Chatter with BNC

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features an interview with two leaders at TowneBank, which has become a big player in North Carolina banking with offices in Cary, Charlotte, Greenville, Raleigh and the Outer Banks. Billy Foster is the president and CEO, while Will Morrison oversees Towne Financial's residential mortgage, insurance, real estate brokerage and wealth management units. Formed as a new bank in 1999, Suffolk, Virginia-based TowneBank has $17 billion in assets. It ranks sixth in market share in the Triangle, first in northeast North Carolina and 11th in Charlotte. Both Foster and Morrison are graduates of Old Dominion University and veteran Virginia bankers.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features Thomas Salley, the President of Visit Wilkes, NC. Salley talks to Ben Kinney about his career journey so far, what's new in Wilkes County, the importance of customer service, and more.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features Julian "Bubba" Rawl, cofounder of Cary-based Preston Development, which has developed more than 16,000 home lots since 1991. He and partner Tim Smith are now focused on the 8,100-acre Chatham Park, which is on pace to become North Carolina's largest multiuse planned development. The Greenville native discusses his initial foray building ice rinks around North Carolina, Preston's dramatic growth in Cary and Disney's plans to create a large residential community within Chatham Park.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features Eli Cheatham, chief strategic initiatives officer for Raleigh-based International Farming, a private investment company that manages a $1.5 billion portfolio of agricultural land. International Farming has made numerous investments in companies such as CropTrak, The Peach Truck, and Manson Growers within the business software, food products, and horticulture industries. CEO Charles McNairy helped form the company in 2010, and is part of the Harvey family, which has been involved in the agriculture business in North Carolina since the 19th century.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Kathy C. Bailey is retiring at the end of August as CEO of UNC Health Blue Ridge in Burke County. She has held the top job since 2013. Before coming to UNC Health Blue Ridge in 2005, she was the inaugural CEO of The Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head for six years. She talks about the challenges of rural health care and why the partnership with UNC Health has worked in Burke County.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features George Schulmeyer, area president of M/I Homes in Charlotte. He discussed the booming housing market in the region, where the market is going, and what it means for the regional economy. Schulmeyer has served for nearly three decades in the homebuilding industry, including five years as M/I's division president. He's a graduate of the University of Virginia with a B.S. in commerce, accounting and finance. M/I Homes completed 450 homes and townhomes in the Charlotte area in 2023, with another 500 expected to be completed this year. The company anticipates closing 600 homes in the region in 2025.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features Brett Curley, general manager and chief operating officer of the Charlotte City Club, a 75-year-old community institution based in uptown Charlotte. Center-city private clubs are reinventing themselves as many executives spend fewer days at the office. Curley describes innovative approaches related to pricing and attracting affinity groups at the member-owned Charlotte club. He has led the enterprise since last September after previous stops at clubs in Florida and North Carolina. For about 12 years, he worked for McConnell Golf at its clubs in Raleigh and Greensboro. Before coming to Charlotte, he was GM at San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Jed Routh is the vice president of markets and products at Kempower, which recently opened its state-of-the-art EV charger manufacturing facility in Durham. Kempower's growth strategy aims to position the company among the global top five in the DC charging market by 2030. Kempower's production site in Durham is one of the four factories Kempower operates globally. Kempower's three European factories are located in Lahti, Finland. The Kempower Durham facility will create approximately 300 jobs It's estimated to add over $700 million to North Carolina's economy in the next decade. Routh previously was director of business development at eTransEnergy. He also was a vice president at Thomas Built Buses/Daimler Trucks North America in High Point.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features Meredith Archie. Archie was named president of the NC Chamber Foundation in April 2022. She leads the Foundation's competitiveness institute activities, oversees commissioned studies, and provides guidance on public policy issues outlined in North Carolina Vision 2030, categorized by three pillars: Education and Talent Supply, Competitive Business Climate, and Infrastructure and Growth Leadership. Under Archie's leadership, the Foundation serves as a convener around these issues and conducts nonpartisan research on complex challenges, crafts sound policy recommendations, and tracks progress.

Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.

Today's episode features Dr. Elizabeth Welch, founder of Community Pets Mobile Veterinary Clinic, which provides affordable spay/neuter services in the Charlotte. Her deep concern for the welfare of animals sparked her career after earning a bachelor's degree and doctorate in veterinary medicine at Auburn University. Before starting her business, she was the medical director of Stand for Animals, a nonprofit veterinary organization that expanded from one to three locations during her 13 years there. In the interview, she discusses challenges and opportunities for improving pet care in North Carolina.