CHARLOTTE, N.C.,
May 3,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of the Charlotte
Regional Business Alliance has named Andrea
B. Smith interim President and CEO. Smith is regarded in the
Charlotte community as a top
business executive, a community leader, and a philanthropist. The
CLT Alliance also announced that Thaddeus
Jones, the Founder and Managing Partner of Nexus Search
Partners, has been retained to conduct the search for the
organization's full-time President and CEO.
As a trailblazer and champion for women in banking, Smith held a
number of senior leadership positions for Bank of America during
her 34-year career with the company. Those included such roles as
the head of Global Human Resources, where she transformed the
bank's hiring, employee benefits, and diversity and inclusion
efforts and subsequently Chief Administrative Officer. Among her
numerous recognitions include American Banker's Most
Powerful Women in Banking, Business North Carolina's Most Influential Business
Leaders in North Carolina, and
Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year by Queens
University.
Smith was also the Chair of the Executive Committee for the
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce in
2017, one of the CLT Alliance's two predecessor organizations.
"I am proud to support the CLT Alliance and the board as we
continue the important work to grow the economy, advocate for
business, and help create opportunities for everyone to thrive,"
said Smith. "Thanks to the support of hundreds of investors,
partners, and a dedicated professional staff, we are confident the
organization is poised for the future."
In 2021 Smith was named the Citizen of the Carolinas,
the CLT Alliance's most prestigious award given to a
Carolinian who has made great strides in the betterment of the
quality of life in the Charlotte
region and the country through years of accomplishment in community
leadership. She has been an ardent supporter of equitable economic
mobility in Charlotte, including
serving as the inaugural Co-Chair of the Leading on Opportunity
Council. Smith also currently chairs the Bank of America Alumni
Network.
"We are thrilled to have Andrea
Smith lead the organization during a period of transition,
as she has provided decades of steadfast leadership in the
Charlotte area. We know she will
help us create even more impact during a time of great economic
opportunity for this region," said Ali
Summerville, Chairman of the Board of the CLT Alliance.
"Andrea's consistent commitment to supporting local leaders,
especially women- and minority-owned businesses, has provided more
people in our community the opportunity to advance and thrive."
In addition to announcing the interim CEO, the CLT Alliance
has retained Thaddeus Jones, the
founder of Charlotte-based
executive search and advisory firm, Nexus Search Partners, to
conduct the search for a permanent president and CEO. Nexus Search
Partners has a mission to connect clients with executive leaders
who can help accelerate growth. With a focus on increasing diverse
representation at the executive level, Nexus partners with clients
to find and evaluate the industry's best leaders. Since launching
the firm, Jones and Nexus have placed several top executives at
leading corporations nationwide.
"Andrea is certainly highly experienced and poised to help guide
the CLT Alliance, and we are grateful she has accepted this interim
role," said David Longo, Vice Chair
of the CLT Alliance Board. "We are also grateful to have Thadd and
his firm's specialized expertise conducting a thoughtful search for
our next full-time CEO who will lead us into our next phase of
growth. Nexus has successfully led many important executive
searches, including the recent CEO search for the YMCA of
Greater Charlotte."
Since its creation the CLT Alliance has helped generate over
37,000 jobs and $15.2B in capital
investment in the region, with the announcement almost 400
companies choosing to expand or relocate to the Charlotte
Region. In addition, the CLT Alliance has been instrumental
in the successful passage of three bond referendums, advocating for
Medicaid expansion in North
Carolina, as well as the legalization of sports
betting.
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SOURCE Charlotte Regional Business Alliance