Previous Program Speakers
2021 Susan DeVore, Former CEO of Premier, Inc.
2020 Tom Skains, Former President and CEO of Piedmont Natural Gas
2019 Ruth G. Shaw, Former President and CEO of Duke Power Company
2018 Linda P. Hudson, Chairman and CEO of the Cardea Group
2017 Carl Armato, President & CEO of Novant Health
2015 Anne Tompkins, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina
2013 David V. Singer, Retired CEO of Snyder’s-Lance, Inc.
2012 Hugh L. McColl, Jr., Former Chairman and CEO of Bank of America
2011 Joan Zimmerman, Founder and CEO, Southern Shows, Inc.
2010 Jerry Orr, Aviation Director, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
2009 Michael Marsicano, PhD, President and CEO, Foundation for the Carolinas
2008 Michael Tarwater, CEO, Carolinas HealthCare System
2007 Glenn H. Burkins, Deputy Managing Editor, The Charlotte Observer
2006 Bertram L. Scott, Executive Vice President of Strategy, Implementation, and Policy, TIAA-CREF
2005 Roberta Bowman, Vice President of External Relations for Duke Energy
2004 Mark W. Erwin, Erwin Capital, Inc.
2003 David L. Bruner, Chairman, Goodrich Corporation
2002 H. Allen Tate, Jr., CEO, Allen Tate Company
2001 Harvey Gantt, FAIA, Partner, Gantt Huberman Architects
2000 Vicki Wilson-McElreath, Office Managing Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
1998 Howard Haworth, Former President & CEO, Drexel Heritage Furnishings, Inc.
1997 Paul F. Betzold, President and CEO, Presbyterian Hospital and Presbyterian Healthcare System
1996 William E. Simms, President, Risk Management Products Group
1995 Marshall A. Rauch, Founder, Rauch Industries, Inc.
1994 Johnie H. Jones, Chairman of the Board, J. A. Jones Construction Co.
1993 William R. Holland, Chairman and CEO, United Dominion Industries
1992 William S. Lee, Chairman and President, Duke Power Company
1991 Joseph H. Patterson, President, Technical Fibers Group Hoechst Celanese Corporation
1990 Peter D. Relic, Superintendent, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
1989 John Lewis, Managing Partner, Arthur Andersen & Company