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The Raleigh Chamber is committed to helping women advance their careers during Women’s History Month and all year long. On May 23, the Chamber will host amazing women in leadership at our annual Women’s Leadership Conference, presented by PNC. 

Attendees Can Learn from Several of the Breakout Sessions Below:

The Art of Actively Managing Your Career
Discover and understand your leadership style to achieve success as your authentic self!
 
A Courageous Mindset
Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Learn how to develop a courageous mindset of success from an NC Courage player!
 
Curating Your Own Board of Advisors
Learn how to invest in your own Board of Advisors/Accountability Group through networking, fostering relationships, and curating a diversity of thought with various genders, ages, races, and management levels.
 
Growing Together: Negotiating Talent Retention
Learn strategies to negotiate talent retention and discuss the wants, expectations, and communication tactics of businesses and employees.

Feedback is a G.I.F.T.
G.I.F.T. Given with permission, Intent is for growth, For the person, not about the person, Targeted for success. If you want to grow professionally, learn how to receive, give, and ask for feedback.

“Quiet Hiring”
The concept of “Quiet Hiring” and its impact on professional women - instead of making new hires, employers give more work to an existing employee and typically this person is a woman.

• What is it?
• How to recognize it.
• How to have a conversation about it with your leader.
• What to prioritize and what to pause.
• The economics behind it.
• How to leverage it.

This year’s Women’s Leadership Conference will bring established business leaders who support women in the workplace into the conversation. Attendees will receive tools, tactics, and inspiration to build a more equitable, fulfilling future for themselves and others. Check our event page for additional content and speakers.

Happy Women’s History Month! We hope you will continue to celebrate and empower women with us this May at the 2023 Women’s Leadership Conference: Envision & Achieve!
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Leadership Raleigh: Health & Human Services Day
Sponsored by Barnhill Contracting Company, Catering Works, and Skanska USA Building

Written By Sloane Heffernan

We put our finger on the pulse of Raleigh during the Leadership Raleigh March class focused on Health & Human Services.
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The day began with a behind-the-scenes tour of PNC Arena from Jeff Merritt, Executive Director at Centennial Authority/PNC Arena. He shared the history and highlights of the arena in this VIP tour where the class got a spectacular bird’s eye view from the press box and stood in the backstage loading dock where amazing athletes and performers traverse before walking onto the stage. Merritt shared some of the unique requests his team had received from musicians who perform at PNC, such as Elton John reportedly asking for a separate room for his bobble-head collection!

We also learned that PNC Arena hosted its largest crowd (20,053) when Metallica came to Raleigh. The arena plays a big role in the economic health of the region. Merritt shared that 46% of the arena visitors are from outside the Raleigh area and fill an estimated 200-thousand rooms annually. The hospitality tax collected from those visitors helps financially support the arena. We also got the scoop on an exciting renovation project planned for PNC arena that includes opening a section to create a space for eating and drinking with a 360-degree view of the action.

Leadership Raleigh Class 46 then traveled to All Faiths Chapel at Dix Park for an engaging panel entitled: Hospital Leadership Forum - Where We’ve Been and What’s Next. It focused on the challenges, priorities, and needs in our healthcare systems. Representatives from Wake Med, Duke Raleigh Hospital, and UNC Rex Healthcare shared the struggles they face, from staffing shortages to the mental health crisis. We learned more about a new behavioral health hospital and the pending Medicaid expansion that should help improve care in our region.

Following the panel, we participated in a powerful Community Action Poverty Simulation led by Marisa Bryant, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Public School Forum of North Carolina and proud supporter of the Junior League of Raleigh. Each of us was assigned a persona and different life situations for the exercise where we faced unique circumstances, from being homeless to raising grandchildren while on disability. It was an eye-opening experience that made many of us realize the immense stress and difficult decisions that people in poverty face each and every day. We learned that 92-thousand people live in poverty in Wake County, 18% of those who live in poverty are children, and the average wait for federally subsidized housing in Wake County is four to seven years.

Executive Director of Dix Park for the City of Raleigh, Kate Pearce, then guided our Leadership Raleigh class on a walking tour of Dix Park land and facilities. Pearce was a walking historian reciting stories from Dix’s past as a plantation and psychiatric hospital. It was exciting to hear how the history will be incorporated into the future park with the Cultural Interpretive Plan. The first major park restoration project is the massive $62 million dollar playground, Gipson Play Plaza, that has been designed by a German company known for putting the “play” in playgrounds.

We ended the walking tour at the lovely Flowers Cottage at Dix Park. The cottage porch has one of the best views of the downtown Raleigh skyline and was a great location to end the day with networking and snacks. One thing we all agreed on? The pulse of the city has never been stronger!

For over 54 years, Leadership Raleigh has provided business and community leaders with the opportunity to discover the Triangle Region while making a lasting impact as a part of their project teams. Each team is responsible for supporting their chosen non-profit and they would love your help to make a difference! Check out a few of the projects below and see how you can get involved.
 
Leadership Raleigh Class 45 Projects:
 
Oak City Cares Birthday Bash
Thursday, April 13 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Maywood Hall and Gardens, located at 626 Maywood Ave., Raleigh NC 27603
Tickets are $35, which includes food and beverage tickets. The event will also feature a raffle with some exciting prizes from local businesses - raffle tickets available for purchase on site.
To join us, purchase your event ticket here.
For more information, contact Erica Boles at erica.boles@gmail.com.
 
Frankie Lemmon’s Gettin’ Piggy With It with Lawrence Barbecue & Friends
Sunday, May 21 | Noon – 6 p.m.
Maywood Hall and Gardens, located at 626 Maywood Ave. Raleigh, NC 27603
To join us, purchase your event ticket here after April 19.
For more information, contact Austin Wiser at Austin@frankielemmonschool.org.
 
Leadership Raleigh Class 46 Projects:
 
Note in the Pocket’s 10th Annual Socks & Undie 5K Rundie Run/Walk
Saturday, April 22 | 9 a.m. Kids Fun Run + 9:30 a.m. 5K
Note in the Pocket, located at 4730 Hargrove Road, Raleigh, NC 27616
To support or join us, visit our team page here.
For more information, contact Melanie Hawley at melanie.hawley@littleonline.com.
 
12th Annual bEARTHday Celebration
Saturday, April 22 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Raleigh City Farm, located at 800 N. Blount St., Raleigh, NC 27604
To support or join us, visit the event page here.
For more information, contact Heather Gately at hlgately@ncsu.edu.
 
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Saturday, June 3 & Saturday, June 17
Help deliver 20 beds for kids that need them, adults only please.
To help support, visit our team page here.
For more information, contact Megan Loftin at Megan.Loftin@captrust.com.
 
We hope to see you at several of these exciting community events! To learn more about the Raleigh Chamber’s Leadership Raleigh program visit our website and/or sign up for one of two upcoming information sessions on March 23 and April 12. 

Participants Include:

Small Business Development Team, City of Raleigh
Mark Weldon, Small Business Economic Development Leader
Carl Brooks, Small Business Development Coordinator
Ferdinand Rouse, Small Business Development Coordinator
Hanna Hemphill, Small Business & Workforce Development
 
Carolina Small Business Development Fund
Kevin Dick, President, and Chief Executive Officer
Lori Diaz, VP of Business Solutions
Ellysa Smith, Human Resource Director
 
The Wright Village
Mel Wright, Founder and CEO
 
Black Dollar NC  
Johnny Hackett, Jr., Chief Executive Officer at The Black Dollar Corp.
 
Wake Tech Small Business
Chris Weeks, Director of Entrepreneurship
 
Minority Women Business Enterprise, City of Raleigh
Lakesha Shaw MWBE Program Manager
Alisha Puckett, MWBE Coordinator
Maria Torres, MWBE Coordinator
 
U.S. Small Business Association
Eileen Joyce, Lead Economic Development Specialist US Small Business Administration   

Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
Janet Potter, General Manager/Senior Vice President
Marc Dinitz, Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Dr. Torri A. Staton, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity, Raleigh Chamber
       Director of Equitable Economic Development, Wake County Economic Development
Serenia Parsons, Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity Program Coordinator
Mary Kubeny, Content Manager
Jackie Huitt, Vice President of Membership
Shanita Robinson, Membership Engagement Director

Written by:
Sloane Heffernan
Leadership Raleigh Class 46

​The February class day, sponsored by Brasfield & Gorrie, was focused on education and talent in our thriving community. Raleigh consistently tops national lists of best places to live, work, and play. With more companies and jobs coming to the Triangle, it will be crucial to have a skilled workforce - and that begins with education.
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The class began with a panel and tour of The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education. The mission of the Poe Center for Health Education is to educate and empower North Carolina children, youth, and their families to make choices that increase positive health behaviors. The panel focused on School Community Partnerships and included speakers from the Boys & Girls Club of Wake County, WakeEd Partnership, Communities in Schools of Wake County, District C, and a District Career Development Specialist from Wake County Public Schools. The panel discussed the challenges facing our children today, and the necessary skills they will need to be successful in the future. They also shared the importance of teaching “durable” skills (ie: critical thinking, collaboration, sourcing different ideas) to create value for businesses.
 
We were reminded that it takes a village when Heather Brosz White, Director of Government Foundation for the Boys and Girls Club said, “We need to take responsibility for our county’s children.”
 
Our next stop was the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence at Wake Tech. The state-of-the-art facility that opened last year allows the college to triple the number of students in it’s automotive systems technology program and add a new degree program in collision repair. They are also launching a program for Electric Vehicles. The panel discussed Building Tomorrow’s Talent Pipeline. It’s been said that the road to job opportunity runs through Wake Tech. We learned that 75% of Wake Tech students are from Wake County, and the average age of a student is between 26 and 27 years old. We also learned about the WakeWorks Apprenticeship Program where students attend Wake Tech for free, get a paid apprenticeship, and typically land a job when the program is done. Dr. Scott Ralls, President of Wake Tech, said 93% of apprenticeship program participants stay in their roles three to five years post program completion.

Our final stop of the day was at NC State’s newly redesigned Talley Center, for a panel about The Business & Politics of Public Education. We learned about the history of the public school system and how local and state lawmakers work together to shape policy and budgets for education.
 
Key takeaways from the experiences this month are focused on two items 1) Education Challenges and 2) Workforce Development.
 
Educational Challenges
There are limited resources and competing demands in public education. Teacher pay, recruitment, and retention were brought up as big concerns. We learned that while 90% of public school expenditures are spent on teacher salaries and benefits, our teachers are still paid below the national average but a raise of just one percent would cost $60 million. North Carolina has received about $6 billion in Covid Relief Funds for public education and it is still unclear how the money will be spent.
 
Workforce Development
It’s exciting to hear the news of companies coming and expanding in the Triangle. How do we fill those jobs with people who already call North Carolina home? Whether it is a tech job or a trade job, there are big opportunities on the horizon. Education and a talented workforce will be key factors to driving future success for our community.

Record a short video on your phone telling us who your favorite Black historical figure is and why. After you record, simply drop your file in this link.

The Raleigh Chamber is proud to celebrate Minority Entrepreneur Day and encourage the Triangle community to support their locally owned minority businesses and business owners.

"We are committed to sustaining and developing a thriving economy and quality of life in our region for everyone. We hope the community will join us in celebrating the contributions of minority-owned businesses and supporting the 15% of minority-owned small businesses in Raleigh and beyond." - Adrienne Cole, President and CEO

Not sure how to celebrate and support? We can help!

• Shop at a minority-owned business - locally and online
• Give a shoutout to a minority small business entrepreneur on social media
• Offer your support services at a reduced rate or free for a minority-owned business
• Invest time or funds in a local minority-owned business or startup
• Share our Small Business Resource Guide
• Save the date for Triangle Small Business Week 2023: April 30 – May 6

The Raleigh Chamber has a mission to create a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable business climate that encourages job growth, workforce development, and economic prosperity. By recognizing Minority Entrepreneur Day, we hope everyone will take the time to appreciate the unique challenges in money, management, and market that continue to affect these entrepreneurs in the marketplace.
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Learn more about supporting diversity, equity, and inclusivity in Raleigh, Wake County, and the Triangle region at www.triangledei.org. 

Are you looking to make a meaningful difference at your Chamber and in your community? Do you want to become a part of something larger than yourself and connect with like-minded business professionals? Become a 2023 President’s Circle volunteer with the Raleigh Chamber and join the ranks of our influential network.
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As business developers, networkers, executives, and C-suite professionals, you know how important it is to build professional relationships, invest in your professional development, and lead others. As the Raleigh Chamber's annual total resource development campaign, the President’s Circle is an important part of the Chamber's mission and programming - funding 20% of the Chamber’s operating budget and raising over $37.5 million since 1995 to support the Chamber. 

​The President's Circle is now seeking volunteers to help make this year’s campaign a success. From February through June, more than 80 volunteers from over 60 companies will take part in this campaign by selling memberships, sponsorships for upcoming events, and affiliated memberships to Young Professionals Network, Triangle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Alliance, Innovate Raleigh, and Regional Transportation Alliance.
Volunteers will be asked to make connections, utilize their networks, and set up sales presentations with provided resources. This is a great opportunity to get involved with the Chamber, expand your business relationships, and give back to the community!

As a volunteer, you’ll gain knowledge, expertise, and access to resources that will help you make an even bigger impact in your own industry, your local economy, your Chamber, and your local community.
Other Benefits of Volunteering for the 2023 President’s Circle Include:

• Networking at events with local leaders from young professionals to C-level executives, including the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee
• Recognition within the Chamber and your company
• Developing community leadership skills
• Expanding your network of business professionals in the Triangle
• Offering your clients, vendors, and business contacts an impactful new marketing venue
• Building a successful Chamber that gives back to the community
• Incentives, prizes, and a surprise destination five-day trip for two for top fundraisers

Learn more and join us in our mission of increasing economic prosperity by becoming a 2023 President’s Circle member today!

If you are interested in volunteering for the Raleigh Chamber's 2023 President’s Circle, please contact Jackie Huitt, Vice President of Membership Engagement, at jhuitt@raleighchamber.org. We are looking forward to working with you!

The Raleigh Chamber is committed to connecting our members with the essential resources presented at this event, whether you were able to join us or not. If you missed it, you can watch the livestream now on WRAL and find all the speakers’ presentations here.

• Ted Abernathy, Managing Partner, Economic Leadership, LLC
• Christopher Chung, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
• Jeronica Goodwin, DHA, Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Chief People Officer, WakeMed Health & Hospitals
• Sarah House, Senior Economist and Director, Wells Fargo
• Brian Leary, Chief Operating Officer, Highwoods Properties, Inc.
• Scot Wingo, CEO and Co-Founder, Spiffy

Attendees at Launch 2023 had an incredible opportunity to network with more than 300 executives, professionals, and elected officials at the post-program reception. We also collected new and gently used winter coats and accessories for the Coats for the Children Campaign, WRAL’s major community campaign benefiting the Salvation Army to support families in need at this year’s event.

Join us at our next signature event, the annual Community Success Forum on Wednesday, Feb. 15. You will hear regional leaders and local professionals engage in collaborative discussions around creating a strong, inclusive work culture with best practices in talent recruitment and retention, and hear from keynote speaker Ron Hetrick, Senior Labor Economist and VP of Staffing Product at Emsi Burning Glass. Register now on our website

Written by:
Sloane Heffernan
Leadership Raleigh Class 46

Leadership Raleigh took us to new heights during our December Quality of Life & Place class day sponsored by AECOM, Highwoods Properties, and Wetherill Engineering. Class 46 traveled by bus, train, and elevator to get an exciting glimpse into the future of transit, transportation, and affordability across the Triangle.

First stop, Raleigh Union Station. We boarded Amtrak for a swift and scenic ride to Cary where we strolled through the quaint and decorated downtown to the charming Mayton Inn. If you are looking for a romantic staycation, this is the place!

Rachel Pair, Leadership Raleigh Alumni and the Mayton Inn’s General Manager hosted us for coffee and conversation on how Cary is one of the “Fastest Growing Cities in the South”. Ted Boyd of the Town of Cary, Mark Lawson from the Cary Chamber of Commerce, and Shannon Flaherty of Amtrak shared insights on Cary’s governance culture and how Cary is working to become a multi-use transportation center that will connect western Wake County. Once back on the bus, Christina Coffey from Lee & Associates led us on a driving tour of the vast development and proposed development around downtown Cary’s core.

We were extremely grateful that Crosstown Pub & Grill then opened their space to us for a delicious lunch of sandwiches, burgers, and salads. From Cary, we headed to the future site of Kings Ridge and were welcomed by CASA NC staff, Erin Yates and Alexis Trell, with a tour of a one-bedroom apartment and how CASA NC is working to address homelessness through housing as well as the rising number of those experiencing a homeless or housing crisis in our region.

Next, we traveled to the highest elevation in Raleigh - the rooftop at The Eastern at North Hills. The Eastern is described as Raleigh’s “most luxurious high-rise apartments” and boasts some of the most breathtaking views in the city. We soaked in the phenomenal views while listening to a panel that included several City of Raleigh and Regional Transportation Alliance leaders talking about exciting plans for expanding public transportation. This included micromobility, easing congestion on our roads, buses that run like a commuter rail, and elevated express lanes with no traffic signals on Capital Boulevard!

Our last stop included some holiday cheer at The Haymaker in Downtown Raleigh courtesy of Highwoods Properties. The cocktail bar on Fayetteville Street is decked out with over-the-top Christmas decorations. Here’s a toast to the Raleigh Chamber for the amazing ride!

Leadership Raleigh Class 45 would also like to thank their December Quality of Life & Place class day sponsors AECOM, Parker & Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, and Wetherill Engineering.