovative, and healthy economy for all.
FORWARD TOGETHER In the new and changed environment, unity will get us farther faster. We’ll listen, learn, and seek to understand why business, people, and place are the Charlotte Region’s most valuable assets, and why investments in them are critical to realize our full potential.
THE WORK We’ll roll up our sleeves and get energized on strategies and actionable items the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance will take, starting in 2021, to accelerate equitable economic growth.
DETAILS Three 2-hour virtual sessions occurring on consecutive Fridays—October 16, October 23, October 30—from 10am-12pm. Each session will be recorded and sent to registered attendees prior to the next session for review. AGENDA
Thursday, October 15, 4 PM-5 PM Virtual Reception – program welcome, wine tasting, networking
Friday, October 16, 10 AM-12 PM Session 1 BUSINESS: Accelerating Revitalization
Leader Insights: A Conversation Led by Gene Woods, President and CEO, Atrium Health • Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics • John Connaughton, Barings Professor of Financial Economics, Belk College of Business, UNC Charlotte • Heather Boushey, President & CEO, Washington Center for Equitable Growth
Q & A
CLT Alliance: Our Differentiated Role – Forward Together • Accelerate Economic Revitalization through Business Growth
Facilitated Breakouts: Insights for our Region and the Alliance
Session Wrap Up AGENDA
Friday, October 23, 10 AM-12 PM Session 2 PEOPLE: Uniting on Racial Equity
Opening Keynote: Standing Up Against Racism • Tim Ryan, U.S. Chairman, PwC and Co-founder CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion on the social, economic, and moral imperatives of diversity and inclusion within business
Leader Insights: Driving Racial Equity in the Business Community - Why it Matters • Moderator, Kieth Cockrell, Executive VP, Bank of America • The Honorable Vi Lyles, Mayor, City of Charlotte • The Honorable Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor, City of Atlanta • Darius Adamczyk, CEO, Honeywell
CLT Alliance: Our Differentiated Role – Forward Together • Drive Racial Equity in the Business Community
Facilitated Breakouts: Insights for Our Region and the Alliance
Session Wrap Up AGENDA
Friday, Oct 30, 10 AM-12 PM Session 3 PLACE: Transforming the Charlotte Region
Opening Keynote: Transformative Placemaking and Creating Inclusive Communities • Jennifer Vey, Director, Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking, Brookings Institution on why place matters and help public, private, and civic sector leaders understand that transformative place investments can generate widespread social and economic benefits
Leader Insights: Fundamentals to Place (individual remarks) • Higher Education’s Role in Building Community – Dr. Sharon Gaber, Chancellor, UNC Charlotte • Growing Smarter: Investing in Equitable Infrastructure – The Honorable Anthony Foxx, Former US Secretary of Transportation and Former Mayor of Charlotte • Building a City and Charlotte Moves – The Honorable Harvey Gantt, Former Mayor of Charlotte • Creating Inclusive Innovation Ecosystems – Tom Osha, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Economic Development, Wexford AGENDA
CLT Alliance: Our Differentiated Role – Forward Together • Launch Coalition for a Better 2050 and Transform the Charlotte Region
Facilitated Breakouts – Insights for Our Region and the Alliance
Wrap up - Summary of Facilitated Breakouts, Key Takeaways from Our Retreat Friday, Oct 16, 10 AM-12 PM Session 1 BUSINESS: Accelerating Revitalization
GENE WOODS Atrium Health
Eugene A. Woods, MBA, MHA, FACHE, is president and chief executive officer of Atrium Health, one of the most comprehensive and highly integrated not-for-profit healthcare systems in the nation. With 41 hospitals, over 900 care locations and an annual net revenue of more than $11.5 billion, Atrium Health is responsible for nearly 14 million patient interactions each year.
Woods joined Atrium Health in April 2016 and quickly collaborated with the organization’s nearly 70,000 teammates to unite around a redefined vision to be the first and best choice for care and a new mission statement to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all. During his tenure, Atrium Health also has been recognized as one of the Best Employers for Diversity, for new grads and for Women by Forbes; number one on the list of Best Places to Work for Women & Diverse Managers by DiversityMBA; one of the 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Healthcare; and the number one military-friendly employer in the country. In addition, the organization has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Leapfrog Group and the American Nurses Credentialing Center as among the very best in the nation, and honored by the American Hospital Association with the Equity of Care Award and one of the first-ever Quest for Quality honors. Most recently, Atrium Health was recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a 2020 CMS Health Equity Award recipient for its dedication to health equity by reducing disparities and enabling communities to achieve the highest level of health.
One of today’s most prominent leaders in healthcare, Woods is passionate about protecting and expanding access and coverage to all Americans, better engaging with our communities to advance positive health outcomes and achieving equity of care by eliminating disparities. He has long been active as a leader among his peers in the American Hospital Association, including a term as chairman of the board of trustees in 2017 and member of the Health, Strategy and Innovation Committee. Woods is also a member of Becker’s Healthcare’s Advisory Board, Scottsdale Institute’s Board of Directors, Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council, and currently serves on the board of Best Buy and as deputy chair of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Woods also was appointed to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s Economic Recovery Task Force. And most recently, the Governor’s Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental and Health Equity Task Force, created to address the social, economic, environmental and health disparities in communities of color that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Woods has nearly 30 years of healthcare leadership experience, having overseen non-profit and for-profit managed hospitals, academic and community-based delivery systems and rural and urban facilities. He previously was president and chief operating officer of CHRISTUS Health, a not-for-profit health system comprising 50 hospitals and long-term care facilities, 175 clinics and outpatient centers, and 30,000 associates, where he oversaw acute, post-acute and international operations for facilities in the United States, Mexico and Chile. Previously, he served in dual roles at Catholic Health Initiatives – as CEO of Saint Joseph Health System and as senior vice president responsible for implementing national initiatives for the faith-based organization, which operates in 18 states.
Woods was named by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for the fourth time recently, taking spot No. 32. In addition, he was named among Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare for the fifth consecutive time – featured in 2020 on the inaugural listing of only five “Luminaries,” honored for their career-defining work in reshaping the industry. His numerous professional distinctions also include being named one of the 50 Great African American Leaders as well as one of the 100 Great Leaders in Healthcare by Becker’s Healthcare; one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine; one of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America by Black Enterprise; one of the Most Admired CEOs of 2018 by the Charlotte Business Journal; one of the 2019 Power 100 honorees by Business North Carolina; Senior Executive of the Year by the National Association of Health Service Executives; and Alumni of the Year by the Pennsylvania State University.
Woods holds three degrees from the Pennsylvania State University: a bachelor’s degree in health planning and administration, a master’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in health administration. MARK ZANDI Moody’s Analytics Mark M. Zandi is chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, where he directs economic research. Moody’s Analytics, a subsidiary of Moody’s Corp., is a leading provider of economic research, data and analytical tools. Dr. Zandi is a cofounder of Economy.com, which Moody’s purchased in 2005. Dr. Zandi is on the board of directors of MGIC, the nation’s largest private mortgage insurance company, and is the lead director of Reinvestment Fund, one of the nation’s largest community development financial institutions, which makes investments in underserved communities.
He is a trusted adviser to policymakers and an influential source of economic analysis for businesses, journalists and the public. Dr. Zandi frequently testifies before Congress and conducts regular briefings on the economy for corporate boards, trade associations, and policymakers at all levels. He is often quoted in national and global publications and interviewed by major news media outlets, and is a frequent guest on CNBC, NPR, Meet the Press, CNN, and various other national networks and news programs.
Dr. Zandi is the author of Paying the Price: Ending the Great Recession and Beginning a New American Century, which provides an assessment of the monetary and fiscal policy response to the Great Recession. His other book, Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis, is described by the New York Times as the “clearest guide” to the financial crisis.
Dr. Zandi earned his BS from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. JOHN CONNAUGHTON UNC Charlotte Dr. John E. Connaughton is Barings Professor of Financial Economics and Director of the Barings/UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He received his Ph.D. degree in Economics from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and has been at UNC Charlotte since 1978. The Barings/UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast is recognized as the leading source of economic information for North Carolina for over 30 years.
Dr. Connaughton areas of specialization are in economic forecasting and economic impact analysis. He has authored several scholarly articles on economic forecasting techniques and on economic impact analysis. In addition, he has also produced more than 50 economic impact reports using IMPLAN software and data on a wide variety of projects and industries. In addition, he has consulted with the NFL on the appropriate use of IMPLAN and RIMS II impact analysis programs.
Dr. Connaughton is the past President of the Southern Regional Science Association, and the Charlotte chapter of the National Association of Business Economists. He has been Program Chair for the Southern Regional Science Association Annual Meeting in 2009 held in Washington, DC.
Dr. Connaughton has served on the Governor’s Task Force on Economic Incentives and the Oversight Committee for the William States Lee Act. As part of this activity he is a co-author of, “Business Incentives in North Carolina: Final Report”. Dr. Connaughton has recently served on the North Carolina Legislative Oversight Committee for Public- Private Partnerships. HEATHER BOUSHEY Washington Center for Equitable Growth Heather Boushey is the President & CEO and co- founder of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, which was launched in 2013. She is one of the nation’s most influential voices on economic policy and a leading economist who focuses on the intersection between economic inequality, growth, and public policy. Her latest book, Unbound: How Economic Inequality Constricts Our Economy and What We Can Do About It (Harvard University Press), which was called “outstanding” and “piercing” by reviewers, was on the Financial Times list of best economics books of 2019. She is also the author of Finding Time: The Economics of Work-Life Conflict, and co-edited a volume of 22 essays about how to integrate inequality into economic thinking called After Piketty: The Agenda for Economics and Inequality.
The New York Times has called Boushey one of the “most vibrant voices in the field,” and Politico twice named her one of the top 50 “thinkers, doers and visionaries transforming American politics.” Boushey writes regularly for popular media, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Democracy Journal, and she makes frequent television appearances on Bloomberg, MSNBC, CNBC, and PBS. She previously served as chief economist for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential transition team and as an economist for the Center for American Progress, the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and the Economic Policy Institute. She sits on the board of the Opportunity Institute and is an associate editor of Feminist Economics, and a senior fellow at the Schwartz Center for Economic and Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research. Friday, October 23, 10 AM-12 PM Session 2 PEOPLE: Uniting on Racial Equity
TIM RYAN PwC Tim Ryan is US Chair and Senior Partner of PwC after being elected to a second four-year term beginning July 1, 2020. Tim is responsible for leading the culture and setting the tone on quality for the US firm and its approximately 55,000 employees and partners. Prior to his role as Chair and Senior Partner, Tim served as Vice Chair and Markets, Strategy and Stakeholders Leader.
Tim serves on the US Board of Partners and Principals as well as the Network Leadership Team (NLT), which includes the senior partners from the network’s four largest territories. He also serves as Asia Pacific Americas (APA) Leader and drives activity in that region. He plays an active role in the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ), a non-partisan and non-profit group dedicated to enhancing investor confidence and public trust in the global capital markets. He also serves on the Financial Accounting Foundation’s Board of Trustees and serves as a member of its Standard-Setting Process Oversight Committee.
In addition, Tim worked with a small group of CEOs to launch CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™-- now the largest ever CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace, with more than 1,000 signatory organizations.
Tim has over 30 years of diversified experience serving clients in the financial services industry in the U.S. and internationally. He is a certified public accountant in Massachusetts and New York and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from Babson College where he studied accounting and communications, and joined the firm after graduation. Tim is a Boston native, marathon runner, and proud father of six children.
KIETH COCKRELL Bank of America Kieth Cockrell is the GT&O Chief Operating Officer. He is responsible for GT&O Programs, Business Controls and Oversight, and Business Operations. Additionally, he manages the GT&O workforce strategy and related external partnerships.
During his 35 year career in financial services, Kieth has held leadership roles as head of Specialty Client Services for Consumer and Small Business Banking, Southeast Division Sales executive, Retail, Preferred and Small Business Banking chief operating officer, Banking Center Divestiture Project executive, Michigan market president, National Community executive and ATM Network executive. Additionally, he has held leadership roles in contact centers and across various geographic markets.
Kieth serves as board chair of the Levine Museum of the New South; board member of My Brother’s Keeper Charlotte, and Providence Day School. He also serves as an Executive Committee member of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. Kieth recently joined the Board for Community Real Property Holdings Inc, and Community Investments Foundation. Throughout his career, Kieth has been active in the Charlotte community including United Way, Goodwill Industries, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina and American Diabetes Association. Highlighting not only serving as a former vice chair of the Global Diversity an inclusion Council, but also establishing several Employee Networks in the firm including Black Professionals Group, Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement, Military Support and Assistance Group, and the Black Executive Advisory Council.
Kieth earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Columbia University. He currently lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina area with his family.
The Honorable VI LYLES City of Charlotte On Dec. 4, 2017, Vi Lyles was sworn in as the 59th mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. She began her second term on Dec. 2, 2019, after receiving more than 77% of the vote in the general election.
As a Democratic leader, Mayor Lyles is known for her strong commitment toward creating jobs, expanding affordable housing options and supporting safe, livable neighborhoods. She is also an advocate for increased transportation alternatives and improved access to public transit.
Mayor Lyles received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Queens University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Under her leadership, the City of Charlotte continues to grow into an epicenter of commerce and a thriving market for technological advancement.
The Honorable KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS City of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms is the 60th Mayor of Atlanta.
A daughter of Atlanta, Mayor Bottoms is committed to realizing her vision of One Atlanta – an affordable, resilient and equitable Atlanta – which stands as a model city for both commerce and compassion.
A lifelong public servant, Mayor Bottoms is the only Mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, serving as a judge and City Councilmember before being sworn in as Mayor.
Leading with a progressive agenda focused on equity and affordable housing, Mayor Bottoms serves as Chair of the Community Development and Housing Committee and the Census Task Force for the United States Conference of Mayors.
Georgia Trend magazine named Mayor Bottoms the 2020 Georgian of the Year. Among Mayor Bottoms’ notable accomplishments to date include the establishment of the City’s first fully-staffed Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the appointments of a LGBTQ Affairs Coordinator and a Human Trafficking Fellow, the citywide elimination of cash bail bond, the closure of the Atlanta City Detention Center to ICE detainees, and the rollout of the most far-reaching financial transparency platform in the City’s history – Atlanta’s Open Checkbook.
In 2020, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights (LCCR) Under Law awarded Mayor Bottoms the Distinguished Civil Rights Advocate Award in recognition of her equity-driven leadership to help guide and protect marginalized communities.
Under Mayor Bottoms’ leadership, the City of Atlanta led the historically successful staging of Super Bowl LIII, which included unprecedented community benefits – a $2.4 million renovation of John F. Kennedy Park on Atlanta’s Westside, more than 20,000 trees planted throughout the community and the seamless coordination of 40 federal, state and local public safety agencies.
A product of Atlanta Public Schools, Mayor Bottoms graduated from Frederick Douglass High School and received her undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Georgia State University College of Law.
An active member of the community, Mayor Bottoms is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, Jack and Jill of America, The Links, Incorporated, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She has also served on the board of Families First and shares her personal story of adoption and advocates on behalf of adoption and foster care. Mayor Bottoms is the daughter of Sylvia Robinson and R&B icon Major Lance. She resides in historic Southwest Atlanta with her husband, Derek W. Bottoms, their four children- Lance, Langston, Lennox and Lincoln, and their family dogs Ace and Zeus. DARIUS ADAMCZYK Honeywell Darius Adamczyk is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell, a leading software-industrial company that helps connect everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable.
He was elected as Honeywell Chairman in April 2018. Before then, he was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer in March 2017 after serving for a year as President and Chief Operating Officer. Darius’ focus in these roles has been on accelerating Honeywell’s organic growth, expanding margins, transforming the Company into a premier software-industrial, deploying capital effectively, and building a high-performance culture.
Darius joined the Company in 2008 when Metrologic, where he was serving as Chief Executive Officer, was acquired by Honeywell. He served as President of Honeywell Scanning and Mobility for four years, doubling the size of the business, before leading a turnaround over two years as President of Honeywell Process Solutions. In 2014, Darius was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies.
Before joining Honeywell, Darius held several leadership positions with Ingersoll Rand and Booz Allen Hamilton. He began his career as an electrical engineer at General Electric in 1988. Born in Poland on February 8, 1966, Darius emigrated to the United States at age 11. He earned his MBA from Harvard University, a master’s degree in computer engineering from Syracuse University, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Michigan State University. Darius also completed the GE Edison Engineering Program, as well as numerous executive development courses at Wharton and Duke, among other institutions. He has received the Corporate Social Responsibility Award from the Foreign Policy Association as well as the John D. Ryder Electrical and Computer Engineering Alumni Award from Michigan State University.
Darius is a member of the Business Roundtable, the Business Council, and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Friday, Oct 30, 10 AM-12 PM Session 3 PLACE: Transforming the Charlotte Region
JENNIFER VEY Brookings Institution Jennifer S. Vey is a senior fellow and the Director of the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking at the Brookings Institution. Jennifer’s work primarily explores how place-based policies and practices can support economic, social, and built environments that benefit more people in more places. She is the author or co-author of many Brookings publications, including “Transformative placemaking: A framework to create connected, vibrant, and inclusive communities,” “Where jobs are concentrating and why it matters to cities and regions,” “Assessing your innovation district: A how-to guide,” and “Building from strength: Creating opportunity in Greater Baltimore’s next economy.” She also co-edited Retooling for Growth: Building a 21st Century Economy in America’s Older Industrial Areas, published by the American Assembly and Brookings Institution Press.
Prior to joining Brookings in 2001, Jennifer was a Community Planning and Development Specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She earned a Master of Planning degree from the University of Virginia and holds a B.A. in Geography from Bucknell University. She lives with her family in Baltimore.
SHARON GABER UNC Charlotte
Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D., is the fifth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Known as North Carolina’s urban research university, it leverages its location in the state’s largest city to offer internationally competitive programs of research and creative activity, exemplary undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, and a focused set of community engagement initiatives. UNC Charlotte maintains a particular commitment to addressing the cultural, economic, educational, environmental, health, and social needs of the greater Charlotte region.
With a student population soon to exceed 30,000 (due to a 33% increase in enrollment since 2009), it is the fastest-growing — and third-largest — institution in the 17-member University of North Carolina System. Its diverse student body, 37% of whom are first- generation college students, comes from 47 states and 105 countries.
An academic with a background in city and regional planning, Gaber was named by Education Dive one of five higher education leaders to watch in 2018 and beyond. She is recognized nationally for her efforts as president of the University of Toledo to increase enrollment, improve graduation and retention rates, keep education affordable, increase research funding, improve connection to the surrounding metro region and make the campus environment diverse and inclusive. Prior to her five years in Toledo, Gaber served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas. She has also been an interim provost at Auburn University and a faculty member and administrator for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Gaber earned an A.B. in Economics and Urban Studies at Occidental College. She received an M.P.L. in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from Cornell University in City & Regional Planning.
Gaber is the author of articles on regional and urban plaxnning, public policy and the social dynamics that affect community decision-making. She also is co-author of a book on planning research methods. Deeply engaged in community and regional activities, she has served as the Mid-American Conference representative on the Division 1 NCAA President’s Forum and as a member of the NCAA Strategic Plan Committee. She was named a YWCA Northwest Ohio Milestone award recipient for women’s leadership in 2020.
Officially the first woman to serve as chancellor of UNC Charlotte, Gaber follows the trail blazed by founding educator Bonnie Cone, who led the institution from 1946-1966 through several stages of growth. The Honorable ANTHONY FOXX Lyft
Anthony Foxx is the Chief Policy Officer and Senior Advisor to the President and CEO at Lyft. In his role, Anthony works alongside Lyft’s co- founders and executive team -- at the intersection of transportation policy, technology, and public-private partnerships -- to expand affordable mobility options and improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation.
From 2013-2017, Anthony served as the 17th United States Secretary of Transportation, leading an agency with more than 55,000 employees and a $70 billion budget, whose primary goal was to ensure that America maintains the safest, most efficient transportation system in the world. Among many accomplishments during his tenure, the DOT established a first-ever policy framework for the safe integration of self-driving vehicles, and leveraged $350 million in public and private funding to demonstrate how smart technology can change cities and local communities.
Anthony was also the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina from 2009- 2013. During this time, he made transportation investments the centerpiece of Charlotte’s job creation and economic recovery efforts. These investments included extending the LYNX light rail system, the largest capital project ever undertaken by the city. He also expanded Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (the sixth busiest in the world), worked with North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue to accelerate the I-485 outer belt loop, and started the Charlotte Streetcar project. The Honorable HARVEY GANTT Former Mayor of Charlotte Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt has been named winner of the 2015 John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities, which is awarded each year by the North Carolina Humanities Council.
Named after its fi rst recipient, the late Dr. John Caldwell, former chancellor of North Carolina State University, the award is given each year to an individual whaose life and work “illuminate one or more of the multiple dimensions of human life where humanities come into play: civic, personal, intellectual, and moral.”
Gantt, a native of Charleston, S.C., was the fi rst black student to attend Clemson University. He later served two terms as mayor of Charlotte (from 1983 to 1987) and twice ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, narrowly losing to the late Republican Sen. Jesse Helms. In 2009, the Afro-American Cultural Center in Charlotte was named the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts+Culture. TOM OSHA Wexford Thomas Osha is employed by Wexford Science and Technology as Senior Vice President, Innovation and Economic Development. In this role, he guides Wexford’s strategy and implementation of its Knowledge Community template across their portfolio; working with Wexford’s partner Universities and research institutions, entrepreneurs and innovators, growth companies, and economic development stakeholders globally to envision new innovation districts and position Wexford’s current developments as critical hubs in the regional innovation ecosystem.
Osha is a thought-leader and sought-after speaker who has recently delivered major keynotes on creating innovation ecosystems and helping Universities, research institutions, cities, regions, and federal governments, leverage their research and technologies into knowledge- led economic development impact. He is an author of The Evolution of Innovation Districts: The New Geography of Global Innovation (Katz, Wagner, Osha). He has recently spoken at South by Southwest and the World Economic Forum, among many others, and on CNBC, CBC, CNN, and CBS and his opinions have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Fortune, The Globe and Mail, and The New York Times.
Osha is the board chairman of the Global Institute for Innovation Districts, and a member of the Leadership Council of the Brookings Institution and served on their Centennial Scholars Program Advisory Board for Innovation Districts and the Bass Initiative for Public Spaces. Additionally, Osha serves as an advisor to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on global innovation strategy and execution. He also advises the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade – Canada; helping Canadian companies successfully expand their operations into the United States and assisting US companies in developing Canadian partnerships and markets. He is a board member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Norfolk Corporation, and Project Lift.
Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Broadwing Inc., an NYSE-listed, telecommunications provider, providing executive leadership in the areas of corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and innovation.
Prior to that, he served as Special Assistant to United States Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), providing advice on a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues. Osha also provided policy advice to the Reagan Administration and developed a research methodology that has become a standard at Congressional Quarterly magazine. SOCIALLY SPEAKING! Join us on social media for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Leadership Retreat Series! "Wear it and Share It!" Get creative with your Forward Together logo mask and post selfies using #FWDTogetherCLT. We will add your post to the Leadership Retreat photo collage that you can watch grow on our social media platforms throughout the retreat! FIND US ON
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Charlotte Regional Business Alliance #FWDTogetherCLT ABEL JACKSON Featured Artist Abel Jackson will provide: A customized work of art that depicts the hope for racial equality and breaking barriers on a 30”x40” canvas exclusively for the Charlotte Regional Alliance Planning Retreat Series.
ABOUT ABEL JACKSON: Jackson is one of the local artists who participated in creating the Black Lives Matter mural on Tryon Street.
Abel, graduated from Winthrop University where he received a B.A. of Fine Arts specialization in Graphic Design. Upon graduation, he entered corporate America but quickly discovered that it was not for him. He then jumped headfi rst into a career as a visual artist and immediately gravitated toward airbrushing. Not only did it provide a means for him to make a living as an artist, but it also gave him the power to paint anything on anything.
Abel painted the”C” in the Black Lives Matter Mural on S. Tryon Street A local entrepreneur, Abel created Art by Abel, custom airbrush painting, and design in 2011. His company provides masterful high- quality artwork and creative services dedicated to the production of aesthetically pleasing and thought to provoke visual design. After 12 years of amazing experiences, Abel continues to persevere through many obstacles which help to expand his consciousness. Although he fi nds the artist lifestyle diffi cult at times, he remains committed to his creative path.
“My desire is to paint the contents of my heart. My mission is to create profound works of art that communicate spiritually uplifting ideas and concepts. My objective is to stir the soul, stimulate the mind, and expand the consciousness - awareness of both the artist and viewer. My goal is to do this in the most masterful way possible.
Abel’s work includes the “City within a City” mural on the Brooklyn Investment Company Building at 220 S. Brevard Street.
The artwork for this event is sponsored by CRVA