Writer: Joshua Andino
3 min read August 2023 — Charlotte’s increasingly diverse economy will continue to drive the region forward for the foreseeable future.
The overarching theme of Invest: Charlotte 2022-2023 leadership summit suggested that the region’s continued growth, fueled by a swelling population, investments into advanced manufacturing, healthcare and education, and the local financial sector’s strength that provides Charlotte its spine, will continue to move the Queen City forward. Hosted by Capital Analytics at the Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont campus, the summit welcomed over 200 business leaders and representatives taking advantage of the networking and business development opportunities.
In her opening remarks, Capital Analytics’ President & CEO Abby Melone shared the Capital Analytics team’s findings from over six months of research and analysis, noting the Charlotte region would be able to withstand a potential downturn – should one still be on the horizon, and highlighting ongoing labor concerns as a chief obstacle facing businesses across sectors. Nevertheless, business leaders remain optimistic, with Melone citing the first Capital Analytics Business Sentiment Survey for southern markets, with 78% of executives surveyed expecting continued revenue growth in 2023.
The first panel, ‘Today’s workforce: Addressing the realities of current workforce challenges and finding opportunities therein’ assessed the changing considerations around talent retention and recruitment, as well as the impacts of technologies such as AI on both employers and employees. Moderated by Keith Stanley, CEO of University City Partners with speakers Scott Bullard, president of Pfeiffer University, Jessica Figenholtz, associate practice leader for higher education from Perkins & Will, and Catapult Employers Association CEO Cheryl Richards. Presenting the panel was Elon University President Connie Book, who tied the panel’s themes together to how higher education and Elon University continue to provide the region with strong graduates.
The second panel, ‘Developing Charlotte: How continued growth in the Queen City is influencing design, construction and engineering,’ was moderated by Tim O’Brien, studio manager for LaBella Associates, and featured Keith Poettker, chairman and CEO of Poettker Construction, Zach Pannier, business unit leader for DPR Construction, and Steve Daley, president of Optima Engineering. Labor and supply chains were discussed extensively, and while both factors presented challenges, panelists were in agreement that the construction sector in Charlotte had remained resilient despite the last few years of challenges – a testament to the region’s continued growth. “Increased density and more sprawl – we still live in a region where there is more land to develop outside of the urban core that’s specifically attractive to advanced manufacturing. We’ve got Eli Lilly and Concorde, we’re going to continue to see that sort of growth for a more technical workforce. Also, South End is not slowing down. With what Atrium Health is doing with the Pearl, we’re going to have another center of excellence that ties back to the higher education panel. We’re going to continue to raise the bar on the level of education and the sort of things that will transform us as we move from a 12-hour city to an 18-hour city, and maybe a 24-hour city,” noted Pannier in his concluding remarks.
The final panel, ‘Current climate: How financial leaders are innovating and adjusting to today’s economic landscape,’ included Crystal German, executive vice-president of Self Help Credit Union, Antoinette Tucker-Harris, vice president and hub leader for Synchrony, and Holly Welch Stubbing, president and CEO of E4E Relief, moderated by Rakesh Gopalan, partner at McGuireWoods LLP. The intersection between financial services and social services, and the increasing intentionality of the financial sector as an instrument for equitable economic development were central to the discussion. In her final remarks, German noted the consistent themes across all panels, saying, “We’re excited that a lot of what we’ve talked about for 42 years have now become mainstream. It used to feel that we were the only ones talking about economic prosperity for all, or upward mobility… To hear the panels around construction and workforce and education talking about DEI, upskilling – to hear those themes resonate through all panels is most exciting because it means we’re not in an echo chamber. We can have real conversations across sectors and communities to get the work done and make this community one that works for everybody.”
For a copy of the digital Invest: Charlotte 2022-2023 publication, click here to register.
To watch individual panel discussions from the launch conference, please visit our Youtube Channel.
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About Capital Analytics & Invest: Charlotte 2022-2023
Capital Analytics is an integrated media platform that produces in-depth business intelligence through its annual print and digital economic reviews, high-impact conferences and events and top-level interviews via its video platform, Invest:Insights.
Invest: Charlotte 2022-2023 is an in-depth economic review of the key issues facing the region’s economy, featuring the exclusive insights of prominent regional leaders. Invest: Charlotte 2022-2023 is produced with two goals in mind: 1) to provide comprehensive investment knowledge on the Charlotte and the greater Mecklenburg region for local, national and international investors, and 2) to promote Charlotte and the greater region as a place to invest and do business.
The report conducts a deep dive into the top economic sectors in the region, including real estate, construction, infrastructure, banking and finance, legal, healthcare, education and tourism. The publication is compiled from insights collected from more than 200 economic leaders, sector insiders, political leaders and heads of important institutions. It analyzes the leading challenges facing the market and uncovers emerging opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and innovators.
For more information, contact:
Max Crampton-Thomas
Regional Editor
305-523-9708 Ext: 233
