Greater Raleigh Chamber Blog

Be bold, be courageous, be your best. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say Thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 7 who collaborated with Note in the Pocket. This nonprofit provides clothing to students identified by various schools and social service agencies in Wake County. Note in the Pocket works with Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) social workers and case managers from 12 other agencies, including Family Promise of Wake County (formerly Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network), The Salvation Army, The Carying Place, and Communities in Schools, that serve the homeless and impoverished. Project Team 7 developed an event that would support families by providing and collecting clothing for those in need.
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Congratulations Project Team 7 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Laveda Joseph, Wake Technical Community College

Afrika Williams, LCI

Katherine Carlton, Investors Management Corporation

Taylor Holloway, Strategic Behavioral Health, LLC

Stephen Kenney, Kenney Properties, Inc.

Brett Malone, North Carolina FC Youth

When you leave here, don’t forget why you came. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 6 who collaborated with The Tammy Lynn Center. This nonprofit empowers individuals of all abilities to help them live their fullest life. TLC's work benefits children, adults, and families through a diverse range of on-site and community-based programs, including educational services, respite care, early childhood intervention, autism therapies, community living support, and residential living. Project Team 6 hopes to continue to raise awareness about this nonprofit, so that their mission and needs are brought to light. This golf tournament will go towards helping the Tammy Lynn Center.
 
Congratulations Project Team 6 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Matt Choplin, PWM of NC

​Kelly Monroe, Skanska USA Building, Inc

Heather Brewer, Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities

Frantz Flora McNeill, York Properties, Inc.

Syreeta Hargrove, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Toni Lockett, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Ashlie Thompson, Wake County Public School System

​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

Surround yourself with doers. Be around people who demonstrate their boldness. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 5 who collaborated with The Blood Connection. This team decided to organize a community event for The Blood Connection to increase their visibility and create a model for them to continue to make a larger impact locally. Unfortunately, COVID prevented them from hosting the event, but the group continues to promote The Blood Connection’s work in their circle of influence and hopes they can still put on the event post-LR 40 graduation. The work doesn't stop just because they graduated. And that's why LR is so important.

Congratulations Project Team 5 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Hannah Lipstone, KPMG LLP

Christopher Battles, Shanahan Law Group, PLLC

Rodney Faulk, City of Raleigh

Paul Hammersley, First National Bank

Davis Johnston, Foundry Commercial

Michelle Adel, First Citizens Bank

Kayla Strampe, DHIC, Inc.

​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

No, sky is not the limit. It is only the beginning. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.
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Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 4 who completed their project with The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education.  This team decided to develop a project around bullying and mental health because of the systemic issue it has become. No one or nowhere is safe anymore, even cyber bullying. There has to not only be awareness but empowering someone to see it and say something about it to stop it. We intend to spread awareness and provide Youth Mental Health First Aid training for both of these issues by the amazing Rebecca Wheeler through The Alice Aycock Poe Center. This training will teach individuals how to help those experiencing mental health challenges or crises and empower those to see something and say something to stop bullying at the front line.

Congratulations Project Team 4 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Charles Davis, Poyner Spruill LLP

Zach Hall, Balfour Beatty Construction

Amanda Latham, AML Consulting, LLC

Julie Smith, NC State University

Manoj Bhatia, Ultimate Storage Company

John Rash, Clark Nexsen

​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 3. This group collaborated with the NC Museum of Art. Project Team 3 team helped design and gather resources to build and maintain a community garden at the NCMA. While the project has not been implemented by the NCMA yet, we hope that this garden will bring people from all occupations together to garden, gather, learn, and form friendships. The garden was designed to facilitate all this alongside the beautiful outdoor art that NCMA provides.
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Congratulations Project Team 3 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Donna Gaskin, MetLife

Diesha Banner, Toast It Up!

Walter Gray, MS Consultants, Inc.

Allyson Kuegel, Citrix

Lynn Percival, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

James Pratt, CLA

Anthony Vellozzi, Choate Construction Co.

​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 2. This group collaborated with Tables for Hope, along with Boy Scouts of America and The Green Chair Project. Project Team 2 helped folks feel a sense of belonging and "home". By working with students in a boy scout troop associated with the Muslim American Society, we were able to create that sense of "home" for six families in the area by building (from scratch!) six dining room tables to be donated to The Green Chair Project. It is our hope that our goal was realized not only by the people who received those tables, but also by the students and troop leaders who worked together to build them.

Congratulations Project Team 2 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Cody Ball, HH Architecture

Patricia Glidewell, Bernard Robinson & Co. LLP

Leland Hyer, Durham Public Schools

Brieanna Myers, North Carolina FC

Andrew Sims, Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors

Emily Jeske, Bosquez Porter Family Law 

Tom Clancy, Clancy & Theys Construction Company

​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

Graduation isn’t the end of a tough journey. It is the beginning of a beautiful one. Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 40, Project Team 1. This group collaborated with A Place at the Table, an organization dedicated to providing community and good food for all regardless of means. Project Team 1 worked with A Place at the Table to expand their corporate sponsorship reach, increase their visibility in the community, and make the business run more efficiently with three marketing toolkits we created. This toolkit will help A Place at the Table to grow their personal and corporate sponsorship and volunteer programs. We also created an internal guide for training new employees and volunteers and dispersing the “How to Start a Pay What You Can Café” toolkit to people looking to start a non-profit or pay-what-you-can cafe.

​Congratulations Project Team 1 for your outstanding work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Carrie Chandler, Genworth Mortgage Insurance

Jessica Holt, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau

Caitlyn Kinnaird, JLL

Neal Seigler, Duke Raleigh Hospital

Kallie Walker, Kane Realty Corporation

Cherith Roberson, Wake Technical Community College

Mary Skinner, PNC

Audrey Krenitsky, JDavis

​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

“Behind you now is yesterday; let your experience and knowledge pave the way.” Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year, we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today, we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 39, Project Team 7. This group collaborated with Rebuilding Together of the Triangle, an organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing home repair and renovation services free of charge to those in need. Rebuilding Together of the Triangle (RTT) is the local affiliate, serving vulnerable homeowners in Wake, Durham, Orange, and Chatham counties. Team 7 helped expand the database for Rebuilding Together of the Triangle with experienced construction volunteers. More volunteers means they can get more work done in the future.

Congratulations Project Team 7 for your hard work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

John Holton, Williams Mullen

Michael Lutz, Barnhill Contracting Co., Inc

Adrianne Moody, United Way of the Greater Triangle

Amie Sivon, Ragsdale Liggett PLLC

Erin Smith, BAERING

​Debbie Wilkinson, Wells Fargo

Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.

A FAST Vision for the Triangle

Since its inception, the Regional Transportation Alliance has focused on delivering business leadership to get our region moving faster.

Recently, RTA held its 2020 Transportation Breakfast. This year’s event went virtual due to the pandemic. Even though the business community was not able to gather in person, it didn’t slow the goal of getting our region moving faster.

“RTA is funding two ongoing studies with the goal of enhancing transit,” said Joe Milazzo II, RTA executive director.

The regional business community wants to thank all of the panelists for speaking, as well as the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina for their partnership as the presenting sponsor of the RTA Transportation Breakfast. We also want to thank all of RTA’s members for their continued support and engagement.

You can download the full event presentation via letsgetmoving.org/breakfast.
 
FAST study

“The first study, funded by the regional business community, in concert with great partners NCDOT and GoTriangle, is to create a Freeway And Street-based Transit network, or FAST network,” Milazzo noted.

This project would link our region, complement upcoming bus rapid transit investments, and connect with RDU Airport, as well as future commuter rail.

At the Transportation Breakfast, we heard from representatives of VHB, the lead consultant for the FAST Study.

“The purpose of this study is to accelerate the movement of transit in this region,” said Taruna Tayal, VHB project manager. “This study will capitalize on the great work that’s already been done.”

The FAST Study would include low-cost improvements on freeways, including transit bypasses of future on-ramp signals and expansion of the region’s bus on shoulder system (BOSS).

“On the street level, the main tools that we have include traffic-signal priority that extends the green time to allow buses to avoid stopping at a signal,” said Don Bryson, VHB principal-in-charge. “There also are queue jump lanes that allow a bus to get around a stack of vehicles waiting at a red light, or RED transit lanes that provide priority to buses.”

The concept includes illustrative corridors serving Raleigh, Cary, Garner, RDU Airport, RTP, Durham, Chapel Hill, and other communities.

There is a public comment period on the FAST Study until Aug. 31. Please submit your comments to [email protected].

Zero Fare pilot

The second study is to advance the next zero fare pilot for transit in our region.

RTA commissioned HDR to perform that study and several HDR representatives also spoke at the Transportation Breakfast.

“Zero fare reduces travel costs for users,” said Jorge Luna, HDR senior transit planner and project manager. “It also enhances equity, increases ridership, and improves accessibility and economic competitiveness.”

“Ridership goes up 20-30%,” said Patrick McDonough, HDR senior transit planner. “There are higher travel speeds because people aren’t fumbling through money when they get on the bus to pay for their ride.”

He said that some areas across the country are covering the lost fare revenue with sales tax revenue.

Both acknowledged there are challenges, including the pandemic, which limits ridership on most buses to 10-16 people.

Options to expand the study include zero fare weekends for GoRaleigh, GoDurham, and GoTriangle, as well as either zero fare weekends or seven-day zero fares for GoCary.

Milazzo said RTA believes a pilot along the lines of consultant recommendations has promise, but said transit partners are not ready yet for it given constraints related to the pandemic and funding concerns.

RTA will launch a follow-up study.

“We’ll continue to elevate the conversation regionally,” said Milazzo.

There also is a comment period for this study through the end of August.
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Anyone with comments on the zero fare pilot initiative should email [email protected].

“Surround yourself with doers. Be around people who demonstrate their boldness.” Congratulations on completing your Leadership Raleigh program. You are forever a member of our Leadership Raleigh Alumni Association. We hope you had a fantastic year despite these challenging times. This year, we want to say thank you for your tenacity and dedication to the program. One unique aspect of Leadership Raleigh is the project team element. Each participant is placed in a project team based on his or her background and experience.

Today, we are highlighting our Leadership Raleigh 39, Project Team 6. This group collaborated with Marbles Kids Museum, an organization that serves a diverse population of families, school groups and community organizations with dozens of themed exhibits, summer camps, IMAX documentary and feature movies, and special events year-round. Marbles has the capacity to host sophisticated corporate events, weddings, and other gatherings in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Team 6 had planned to help it gather market intelligence and connect it with people who could use its space. Hopefully, it will be able to reopen its doors in the near future.

Congratulations Project Team 6 for your hard work and completion of Leadership Raleigh!

Clark Abbott, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Tiffany Burba, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Sarah Heminuk, Haven House Services

Gina Miller, Nationwide Insurance

Paul Pierron, Gilbane Building Company

Richard Slater, McAdams

Heath Tripp, Smith Anderson Law Firm

​​Applications are now available for our next Leadership Raleigh class here. Please note that these are due back to Des Burton  by 5 p.m. on Aug. 14.