Change is all around us. Disruption and reinvention are key to our present and our future. If you ask Ted Abernathy about the future, he’ll talk with you about trends. “Trends are changing every job and every industry,” he said. Abernathy, the managing partner of Economic Leadership LLC, was the keynote speaker at our Economic Development Forum, taking a closer look at what the Triangle will be like in 20 years. Economic Leadership LLC is a consultancy that is currently working in more than a dozen states to develop economic and workforce strategies. “Dozens and dozens of trends are impacting how we do business every day,” said Abernathy. He said four trends, in particular are impacting everything, including the business community:
Twenty years ago, Abernathy told the audience at the forum, our region created the first 13-county strategic plan, focusing on priority growth opportunities. Today, we are seeing the impact of that plan. As we look to 20 years in the future, Abernathy said our area is going to become even more regional. “We are going to need to connect all these communities that are growing,” he said. Abernathy also discussed how a focus on the talent pipeline is critical. “We can’t get enough talent,” he said. “Every one of your businesses is driven by that.” The cost of childcare also is beginning to have an impact on the talent pipeline, said Abernathy. “It’s expensive to have children and fewer millennials are having children,” he said. He discussed how, as time goes on, that impacts the talent pipeline. Abernathy encouraged the audience to keep adapting. “All over the region, people are thinking about new ideas,” he said. “The question is how we will put them into practice?” We want to thank Abernathy for giving us a clearer picture of what the future could have in store. His address and all the discussion at the forum generated a lot of interest on social media as our official Twitter hashtag, #EDForum19, was the top trending topic in Raleigh the morning of the event. And, thank you to our panel speakers:
Please also register for our Summer Leadership Conference, coming up June 25 – 26 at Pinehurst Resort. Following the Economic Development Forum discussion about the importance of the talent pipeline, we will discuss how to cultivate that pipeline during our Summer Leadership Conference. Register and find out more about what else to expect on our Summer Leadership Conference event page.
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![]() By Sejal Patel IQVIA To say Leadership Raleigh Class 37 has come full circle is an understatement. Many of us remember our first day of class which focused on Quality of Life. That day we had the opportunity to hear from some of Raleigh’s biggest developers and go behind the scenes on how they have contributed to Raleigh’s growth over the years. We heard about their successes, their failures, but most importantly how much local government impacted their business. I remember many of our classmates looking forward to this day to hear from our local government leaders and get their point of view. So the day finally came, and it was definitely jam packed. Our day started with a tour of one of Raleigh’s most ambitious projects to date, Dix Park. On July 24, 2015, the City of Raleigh purchased the Dorothea Dix Campus from the State of North Carolina for the purpose of developing a destination park. As stated above, the planning and development of Dorothea Dix Park represents one of the most exciting and ambitious new park projects in America. Our tour covered the history of the buildings, land, and legacy of Dorothea Dix, the current use of the area as the headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services and the steps the City will take in planning a future park. The city’s motto for this park is “A Park for Everyone, Built by Everyone.” The Master Plan process was governed by a community-led, multi-tier structure. On February 19, 2019, the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan was adopted unanimously by Raleigh City Council. This was an important and exciting milestone for everyone in this community. I think we can all say we are excited about this project and the impact it will have in Raleigh for years to come. For more information and upcoming summer activities schedule visit: https://dorotheadixpark.org/ Our next stop on the day was the Wake County Justice Center. Our new Justice Center opened in 2013 and has 19 courtrooms with space for four more in the future. We first started with a County/City Manager Panel. Our panelists were Wake County Manager David Ellis, Raleigh City Manager Ruffin Hall, and Town of Cary Mayor Pro Tem Lori Bush. They all provided insight on their day-to-day activities, how much collaboration is involved between the cities and Wake County, and how local government is so important to our day-to-day lives. Many people focus on the national government and don’t realize that many of the policies that affect our daily lives start at the local level. I remember hearing the same thing during the Quality Of Life day and since then I have made a conscious effort to follow local politics and find ways that I can get involved. The first place to start change is to talk to our local leaders! After our panel discussion, we participated in a Q&A session with Judge Jefferson Griffin. Judge Griffin was born and raised in Red Oak, N.C. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and then graduated from North Carolina Central School of Law. He also serves as a First Lieutenant in the North Carolina Army National Guard as a JAG Officer. Currently, Judge Griffin is a district court judge for the 10th Judicial District, serving Wake County. Judge Griffin provided insight on how the Justice Center is set up and the daily life of a judge. He currently is presiding over cases in family court and it was very interesting to learn about his judicial philosophy and how he goes about judging cases. ![]() From the Justice Center we walked over to the Stockroom for lunch, followed by a budgeting exercise. We listened to a presentation on how government budgets are created and passed. The process takes a long time and includes many stakeholders. There is a lot of back and forth as everyone wants to get their projects funded. We then were split into teams and given an exercise to create and fund our own budgets based on certain parameters. It was a very informative exercise and was cool to see how each group allocated their budgets and what people felt was important to fund. Our next stop of the day was the Legislative Building, where all the magic happens! There was a tour planned, as well as a General Assembly panel, but both houses were in session and were voting on the budget so our plans changed. We were able to sit in the gallery of both the houses and see them debate on the floor for various bills and amendments. There is a lot going on at the same time and things can definitely get heated. Everyone has their views and when there are hot-button topics the debate can go on for a long time. Since the houses were in session, we ended up doing the panel with some of their young staffers. We learned some history about the building, their day-to-day life, and some of the upcoming bills on the slate. We did get Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, (D – Wake County), to stop by for a few minutes during a break to talk to us and give some insight which was great. I wish we would have gotten some one-on-one time with more representatives and senators because I know our class had many questions from our day with the developers earlier this year. But this whole afternoon showed how the government works. Things are constantly in motion and can change at any given minute. Our last stop of the day was happy hour at Norris House. Norris House is a beautiful house in downtown Raleigh that has been restored and available for private parties and special events. Definitely check them out if you are in downtown. https://www.norris-house.com/ What a fantastic year with all the classmates. I hope all of you have valued this once in a lifetime experience as much as I have. Over the last year, I have learned so much about Raleigh and plan on getting involved and making an impact. I enjoyed getting to know all of you over the last year and hope we can all stay in touch. Thanks to David and Jackie for their support over the last year as well. Lastly, I am looking forward to seeing everyone at graduation and celebrating. For those who can’t make it, let’s definitely keep in touch. Cheers :) Stephen De May remembers the lessons that his father taught him.
He remembers growing up on Long Island, when his father would take him to see the World Trade Center being built. De May also remembers what his father told him. “My dad told me whatever job you have, do it the best way that you can because the cream always rises to the top,” he said. His father’s lessons helped shape the leader that he has become as the North Carolina president of Duke Energy. “My father taught me open mindedness,” said De May. “He craved the viewpoints of others.” De May spoke at our May C-Suite Perspectives at the Embassy Suites Raleigh-Durham/Research Triangle. He moved to North Carolina nearly four decades ago when he arrived as a student at UNC-Chapel Hill. “I never moved back to New York,” said De May. He and his wife bought their first house in Raleigh and got their first jobs in Raleigh, as well. “It was our launching pad,” said De May. As he worked his way up the corporate ladder at Duke Energy, De May always sought out different perspectives and possibilities. After all, that is what his father had told him all those years ago. He completed an advanced management program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The program made De May realize that successful leaders should “take comfort in their own style.” “Look for attributes that are admirable from other leaders, but realize that you can have your own style,” he said. De May said he realized his purpose was to help the individuals in his care achieve their objectives and to navigate them to success. “It’s how can I help the team around me be the most successful,” he said. “Hire good people, make them accountable, and make them better. Invest in people. Invest in their development.” We want to thank De May for sharing his valuable insight and perspectives with us. You can check out more of the conversation with De May through our official Twitter hashtag for C-Suite Perspectives, #CSuitePers. Thank you, also, to all of the sponsors of C-Suite Perspectives. Without your support and partnership, this series would not be possible. Be sure to mark June 21 on your calendar for our next C-Suite Perspectives. There, you will hear from Tom Greco, the president and chief executive officer of Advance Auto Parts. In November 2018, Advance Auto Parts announced it would be moving its corporate headquarters to Raleigh, bringing 435 new jobs and marking the first Fortune 500 company to call Wake County home. We’re excited to have Greco share his perspectives with us. By Spencer Lazzari
Vice President of Operations, Proforma BrandCentric Solutions Last Friday, the Raleigh Young Professionals Network held its biannual service day. This year, members assisted groups such as the North Carolina Museum of Art, Read and Feed, and Marbles Kids Museum. The day started off at Carolina Café in Cameron Village. YPN members were able to get some coffee, pick up a special t-shirt, as well as chat with fellow volunteers. This was a great networking opportunity, and allowed members to meet each other before starting for the day. Once everyone had their fill of caffeine, members dispersed to their respective events. Attendees did tasks ranging from ranking and composting, to tying glitter-filled balloons. In a poll of members who attended, many enjoyed the personal satisfaction of volunteering, as well as meeting fellow YPN members. Several members learned more about the causes they chose to assist, and at least one member even expressed an interest in volunteering with their cause more in the future. At the end of the morning, members reconvened at Morgan Street Food Hall for lunch. This gave everyone the opportunity to further network, and try some great local restaurants. All in all, it was a phenomenal event. Next time you feel like giving back, be sure to join forces with YPN for an awesome experience. |
AuthorGreater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Archives
January 2025
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