North Carolina Business Minds

The CEO of Tepper Sports & Entertainment tells CBJ’s Erik Spanberg about getting her start in sports business, why an upcoming renovation of Bank of America Stadium means so much to the organization and explains why hosting the MLS All-Star Game is about much more than a week of spotlight events for the city and region. Mentioned in this episode: Elon University https://www.elon.edu/

The grocer that once ranked one of the nation's worst places to work is now among the nation's most trusted companies. CEO Brian Johnson talks about the turnaround, how the grocer is growing its customer base and how quickly it can reach 200 stores total. Mentioned in this episode: Elon University https://www.elon.edu/

In this episode, Lauren Ohnesorge sits down with Thom Ruhe, CEO of NC Idea — a private foundation dedicated to supporting high-potential entrepreneurs across North Carolina. Thom breaks down what it really takes to turn an idea into a business, why execution matters more than uniqueness, and how to find the right co-founder. He also shares his perspective on survival entrepreneurship, the changing...

Known as Dr. D to students and colleagues alike, Kandi Deitemeyer became president of Charlotte’s Central Piedmont Community College in 2017. Since then, she’s led the school through a once-in-a-century pandemic, crippling cyberattacks and a dramatically shifting job market — all while keeping the school’s scholarship fund growing. Now with 58,000 students, CPCC envisions a larger role creating ca...

Arthur Samet has spent 35 years transforming the Southeast's built environment — from industrial megasites to healthcare campuses to a beloved downtown concert venue. As CEO of Samet Corp., the company his father founded in 1961, Arthur has grown the firm to over 500 associates across six offices and about $1 billion in annual revenue. But there's more to Arthur than large-scale construction. In t...

Air travel in 2026 is more complicated than ever. From rising airline ticket prices and flight cancellations to airport expansion projects and new international routes, travelers across the U.S. are feeling the impact. In this episode, aviation expert Steve Van Beek breaks down what's driving the turbulence in commercial aviation — including jet fuel costs, TSA wait times, air traffic control...

In our 50th episode, Charlotte Business Journal editor Robert Morris sits down with Dr. Valerie Kinloch, the 15th president of Johnson C. Smith University and a proud 1996 JCSU alumna. As the university prepares to graduate the class of 2026, Dr. Kinloch reflects on what it means to hand a diploma to students from the same stage where she once stood as a student. Dr. Kinloch opens up about the cha...

Todd Hall, President and CEO of Truliant Federal Credit Union, joins North Carolina Business Minds to discuss how the triad's largest locally headquartered financial institution has grown assets by 65% to over $5 billion and expanded membership to more than 337,000 since 2020. In this episode, we explore Truliant's strategic expansion into Charlotte and upstate South Carolina, the credit...

Meet Cindy Eckert — serial entrepreneur, pharmaceutical innovator, and self-described "rebel with receipts." In this episode, Lauren Onus of the Triangle Business Journal sits down with the woman behind the Pink Pill to trace her remarkable journey from perpetual new kid (including a childhood stint in Fiji) to billion-dollar exit. Cindy shares how she left a dream job at Merck to chase...

In this conversation, Adam Sperling, executive director of the Truist Championship, tells Erik Spanberg about the return of Charlotte’s annual PGA Tour event after stepping aside for the PGA Championship in 2025. Sperling came to Charlotte in 2018 to run the Presidents Cup, played here in 2022. That event broke sales and revenue records. Now, Sperling oversees the Tour’s annual event at Quail Holl...

Winston-Salem-based grocer returns to Charlotte with six stores, plans new Triangle locations. CEO reflects on Carolinas' snowmageddon, talks competition, mulls potential disruption from Buc-ee's.

Lauren Ohnesorge sits down with Jason Caplain, general partner and co-founder of Bull City Venture Partners, to trace his journey from 80th employee at Red Hat to one of the Triangle's most established venture capitalists. Jason shares how a $5 million first fund — raised during the dot-com crash — produced three IPOs, including two billion-dollar companies led by Goldman Sachs. They dig into what...

In this conversation, former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot tells Erik Spanberg about his lifetime of leadership roles, from Eagle Scout to mayor, with an interval on Dean Smith’s UNC Chapel Hill basketball team. Vinroot, an attorney by trade, still goes to his office five days a week, lending counsel to younger peers and tackling nonfiction histories and biographies at the prodigious clip of one...

Chef Freddy Lee runs nine restaurants across two states. His newest will open this summer, not in a major metro, but in a small town made famous by Andy Griffith. He talks industry headwinds, and offers a stunning insight on chefs' own dining habits.

In this conversation, Jim Segrave, CEO and founder of flyExclusive, shares his journey from his early days in aviation to building a successful business in the private jet industry. After selling a previous company to Delta Air Lines, Segrave's flyExclusive has seen rapid growth as the business leaders turn to private aircraft in the wake of the pandemic.

In this episode, Chris William reflects on the journey of creating and sustaining the Carolina Business Review over three decades. He discusses the challenges of gaining buy-in across two states, the importance of community engagement and the evolution of the show amidst economic changes. Chris shares insights on navigating the complexities of public broadcasting, maintaining a small business and...

North Carolina is facing a critical housing shortage with an estimated 800,000 units needed statewide. As major employers like Toyota, Boom Supersonic and JetZero bring tens of thousands of jobs to the state, the question becomes urgent: Where will workers live? Jon Hardister, president of the Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition and former six-term state legislator, joins host Lloyd...

amie Ledford, president of Golf Pride, shares insights into the evolution of the brand, his career journey from a small town to leading a global golf company, and the importance of innovation and corporate culture. He discusses the challenges faced by the golf industry, including geopolitical issues and the impact of the pandemic on demand. Ledford emphasizes the significance of personal connectio...

In this conversation, PSA Airlines CEO Dion Flannery tells Erik Spanberg about the company’s headquarters relocation to Charlotte — a move consummated during a challenging time for the airline and the industry. Flannery and his colleagues endured a fatal crash in January 2025 and, later, a government shutdown that rattled air travel across the country. Despite those headwinds, Flannery explains wh...

As universities face enrollment challenges and questions about the value of a college degree, Wente discusses Wake Forest's position and strategies needed for today's higher ed challenges.

Seven years into leading the N.C. Museum of Art, Valerie Hillings is looking to broaden the Raleigh museum's reach. Here, she speaks with Dane Huffman of the Triangle Business Journal for the next edition of North Carolina Business Minds

North Carolina’s office market is in a new phase, one defined by strong absorption, renewed corporate expansion and rapid leasing in Charlotte’s top towers. CoStar’s Chuck McShane joins NC Business Minds to explain why 2025 became the turning point, how renovated buildings are gaining traction and what’s ahead.

From a merger to a groundbreaking dyslexia academy to a complex 130,000-square-foot wellness facility, Elon's president reveals timelines and strategies behind the university's major expansion projects in the Triad and Charlotte.

The Triangle Business Journal’s Dane Huffman sits down with North Carolina Commissioner of Labor, Luke Farley. In this episode, Commissioner Farley shares the story behind his photo in every elevator, discusses the state’s booming growth, and explains how the Department of Labor balances safety, economic development, and worker protection. From elevator inspections and amusement ride safety to wag...

Shelly Cayette-Weston, the Charlotte Hornets’ president of business operations, started her marketing career with Caesars Entertainment and then shifted to pro basketball. Now with her third NBA team, Cayette-Weston is leading a revamped front office that is presiding over major arena renovations and a $150 million training center now under construction. She speaks to Erik Spanberg about those and...