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We are excited to announce the 2019/2020 participants of Leadership Raleigh, a premier leadership development program.
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Last month, our newest Leadership Raleigh classes got their programs started at retreats at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem. 
 
The following professionals are members of the 40th class:
 
Michelle Adel
First Citizens Bank

Cody Ball
HH Architecture

Diesha Banner
Toast It Up!

Christopher Battles
Shanahan Law Group, PLLC

Manoj Bhatia
Ultimate Storage Company

Heather Brewer
Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities

Katherine Carlton
Investors Management Corporation

Carrie Chandler
Genworth Mortgage Insurance

Matt Choplin
PWM of NC

Tom Clancy
Clancy & Theys Construction Company

Charles Davis
Poyner Spruill LLP

Rodney Faulk
City of Raleigh

Jenna Forster
IBM Corporation

Frantz Flora McNeill
York Properties, Inc.

Donna Gaskin
MetLife

Patricia Glidewell
Bernard Robinson & Co. LLP

Walter Gray
ms consultants, inc.

Paul Hammersley
First National Bank

​Zach Hall
Balfour Beatty Construction

Syreeta Hargrove
Raleigh Chamber

Ms. Taylor Holloway
Strategic Behavioral Health, LLC

Jessica Holt
Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau

Leland Hyer
Durham Public Schools

Monica Jacimore
First Bank

Emily Jeske
Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLP

Davis Johnston
Foundry Commercial

Laveda Joseph
Wake Technical Community College

Stephen Kenney
Kenney Properties, Inc.

Caitlyn Kinnaird
JLL

Audrey Krenitsky
JDavis

Allyson Kuegel
Citrix

Amanda Latham
Clean

Hannah Lipstone
KPMG LLP

Toni Lockett
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Brett Malone
North Carolina FC Youth

Kelly Monroe
Skanska USA Building, Inc.

Brieanna Myers
North Carolina FC

Lynn Percival
Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

James Pratt
CLA

John Rash
Clark Nexsen

Cherith Roberson
Wake Technical Community College

Neal Seigler
Duke Raleigh Hospital

Andrew Sims
Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors

Ms. Mary Skinner
PNC

Julie Smith
NC State University

Kayla Strampe
DHIC, Inc.

Ashlie Thompson
Wake County Public School System

Anthony Vellozzi
Metcon, Inc.

Kallie Walker
Kane Realty Corporation

Afrika Williams
LCI

We are excited to announce the 2019/2020 participants of Leadership Raleigh, a premier leadership development program.

Last month, our newest Leadership Raleigh classes got their programs started at retreats at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem. 
 
The following professionals are members of the 39th class:

Clark Abbott
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Melyssa Allen
Meredith College

Benjamin K Bailey
JLL

Thomas Barrier
Branch Banking & Trust Co.

Chris Bell
Deloitte

David Boaz
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Tiffany Burba
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Sabrina Burns
PNC

Cooper Cash
North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives

Dusan Cecich
Danis Construction Company

Erica Campion
Genworth Mortgage Insurance

Shane Corbett
Piedmont Service Group

Chad Danford
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Kaitlin Dewberry
Poyner Spruill LLP

Alysia Eve
Citrix

Tara Freeman
UNC REX Healthcare

Joseph Fricks
United Community Bank

Rhett Fussell
Raleigh Area Land Trust

Sarah Heminuk
Haven House Services

John Holton
Williams Mullen

Deb Horwitz
Merz North America

Randi Ligon
Apex Tool Group

Daniel Lord
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Michael Lutz
Barnhill Contracting Co., Inc.

Sean Maroney
Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, Inc.

Gina Miller
Nationwide Insurance

Adrianne Moody
United Way of the Greater Triangle

Brad Murray
Murray Real Estate Group, LLC

Kasia Nels
Stewart

Kekoa Nelson
IBM Corporation

Sarah Newton
SAS Institute, Inc.

Joy Pariz
YMCA of the Triangle Area, Inc.

Paul Pierron
Gilbane Building Company

Jenny Saul
Greene Resources

Gretchen Saussy
Mid-Atlantic Associates, Inc.

Olivia Scarbrough
Elliott Davis

Charles Setzer
Contec, Inc

Ashleigh Sholar
Raleigh Chamber

Amie Sivon
Ragsdale Liggett PLLC

Richard Slater
McAdams

Erin Smith
BAERING

George T Smith III
Nexsen Pruet, PLLC

Lisa Snedeker
Campbell Law School

Heather Spencer
NC State University

Anna Traylor
Clark Nexsen

Heath Tripp
Smith Anderson Law Firm

Debbie Wilkinson
Wells Fargo

Jessica Green Willson
Fox Rothschild LLP

Morgan Zoellner
Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education

​John Goodman, our vice president of government affairs, is a passionate advocate for our regional business community. He measures success by honesty, integrity, and through bold leadership.

With more than 20 years of experience in government affairs, John has been instrumental in driving high-impact legislation, such as reducing the North Carolina tax rate from the highest to one of the lowest in the Southeast U.S. over a two-year span.

Prior to joining the Raleigh Chamber, John founded Capital City Consulting, specializing in government affairs, strategic planning, and focused communications. He also spent nearly 10 years as the director of government affairs for the North Carolina Chamber.

John moved to North Carolina to play soccer at Campbell University and he has called the Tar Heel State home ever since. He lives in Raleigh, where soccer remains a big part of his life. John coaches youth soccer through North Carolina FC Youth and the Neuse River Futbol Alliance.
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He is excited to work with you.

By Spencer Lazzari
VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions
 
Raleigh YPN recently had a chance to peek at all of the exciting things happening at Dorothea Dix Park. The event was packed with members eager to see what the park had to offer. The event had many key takeaways, but the following stood out.

1.  A Park for Everyone, Built by Everyone. This great tagline sums up what this park is really about,  us. Sean Malone, president and CEO of the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy, emphasized the importance of making an attraction from which everyone could benefit. To accomplish this over the course of 18 months, more than 65,000 residents were engaged for their input.
2. Once-in-a-generation Opportunity. As Adrian Benepe, director of national programs for The Trust for Public Land, put it, “Dorothea Dix Park is the most important and exciting park project in America today.” The park is located in the heart of Raleigh. It will feature vast open areas, as well as community gathering places with more infrastructure. Parks that are within a close proximity to a downtown with this much space are rare, making this project particularly exciting.
3. Get Involved. The easiest way to get involved is to stay in the know. By going to https://dixpark.org/get-involved, you can enter your email and receive updates. Additionally, people can sign up to volunteer. Volunteers are needed now and will continue to be needed as the project moves forward. Donations are also welcomed.

For more information, please go to https://dixpark.org/. Also, be sure to sign up for the next Raleigh YPN event for more exciting programs at raleighchamber.org/events.
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By Spencer Lazzari
​VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions

The Raleigh Chamber YPN recently went to a soccer match between the North Carolina Courage and the Houston Dash. Although the home team had a great win, that was not the only win for the night. Young professionals from around the area (and even beyond) gathered on the Party Deck of WakeMed Soccer Park. Members talked soccer, swapped cards, and mingled freely. Conversation topics ranged from the classic “what do you do,” to discussing Girl Scout cookie availability. First-time attendees meshed well with YPN veterans, proving that the Raleigh Chamber YPN continues to attract those who are true professionals, want to grow, and, most importantly, want to expand their network. Be sure to check out our next event, and seize the opportunity to be a part of this incredible group. 

By Jovane Henry, communications intern

Sepi Saidi is always building – be it a construction project, a business relationship, or a new goal.  
 
The successful (and personable) entrepreneur, who started the now award-winning SEPI Engineering and Construction business in her home’s bonus room in 2001, shared her journey and insight with Chamber members at our Coffee with Leaders event on Sept. 5.
 
SEPI, Inc. provides an expansive portfolio of services, including civil, construction, traffic, and water engineering, asset management and maintenance, geomatics, and landscape architecture. 
 
Saidi chronicled her journey from Iran – where she grew up surrounded by strong professional women who championed education and financial independence – to North Carolina, where she faced challenges finding commonality with her mostly male fellow engineers. 
 
Her solution? Focus on building.
 
“I had to consciously work to find our common points and build a relationship with my cohorts,” she explained.  “I became curious about their likes and lives, and from there, it got easier.”
 
Saidi shared her expertise and answered questions on a range of topics such as hiring talent, finding a family/work balance, learning to delegate, equality for women in business, harassment in the workplace, and the importance of connection. 
 
“Every time you meet a person, it’s like adding $100 to your personal capital,” she said. “Focus on those connections not for status, but for purpose, and you’ll be able to build bridges that bring value to both your life and business.” 
 
She also encouraged business owners to step outside the walls of their company and enhance their interaction in the communities they call home.
 
“Get out of the box,” she challenged. “Join boards and committees, and get your face out there – not only does it help the community, it also helps you build and cultivate relationships. There’s always a connection to be made.”
 
With award-winning recognition on lists for Inc. 5000, Inc. Magazine, the Zweig Group, a designation as one of the Top 500 Design Firms for the Engineering News-Record (all multiple years running), and the distinction of being named Triangle Business Journal’s 2018 Businessperson of the Year, one might think Saidi is content with her accomplishments. 
 
They’d be wrong.
 
Armed with passion, vision, and a desire to push her potential to the limit, she’s just getting started. There’s much more, she says, to build.
 
“Whatever you want to do, the most important ingredient is to be excited about what you’re doing,” she advised. “Expect more from yourself and from your team- there’s always a higher bar to be reached.” 
 
We want to thank Saidi for sharing her story and perspectives with us. If you want to see more of our conversation with her, check our Coffee with Leaders series hashtag on Twitter, #ChamberCoffee.
 
Our next Coffee with Leaders will be on Friday, Nov. 15, where we will host Kristen Hess, president, CEO, and business development leader of HH Architecture. Last year, AIA Triangle named her company Architecture Firm of the Year. 
 
We hope to see you there!

By Felicia Woodard
Market Manager for Greater North Carolina Market, Business Banking
Bank of America
 
Discussing tough topics was the goal achieved at the recent Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Conference hosted by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
 
Nearly 600 registered to attend the Aug. 9 event at the Raleigh Convention Center where they learned tangible ways of advancing DEI in the workplace and marketplace.
 
Dr. Joanna Schwartz, a transgender marketing professor at Georgia College, kicked off the conference discussing ways to ensure genuine meaning is conveyed. “More than sixty percent of us spend a majority of our time and energy trying to blend in – and that number is even higher for LGBT individuals and people of color,” she shared. Her topic “What is DNA Anyway?” challenged the audience to go beyond having enough people in the room and to give power to voices that have something to offer.
 
Lauren Hood, a diversity and inclusion executive with Bank of America, moderated a “courageous conversation” designed to deepen understanding of these issues. It was a powerful moment to experience how all participants committed to the topic by being open and honest. This courageous conversation helped all participants challenge our own bias.
 
I am so fortunate to work for a company where the words diversity, equity and inclusion are real. This isn’t just the theme of the day or year for us… it is how we do business. At Bank of America, we recognize the potential of every employee by actively encouraging a diverse and inclusive workplace — in thought, style, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, culture and experience.
 
Being a diverse and inclusive company makes us strong and is essential to our ability to meet the needs of our clients, communities and employees. For all of us in the business community, focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion will strengthen our businesses as well as our region.
 
Bank of America Merrill Lynch was proud to partner with the Raleigh Chamber on this important event. These values align with our vision, and we are committed to moving these principles forward in the Triangle. 

We frequently hear about the growth we are experiencing in Wake County. Our county is growing by 64 people a day. But did you know that, of those 64 people, 11 are coming from foreign countries?

The impact of foreign direct investment on the Triangle cannot be understated. In just the last two years, foreign-owned firms created 4,167 new jobs and $393 million of investment in the Research Triangle. Those numbers increase to 17,000 new jobs and $5 billion of investment when you look at the last decade.

Knowing this, foreign direct investment is one of our key focuses. For the second year, we hosted The State of Foreign Direct Investment to learn how global connectivity encourages economic growth and makes us more competitive.

“Mid-sized firms that trade tend to be more competitive,” said Marek Gootman, a fellow and director of strategic partnerships and global initiatives at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.

Gootman was the keynote speaker of our event. He discussed the importance of regions in FDI.

“Regions have a central role in going global,” said Gootman. “Metros must integrate trade and FDI into mainstream economic development.”

Gootman moderated a panel discussion focusing on the future of FDI, including how local companies are positioning themselves globally to compete and grow on a global scale.

“We’ve been here for more than 20 years,” said Ron Kehler, vice president of global professional and specialty solutions with BASF. “Landing here was primarily related to research and development and the connections to the research universities here. The biotech area is very attractive here.”

Charles Vaillant, chief technology officer with MANN+HUMMEL, talked about the importance of collaboration in our area.

“The level of collaboration that is happening here today has not happened before,” he said.

Bob Messier, senior vice president of marketing and customer engagement with SAS Institute, discussed talent recruitment.

“Wherever people are coming from when they come here, they still need to feel connected to their culture,” he said.

Wake County Economic Development Executive Director Michael Haley closed the discussion with some key takeaways, including how any market has to take advantage of the assets it has.

“The international marketplace is here to stay for this region,” he said.

We want to thank all of our speakers for sharing their knowledge and perspectives with us. To learn more about the discussion from the event, please check out our official Twitter hashtag, #FDIForum19.

We also want to thank our platinum sponsor, Bank of America, and our silver sponsor, Triangle Business Journal, for their support to make this event possible.
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Please also join us on Aug. 9 at the Raleigh Convention Center for our Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity Conference 2019. Last year, this conference trended nationally on Twitter and we want to build on the momentum and conversation. You will learn tangible ways to advance DEI solutions in the workforce, workplace, and marketplace.

We’ve all likely done these drives at some point. Raleigh to D.C. Raleigh to Charlotte. For each, we know we’ll spend hours in the car.

Now imagine being able to get to D.C. in less than 30 minutes. Charlotte too.

That’s if a mid-Atlantic or southeast regional hyperloop would become a reality.

“When hours become minutes, it changes everything,” said Ryan Kelly, head of marketing and communications with Virgin Hyperloop One. “It impacts where you can live, where you can work.”

Hyperloop would transport people in a cargo pod through an electromagnetic propulsion system at speeds over 600 MPH for longer corridors. Within the Triangle, the pods could achieve speeds over 300 MPH between Raleigh and Durham.

Kelly spoke to the regional business community about the potential for hyperloop at the annual RTA Transportation Breakfast.

“The pod itself propels and then levitates off of a track,” he said. “We control the weather inside the tube so there is no turbulence.”

Kelly said the technology should not feel like science fiction.

“We are way behind on this,” he said. “No one in this room is going to say that investing in the train or the plane was a terrible idea.”

Kelly said it also would be a technology for everyone.

“We want this to be a mass transportation solution, so we want it to be priced appropriately,” he said.
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Joe Milazzo II, executive director of the Regional Transportation Alliance, discussed Hyperloop in his Thursday Thoughts at 3 blog:

“Hyperloop … would be transformational,” he wrote. “The ability to consistently get from Raleigh to another southeastern or mid-Atlantic region in under 30 minutes will completely change the way we think about metropolitan areas and, to some extent, the economic benefits of agglomeration.”

We want to thank Kelly and all of our speakers for sharing their insights on an exciting, new technology and its prospects for our region. The conversation generated a tremendous amount of interest and news coverage, including The News & Observer, Triangle Business Journal, WRAL, and WRAL TechWire. Nationally, TechCrunch, Cheddar, Gizmodo, Engadget, and TechSpot covered the conversation.

Our official event hashtag on Twitter, #RTABFAST19, was the top trending topic that morning in Raleigh and Greensboro and was the second most trending topic in Charlotte.

Please also mark your calendars for Jan. 17 and The State of Mobility 2020 – RTA 18th Annual Meeting. Hundreds of state and regional leaders will gather to hear the business community’s perspectives on transportation trends and progress in the Triangle. That event will be from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Raleigh-Durham/Research Triangle. We look forward to seeing you there!

By Spencer Lazzari
​VP of Operations
Proforma BrandCentric Solutions

The Young Professionals Network is an opportunity to meet people from all different kinds of industries. Recently, we’ve heard from several team members of CALYX Engineers and Consultants about their impressions of YPN events. We were delighted to hear what YPN has meant to them. Check it out below.

“YPN has offered a new and diverse avenue to meet and network with business professionals that are typically not in the network for engineers. The wide variety of programing and speakers at YPN events is also a refreshing change to the normal engineering seminars and conferences. Seeing and hearing lessons learned from some of Raleigh’s best business successes has allowed me to view my own engineering career and development in a new light.” – Chris Johnson, PE, Building Structures Project Manager 

“I’ve enjoyed the three YPN events I have attended thus far. My daily routine keeps me hunkered down in my cubicle while I’m busy designing. As I grow professionally, I find myself engaging in more interaction with others. The YPN events are giving me some great no-pressure opportunities to practice my networking skills. I felt a little uncomfortable approaching people at the first event because it was a different environment than I have grown accustomed to. By my third event, I felt completely at ease walking up to random people and introducing myself. I realized I had a lot more in common with the other professionals than I expected. The presentations at the events are filled with useful information that helps me be informed with current business trends. I look forward to attending again in the future.” – Caleb Robinson, Land Development Designer

“As a project manager for CALYX, I attend a fair amount of social events for work. By attending the YPN Conference and breakout sessions at the Convention Center, I have learned to use those events more efficiently to create and develop networking opportunities. I also enjoyed the real estate YPN event as I was in the process of buying a new house. Needless to say, both YPN events I’ve attended so far have been very relevant and useful to me.” – Dan Hesington, PE, Building Structures Project Manager
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As you can see, Raleigh YPN has value for all. No matter your position, be sure to register and attend our upcoming YPN programs!