Leader Development Coaching for Individuals and Teams

Tracy Abbott, Founder, Abbott Strategies

Tracey Abbott’s 30-year career has 4 chapters: Private Equity Operating Partner and 5x Board Director($450 B AUM), Operator (PepsiCo’s Target P&L, Chick-fil-A franchisee), Strategist (Foot Locker global strategy, PepsiCo consumer strategy, Bain and Company) and Global Executive (9+ years expatriate, French M.B.A.).

A proud Demon Deacon, she graduated with a B.S. in business and is a full-time Executive Leadership coach to Private Equity C-suite and funds. She is an avid scuba diver and lives part-time in the Caribbean to escape the New York winters.

Dana Alligood, Executive Director, Wake Forest University Center for Private Business

Dana Alligood is the Executive Director of the Wake Forest University Center for Private Business. She previously worked in Commercial and Investment Banking for 30 years and was actively involved as a board member at the San Diego Food Bank and at Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County.

Dana graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in Economics where she also was a member of the women’s volleyball team. She earned her MBA from Wake Forest University Business School with a concentration in Finance.

Andy Backus, Senior Vice President, EMCOR Mechanical Services, EMCOR Group, Inc.
United States Military Academy at West Point

A senior executive with broad experience in engineering, construction, real estate, public-private partnerships, training, and talent management.

In his role with EMCOR Mechanical Services, Andy oversees a $1 billion portfolio of 19 EMCOR Operating Companies (subsidiaries) in the Eastern US. His experience includes a 27-year military career with the U.S. Army, during which he was deployed on numerous high-priority missions and assignments leading military, civilian, and multi-national teams and delivering critical construction programs of up to $10 billion in value. Andy has been with EMCOR for 8 years, first as a subsidiary president, and now in his current role as a corporate senior vice president.

Spencer Baird, Chief Executive Officer of Inmar Intelligence

Spencer Baird is the CEO of Inmar Intelligence.  He joined the company in May 202 as Chief Transformation Officer and assumed the role of CEO in September of 2022.  Today, he leverages his extensive consumer packaged goods, retail and e-commerce expertise and passion for innovation to lead with a unique vision focused on making businesses smarter to improve consumers’ lives.  His expertise in omnichannel engagement and data-driven decision systems enables him to create effective strategies that deliver impact and efficiency for Inmar’s customers.

Under his leadership, Inmar has entered a transition period marked by leadership and cultural changes, enterprise portfolio optimization, and a deep focus on building a new foundation for the future.  Emphasizing organic growth and market leadership, Spencer has effectively repositioned the business through a robust, customer-centric approach that emphasizes over-delivering on customer expectations via products, delivery, and most importantly, outcomes.

Spencer has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in grocery retail, e-commerce, and consumer packaged goods with some of the industry’s best-known and most respected companies, including HJ Heinz, The Dannon Company, Kellogg Company, Ahold Delhaize, and Peapod (within Ahold Delhaize).  Spencer is currently a member of the board of the Winston-Salem Alliance and Piedmont Triad Partnership, and was formerly a member of the Western Michigan University marketing program and the Fiduciary Committee for Ahold Delhaize US.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Virginia Wesleyan University and was recently named a 2023 Emerging Leader by The Shelby Report as well as a 2023 C-Suite Award honoree by Triad Business Journals.

Megan Bartlett, Chief People Officer, Executive Leadership Team

Megan Bartlett is a seasoned and strategic human resources executive with over 15 years of experience leading people initiatives across diverse industries, including financial services, real estate, international development, and government affairs.

Currently serving as Chief People Officer at Allegacy Federal Credit Union, Megan leads the organization’s people strategy with a focus on talent development, employee engagement, and operational excellence.

Prior to joining Allegacy, Megan was Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Guaranteed Rate. Earlier in her career, Megan spent nearly a decade at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where she led talent acquisition, culture and engagement, and diversity and inclusion efforts.

Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (magna cum laude) from Seattle Pacific University and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Simpson O. (Skip) Brown, Jr., Banking Executive
Wake Forest University

With 36 years in Banking, seven years in mortgage and consumer products, and almost 20 years with Bank of America, Skip also served as Sr. Vice President and Commercial Executive for the Eastern Region. His banking career covered Risk Management, HR, Managing Commercial Lending Teams, and working as Commercial Relationship Manager in medium and large commercial markets. He founded TriStone Community Bank as President and CEO and developed lengthy and extensive Investment Banking Relationships.

After retiring from banking in June 2013, he started a second career at WFU as Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development and Operations Finance in September 2013. Skip developed and implemented the Student-Athlete Development Program to prepare Athletes for the real world after graduation. This program is highly structured, mandatory, and has become a standard for the rest of the conference.

He is currently serving as SVP and Commercial Lender at Peoples Bank.

Jason Carter, Associate Vice President, Wake Forest Baptist Health
Wake Forest University

With a background as an Operational and Human Resources Executive in large health systems, I have led day-to-day operations in acute settings as large as 1,000 beds, as well as carried system-wide accountabilities related to service line leadership (heart and vascular, neurosciences, hospital medicine, emergency medicine, behavioral health) strategic growth, new facility development, and creating new systems of care. This breadth of experience has exposed me to extensive urban and small rural facilities and the challenge of linking them all to make better care, access, and service. As a health system consultant, I worked nationally to support strategic planning, needs-based design, operational planning, and the transition to and activation of new and repurposed acute and ambulatory facilities. This work was holistic and considered all aspects of the new healthcare environment and care delivery. I partnered with leadership, staff, providers, patients, and communities to drive understanding, involvement, and sustainable change – which, in turn, created places for healing that exceeded expectations for patients, care teams, and the demands related to operating in the current healthcare climate.

SPECIALTIES

Transition and Operational Planning | Facility pre-design and activation | Unplanned Care/Emergency Services | Hospitalist Programs |  Hospital Operations | Healthcare Executive | Acute Care, Ambulatory Care |  Process Improvement | Hospital Throughput | Change Management | Strategic Planning | Operational Improvement | Workforce Development | Physician Partnership | Systems of Care | Human Resources Leadership | Service Line Leadership | Heart and Vascular Service Line Leadership

Richard Carter III, President and CEO, Carter P.C.
Wake Forest University

Richard has 35 years of accounting and finance experience serving large multi-national public corporations, closely held organizations, not-for-profit entities, family offices, and individuals.  His current firm, Carter, P.C., is a public accounting firm with offices in Charlotte, Asheville and Greenville.  Before co-founding Carter, Richard worked for 18 years at large global accounting firms as well as three years as the CFO/General Manager of a NASCAR race team.

Richard holds a BS in Accounting from Wake Forest (1989) and an MBA from Duke University (2002). A North Carolina native, Richard is married with two children. He is an Eagle Scout and works closely with the Boy Scouts in Charlotte and Asheville. In his free time, Richard enjoys time with his family and church, playing with his German Shepherds, attending Wake Forest and Duke sporting events, and cheering for the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

Dave Clawson, Retired Head Football Coach, Wake Forest University

Dave Clawson was named Wake Forest University’s 32nd head football coach in 2013, setting a new standard for Wake Forest Football. Named as an American Football Coaches Association Board of Trustee in 2022, he achieved unparalleled success as the leader of the Demon Deacons football program.

His teams earned five bowl victories at Wake Forest, which is the most in school history, and is tied for fifth in ACC history for postseason wins. He was named the 2021 ACC Coach of the Year by the ACC and the Associated Press. He was the Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2002 at Fordham and was awarded the 2005 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year award and 2007 Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year honor at Richmond.

In 2021, Dave was a semifinalist for George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Paul “Bear” Bryant and Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year awards. Prior to earning those accolades, he was the 2002 Schutt Sports/American Football Monthly I-AA Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award. In 2005, Dave earned National Coach of the Year from I-AA.org and was again a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award.

Dave came to Winston-Salem after five seasons as the head coach at Bowling Green State University where he led the Falcons to the 2013 Mid-American Conference championship. Previously, he served as defensive coordinator at Tennessee, head coach at Richmond, and head coach at Fordham, where he broke 16 team records.

A 1989 graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts, Dave earned a degree in political economy and played defensive back. He earned his Master’s degree from SUNY Albany while working with the secondary, quarterbacks and running backs.

Brigadier General N.L. “Norm” Cooling, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), Ed.D., President, N.L. Cooling Strategic Consulting

General Cooling is the President and Founder of N.L. Cooling Strategic Consulting (NLCSC), a firm that provides clients with professional expertise in organizational assessment, leadership development training and education, strategic planning, process improvement, and governmental affairs.  As a general officer, Norm served as the Deputy Commander of Marine Forces Europe and Africa, as the Deputy Chief of Operations for the U.S. European Command, as the Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and, during his final assignment, as the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations.  A career ground combat officer, Norm participated in 11 operational deployments including five combat tours and commanded 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines in both Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In addition to running his firm, General Cooling serves on the board of directors for Veterans Bridge Home (VBH), a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization focused on reintegrating veterans in Carolina communities following their military service. A frequent public speaker, Norm also designs and delivers educational seminar courses on multiple aspects of U.S. national security.

Kelly Dostal, Sr. Director, NextGen Sales Academy in North America, Dell Services

Kelly Dostal is currently the Sr. Director of the NextGen Sales Academy in North America at Dell Technologies. She is responsible for building Dell’s next generation of sales leaders as well as leading and inspiring early in career talent. Along with her team, Kelly leads the recruitment of top talent, development, and demand generation efforts across a rapidly growing organization. In addition to building early in career talent, Kelly oversees a multi-million dollar sales team. Kelly has the keen ability to identify talent, manage a multi-site business, and meet growth demands in a fast paced environment. Along with driving key business initiatives, Kelly has a deep interest in empowering and enabling a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Kelly brings a unique background and skill set to her corporate career. Prior to joining Dell Technologies, she was a student-athlete at Wake Forest University where she was a member of a 3x National Championship Team. Kelly garnered top honors in her sport in 2004 as the recipient of the Honda Sports Award for outstanding achievement in field hockey. Kelly graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree with a focus in Health and Exercise Science.

Kelly represented her country playing on the US Field Hockey National Team post collegiately from 2005-2010 and coached at the DI collegiate level at UMass and U of Louisville. Dell Technologies was her next stop following her accomplished athletic and coaching careers in 2012. Kelly has a longstanding passion for philanthropic work. As an avid runner, she relishes in coupling travel for road races with her interest in exploring new restaurant scenes. Kelly currently resides outside of Boston, MA and enjoys spending time with friends, family and her French bulldog, Tate.

Kelly Doton, Head Field Hockey Coach, Boston College

Kelly Doton serves as head field hockey coach at Boston College.  Inducted into the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024, Doton ranks among the all-time leaders in wins and winning percentage during her time at the helm of the Eagles.  Over the past decade as head coach, she has guided the program to unprecedented heights, including a trip to the 2019 NCAA Final Four while consistently challenging for supremacy in the ACC – the nation’s premier Division I conference for field hockey.

In addition to her collegiate playing experience at Wake Forest University, Doton was a member of the U.S. Women’s Senior National Team from 2005 to 2010.  In 2008, she was a member of the U.S. Olympic squad that competed in the Beijing Games. Doton began her career with Team USA on the 2005 New Zealand Tour and scored her first international goal against Australia later that year.  She also appeared in the 2006 World Cup in Spain and the 2007 Pan Am Games in Brazil.  She earned 100 caps in her international career.

She began her collegiate coaching career at Indiana from 2008-12, elevating to the role of associate head coach.  While at Indiana, Doton was instrumental in guiding the Hoosiers to the title game of the Big Ten Tournament en route to the program’s second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2009. 

Wendy Eavenson, Retired Executive Director, Global OEM Sales, IBM Corporation

Wendy Eavenson is a Wake Forest Business School alum who went on to earn Professional Certifications from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School in Global Market Development and the GA Tech Scheller School of Business in Corporate Quality and Innovation.  She has 35 years’ experience in Executive Leadership of high-performing, cross-functional teams. Her passions are to champion emerging leaders, to collaboratively solve complex business issues, and to contribute optimal revenue. As a certified Master Coach, she has led 200+ to discern their values, purpose, and set successful life plans.

Currently, Wendy leads a Post-Grad Professional and Leadership Development fellowship out of Atlanta.

Mark W. Erwin, President, Chief Executive Officer, Bardstown Bourbon Company            

Col. (Ret.) Mark W. Erwin became the President and CEO of Bardstown Bourbon Company in September 2019, having previously served on the board. Prior to that, Erwin served as President of the Karakoram Group International, a risk advisory firm, which provides strategic consulting to Fortune 500 companies. He also served as a Non-Executive Board Director of Heritage Oil Pic, an independent upstream exploration and production company listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Mr. Erwin served for 26 years in the United States Army, culminating his career as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army Special Operations Command, with a budget in excess of $1.5 billion while coordinating headquarters staff of more than 1,000 employees. He commanded at every level of the United States Army’s most elite Special Mission Unit from Captain to Colonel and was deployed numerous times to Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries throughout the Middle East and Africa.

Mr. Erwin holds a degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University and conducted his War College Fellowship at the Central Intelligence Agency.

Melanie Erwin, Retired Banking Professional and Major Gifts Officer

Melanie Erwin graduated from Wake Forest University with a BS in Business in 1986. She received her CPA license in 1989. As a military spouse, Melanie worked in public accounting with a concentration in tax preparation, as a controller for a DOD funded entity serving military children, built a direct sales business that included personal sales and team building, and held positions in various areas of banking to include retail banking, residential mortgage, credit analysis and commercial banking. Her last paid position was as a Major Gifts Officer tasked with creating a major gifts program for the local hospital in her area.

While part of the military community, Melanie worked with other military spouses and families to ease the stress and challenges of multiple deployments and its impact on them. Melanie has also been involved in volunteer positions with non-profit organizations mostly to benefit children.

After 30 years of professional work, Melanie has learned that work ethic, accountability, developing personal and professional relationships, and always learning are valuable tools in work and life. Melanie enjoys encouraging others to greet each day as an opportunity to make a difference for those around them – friends, family, and co-workers. Her greatest joy is to help others become their best self.

Kristy Farewell, Founder & CEO, Kairos Insights

Kristy Farewell invested the past 20 years serving organizations and leaders globally as an executive coach and organizational development consultant. Kristy’s consulting and coaching clients range from newly appointed leaders to seasoned executives and leadership teams from various sectors, including Healthcare, Academia, Pharmaceutical, Financial Services, and Government. A sample of organizations where she has served includes Duke University Health System, Washington University, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Wake Forest Baptist Health, University of North Carolina, Highmark Health, Tesaro (now a part of GlaxoSmithKline), Boehringer Ingelheim (USA), Bayer, Merk Animal Health, PNC Financial Services Group, Truliant Federal Credit Union, Crowe, Office of Naval Research, U.S. Army and US GAO.

Before returning to consulting and coaching, Kristy served in several leadership roles, strategically leading system-wide change to support leaders in delivering organizational outcomes. Her leadership roles have included succession/talent planning, organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, coaching, leadership development, and training. Kristy completed her Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership, with research focused on Executive Development. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, holds several certifications in leading personality and psychological instruments, and is a certified executive coach.

To learn more about Kristy and Kairos Insights, visit www.kairosinsights.com.

Ted Fleming, Former Head of Talent Development for CVS Health, Inc.

Ted is a business consultant who is passionate about helping people and organizations reach their potential.  He is a respected human resources and strategy executive with over 30 years’ experience with Fortune 50 companies.  Ted is an industry thought leader, and award-winning author of Develop: 7 Practical Tools to Take Charge of Your Career.

Ted is the former Head of Talent Development for CVS Health, Inc, a Fortune 4 company with more than 300,000 employees.  He also served as Vice President of Talent Management for Aetna, Inc., a Fortune 50 company with more than 50,000 employees, where he created their corporate university.  Ted earned an MBA from Duke University, Fuqua School of Business and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College.

Keith Forkin, Chief Executive Officer at Sempersozo

Keith Forkin is the Chief Executive Officer of Semper Sozo Inc., a global logistics and supply chain management firm focusing on providing clients with the best quality products at the lowest price as quickly as possible. A senior business leader and advisor with over twenty-five years of logistics and supply chain management experience.

Previously led a logistics organization of 1,000 employees that provided logistical support to a company that trained 30,000 people annually. A teacher, mentor, and coach who helps people learn, solve problems, and succeed.

Holds a Juris Doctorate from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law,  three master’s degrees, and a bachelor’s degree.

DeShunda Floyd, Director, Talent and Leadership Development, Human Resources

DeShunda Floyd is a strategic and accomplished learning and development executive with more than 15 years of experience driving talent, leadership, and organizational performance across global and national enterprises. As Director of Learning & Performance at Allegacy Federal Credit Union, DeShunda leads enterprise-wide initiatives that strengthen leadership pipelines, enhance member-care training, and foster a culture of continuous learning and accountability. Her work integrates human-centered design with digital transformation, enabling teams to deliver exceptional service and achieve operational excellence.

Prior to joining Allegacy, DeShunda held senior learning and development roles across manufacturing, retail, and healthcare sectors, where she led initiatives that improved engagement, reduced turnover, and expanded career development opportunities. Her programs have been recognized for transforming learning cultures and accelerating internal promotions through targeted, data-informed development pathways.

DeShunda holds a Master of Education in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.

Dr. Joshua Goocey, Founder, Hexis Wealth Advisors

Joshua Goocey is the founder of Hexis Wealth Advisors, an integrated wealth management firm that helps clients across the US build multigenerational wealth in service of the common good. He and his team are passionate about partnering with clients to reflect carefully on their consumption and investment habits; challenging them to think about how their wealth can be deployed strategically to solve our human community’s most pressing problems; and coaching them to act decisively and intentionally for the good of their families, their communities, and future generations.

He earned a Th.D. from Duke University in theology, ethics and economics and wrote his dissertation on the ethics of wealth accumulation in modern economies. He also earned two master’s degrees from Wake Forest University in religion and anthropology, and a B.A. in English Literature and philosophy from Maryville College.

Before starting Hexis, he served as a protestant pastor for 15 years.

Shana Gregory, Vice President, Human Resources, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Allegacy Federal Credit Union

Shana Gregory serves as the Vice President, Human Resources, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE+I) Officer with Allegacy Federal Credit Union. As part of a dynamic team, Shana leads Allegacy’s journey to create a culture of belonging by fostering employee engagement and overseeing all areas of Allegacy’s Human Resources.

Shana relocated to the Triad and joined Allegacy in 2018, bringing a diverse background in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. Previously Shana was part of Human Resources teams in government contracting, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Justice, all in the greater Washington D.C. area.

Shana is passionate about life-long learning, adoption, travel, the Pittsburgh Steelers, her husband, Brad, and her 4 children. Shana is active with Winston-Salem Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), earned her BA in Political Science and English from Bucknell University, and recently completed her MBA at Wake Forest University (2022).

Michelle Gross, Director of Credentialing, Account Executive, Metacred, Inc.
Owner, CEO, and President, ADDWorx
Wake Forest University

Accomplished strategic leader with MBA & M.Ed
10+ years of experience in professional counseling and management

The National Board for Certified Counselors

I am an experienced and successful professional with strong leadership and interpersonal abilities. I have a track record of achieving performance excellence in professional counseling and the certification industry through utilizing resources. I lead in developing performance-driven teams, overseeing operations, collaborating with business stakeholders, and initiating process improvements. I am an excellent communicator and presenter committed to team dynamics and relationship development.

I am a self-motivated team player who successfully enhanced staff management strategies and overall functionality to maximize productivity, efficiency, and growth. My expertise lies in leading development efforts, operational strategy, and improvement initiatives to achieve defined objectives and expand market share. Through my experience, I have become adept in overseeing various operational responsibilities to ensure optimal business performance and revenue enhancements.

Adam Holtzschue, Banking Executive,
Wake Forest University

With 35 years of professional experience leading multibillion-dollar businesses in private banking, retail brokerage, and commercial banking, Adam Holtzschue most recently served as Executive Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. He is a registered General Securities Principal with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a member of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and twice served as Chair of the RMA National Private Lending Roundtable.  

During his career, Holtzschue has been active with economic development initiatives, Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, and local Chambers of Commerce. He currently serves on the board of Aspire Community Capital. In addition, he has been an active member of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion councils and received national recognition for creating an inclusive work environment and achieving high levels of employee engagement.

Holtzschue received his BA in Psychology with a minor in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and his MBA in Management & Corporate Finance from Wake Forest University under a Dean’s Scholarship. In addition, he completed the Securities Industry Institute 3-year executive leadership program at the Wharton School of  Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a native New Yorker and currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Cody Hoyt, Co-Owner, Mrs. Pumpkin’s Bakery and Deli, Former Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy, HanesBrands, Inc.
Wake Forest University

At Mrs. Pumpkin’s, we believe family comes first. We also believe nothing beats a home-cooked meal. That’s why every one of our products is made from scratch, ready to take home and serve to your family with minimal effort, giving you more time for what matters.

Mrs. Pumpkin’s is a veteran-owned, scratch-made kitchen proudly serving the Winston-Salem and Triad area since 1985. In addition to serving up individual and family meals, we specialize in helping local groups fundraise to meet the needs of their organizations. Our fundraisers are designed to be simple, delicious, and, most of all, profitable.

Kenneth Imo, Global Head of Inclusive Experience, Adobe

Kenneth Imo is an executive, author, lawyer, certified leadership coach and US Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps veteran who works to promote organizational change through diversity, equity and inclusion. He currently works as the Global Head of Inclusive Experience with Adobe and has held similar roles with Fannie Mae, Capital One, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and more.

Kenneth received a BA from Southern Methodist University and went on to receive his JD at Wake Forest University School of Law.

Thomas Irvin, Vice President, Chief of Staff and Strategic Initiatives, Imar

Thomas Irvin is Vice President, Chief of Staff and Strategic Initiatives for Inmar Intelligence. In his role, Thomas leads key business initiatives, operations, and special projects across the organization in support of Inmar’s mission to make businesses smarter to improve consumers’ lives. Thomas earned his MSBA and BS from Wake Forest University. He is most passionate about developing learning organizations, maximizing human talent, and strategic planning.

Justin Jackson, Founder, Executive Leadership Coach and Development Facilitator, Glideslope; Combat Veteran

Justin Jackson is a sales and operations executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience in high-growth and high-stakes environments, including service as a U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. He has co-founded and helped scale organizations in cybersecurity, leadership development, education, and consumer goods, holding executive-level responsibility for P&L, revenue operations, and client delivery. His core strengths include executive coaching, consultative and relationship-based selling, revenue operations and pipeline management, operations and process optimization, and data-driven decision-making. 

Justin holds an MBA, MS in Business Analytics from Wake Forest University and is currently pursuing an Executive PhD in Business Management and Leadership.

Ann A. Johnston, Chairman of the Board, Allegacy Federal Credit Union, Wake Forest University

Ann A. Johnston has over thirty years of experience as a Human Resources professional. Early in her career, Ms. Johnston worked for Hanes Corporation and Wachovia Corporation before joining R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1988. Throughout her tenure at RJR, Ms. Johnston worked in all disciplines of Human Resources Management. She played vital roles in the 1999 spin-off of RJR from RJR Nabisco and the 2004 merger with Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company. She was named Executive Vice President, Human Resources in 2002. Upon the merger with B&W in 2004, she was named Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer for ReynoldsAmerican, Inc. Ms. Johnston retired in 2008.

Throughout her career, Ms. Johnston has been an active community volunteer. In addition to serving on several non-profit community boards and committees, she has served as the Chair of the Alumni Council for the Wake Forest School of Business. Ann also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Old Salem Museums and Gardens, where she led the national search for the current President and CEO. In addition, she presently serves as Chairman of the Board for Allegacy Federal Credit Union and is a past Chair and member of the board of IFB Solutions.

Ms. Johnston is a graduate of Salem College and holds an MBA from Wake Forest University. Her late husband, Larry, graduated from Wake Forest Law School, and her sons, Bart and Riley, are 2012 graduates of Wake Forest.

Xuejiao (Katie) Jorgenson, Alliances Manager, Sunrise Technologies,
Wake Forest University

Katie is currently the Alliances Manager at Sunrise Technologies in Winston-Salem, NC.

Katie spent five years at Inmar as a Client Development Manager, Talent Analyst, and Shopper Insights Research Lead.  Before Inmar, Katie began her career at Samet Corporation, assisting several project teams in issuing budgets, submittals, project schedules, contracts, etc.

Katie grew up in Chongqing, China, where her culture and family taught her the value of hard work and humility.  In her free time, Katie loves exploring restaurants for tasty new spicy food and going on adventures with her husband and son.

Education

Wake Forest University MBA (‘19)

Wake Forest University MSM (‘15)

Denison University B.A. Sociology and Anthropology (‘14)

Ashley Kohlrus, Director, Membership,America’s Credit Unions

Ashley Kohlrus is a seasoned retail and digital banking leader with over twenty-two years of leadership experience in credit unions. Ashley is the new Chief Operations Officer of Members Development Company (MDC). Before MDC, Ashley was the Executive Vice President, Chief Operations & Digital Officer for Allegacy Federal Credit Union, serving in a senior executive leadership role for over fourteen years. Ashley also served the credit union industry at the national trade association level through her role with America’s Credit Unions, where she acted as an ambassador and relationship builder for membership engagement.

Ashley’s unwavering commitment to the growth of the credit union industry and its capacity to serve consumers in the future has been a driving force in her career. This commitment led her to join Members Development Company (MDC), where she is dedicated to helping credit union owners thrive with innovative solutions that positively impact their members’ lives.

Ashley is an active member of her local community, Winston-Salem, North Caroline. She serves on many non-profit boards, demonstrating her commitment to making a difference. She graduated from East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communications and obtained her master’s in Leadership and Organizational Change from Pfeiffer University.

Stephen L. Lineberger, Retired President & CEO: SVAH, LLC;  GoldToeMoretz, LLC; Hanesbrands Underwear & Socks

Stephen L. Lineberger is a retired senior executive with experience in both privately held and public companies. His 36 years of experience were in senior-level marketing, sales, and corporate management positions primarily in the consumer branded apparel sector.

He retired in 2018 after spending 5 years as CEO of SVAH, LLC, a privately held corporate holding company consisting of five separate businesses in the automotive and powersports sector.

Prior to joining SVAH, LLC, he was President and CEO of GoldToeMoretz, a portfolio company of the Blackstone Group. The majority of Steve’s career was with Sara Lee Branded Apparel, which spun off as HanesBrands, Inc. in 2007. Over his 26 years with the company, he held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility including President and CEO of Sara Lee Underwear, President and CEO of Sara Lee Sock Company, and Senior Vice President/General Manager, International.

Steve resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is a Past Board Chair of the Board of Visitors at Wake Forest University’s School of Business, and assisted with the Winston-Salem Wake Will campaign. He has been involved in the local community as a member of the Executive Committee of the United Way of Forsyth County, Chair of the United Way campaign, and Chairman of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina.

Steve received his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Newberry College and an MBA degree from Wake Forest University.

Elizabeth “Ella” Lucas-Averett, Co-founder and Managing Partner, The Trivista Group

As a C-Suite advisor and growth facilitator for over 22 years, Ella has held senior executive positions with US public companies and is an experienced speaker and entrepreneur. She co-founded Trivista in 2003, is creator and host of the Top 0.05% Podcast “ON AIR WITH ELLA,” and serves on the Board of Directors for Ziva Voices, a non-profit media organization for women.

Ella has managed dozens of strategic transformations, including post-acquisition integrations, corporate re-brands, spin-offs, and strategic communications for public companies. Her clients have included Boeing, Kabbage, KLX Aerospace, VSE Corporation, and Cosette Pharmaceuticals. Her high-energy approach – alongside a marked ability to rapidly analyze and appraise – results in powerful strategy and real-time results.

Ella was a full academic scholar at Wake Forest University School of Business (MBA), and is a competitive age-group triathlete.

Charles D. Luckey
Lieutenant General, USA (Ret)

Lieutenant General Charles D. Luckey (US Army, Retired) was commissioned as an Infantry officer in the Regular Army after graduating from the University of Virginia in 1977 with a Bachelors of Arts (with Distinction) in English. He had multiple assignments as both an Infantry and, subsequently, Special Forces Officer in a variety of overseas venues prior to obtaining a Juris Doctorate (with Honors) from the University of Connecticut where he was the Administrative Editor of the Connecticut Law Review. He returned to Active Duty as a Judge Advocate in the 82nd Airborne Division at FT Bragg, North Carolina in 1985.

Luckey commanded forces at every Army echelon from a Special Forces Operational Detachment (ODA 216 in the 10th Special Forces Group) to one of the three Components of the Army. His final military assignment was as the 33rd Chief, Army Reserve and the 8th Commanding General of United States Army Reserve Command, where he led a force of over two hundred thousand Soldiers and Civilians spanning over twenty timezones.

As a flag officer, Luckey served in multiple Joint Assignments including a four-year tour as the Chief-of-Staff of NORAD & USNORTHCOM at Peterson AFB, Colorado, a three-year stint on the Joint Staff as an Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs-of-Staff, and a one-year tour as the head of the Office of Security Cooperation in Baghdad, Iraq.

In addition to forty-three years of military service, LTG(R) Luckey remains in close contact with colleagues at his former firm in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he practiced as a trial lawyer in the fields of Criminal and Environmental Law, as well as General Civil Litigation with a concentration in Family Law matters. He is a Certified Mediator in North Carolina, and is admitted to practice in a variety of State and Federal jurisdictions to include the States of North Carolina, Wisconsin and Connecticut, several US District Courts, the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Carrie McCall Williams, Chief Human Resources Officer, EMS Management and Consultants, Inc.
Wake Forest University

As a “human enthusiast,” Carrie brings her passion for people to everything she does at EMS/MC.  Carrie is a native of the Triad of NC and received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from UNC Wilmington.  She began her career in human resources is 2004 as a corporate trainer and has held positions in HR ranging from recruiter to business partner, Director and VP.

In February 2015, Carrie joined EMS/MC as the head of Human Resources, where she brings infectious energy and a “people-first” approach to all facets of HR.  Carrie’s top priority is to create and foster a culture that values employee happiness through meaningful work and a focus on overall well-being.

Diana Medina, Vice President, Retail Transformation, Inmar, Wake Forest University

Diana Medina is VP of Retail Transformation at Inmar, a technology and analytics company serving the healthcare and retail industries. In this role, she leads a team of experts that support Inmar’s retail partners and helps them grow their digital initiatives. Before joining Inmar, Diana was Director of eCommerce Merchandising at Lowes Foods. She held various Marketing and eCommerce positions with the regional grocery retailer, including Director of Marketing Communications, solidifying experience in digital marketing, customer loyalty, shopper marketing, and media.

Diana is involved in coaching and mentorship for young professionals and enjoys helping other women develop skills to integrate family, career, and personal interests in a purposeful way. She is from Bogota, Colombia, and lives in NC with her husband Juan and her kids Alejandro and Victoria. Diana is co-host of the podcast CafecitoChat, which features the fascinating journeys of Latin women in the US.

Diana holds an MBA from Wake Forest University, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from La Sabana University in her hometown of Bogota, Colombia.

James C. Monroe, Jr. “Jim”, SVP, Financial Strategy, Allegacy Federal Credit Union

Jim is a Senior Vice President of Financial Strategy at Allegacy Federal Credit Union. A graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, he began his career at Wachovia Bank & Trust working in both Winston-Salem and New York. He also served at commercial banks in Dallas, Texas, Greenville, South Carolina and Naugatuck, Connecticut acting as Treasurer and Investment Portfolio Manager.

He serves the community acting as Command Pilot for various Angel Flight organizations transporting patients from remote locations to medical centers for treatment.

Guy Morgan, Owner, Morgan Consulting

M. Guy Morgan is a seasoned marketing professional with extensive experience in sports and brand marketing, program development, and market research. His expertise centers on building strong relationships, leading cross-functional teams, and crafting innovative data-driven strategies that drive business growth and achieve organizational objectives. Skilled in brand marketing, public relations, and program management, he is recognized as an effective communicator and results-oriented leader, consistently delivering measurable outcomes by aligning marketing strategy with business goals and leveraging insights to optimize resource management.

Guy is the owner of Morgan Consulting and previously spent more than 10 years with Bellomy Research. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wake Forest University.

Eva Neumann, President and Founder, ENC Strategy (retired)

Eva Neumann, a Washington, DC native, currently splits her time between White Sulphur Springs, WV and Winston-Salem, NC. She recently retired as Founder and President of ENC Strategy which, for 28 years, provided strategic communications services to emerging growth and large business clients including Booz Allen Hamilton, Dell/EMC, Cisco, NetApp, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Northrop Grumman, Sodexo, and Washington Gas. ENC also obtained Federal government contracts to support digital communications, cyber-security, human capital, and change management initiatives within Federal agencies such as the US Small Business Administration (SBA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD), US Treasury, US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ENC was recognized by Working Mother Magazine, the Washington Business Journal, and the Care Awards as an outstanding employer.  The ENC team received over 50 awards for outstanding work and Eva was recognized as an outstanding business leader by the Washington Business Journal, Federal Computer Week (Fed 100 awardee), and Women in Technology.

Chris Nichols, Leadership and Talent Advisor  Wake Forest University

An experienced leadership advisor who has worked with CEOs, Investors, and Boards at leading Private Equity Firms and Fortune 500 companies to improve company performance through informed talent decisions, coaching and developing leaders, and improved organizational effectiveness. I bring a strategy and operational focus to engagements, leveraging firsthand experience running a Private Equity owned company, leading corporate strategy efforts, and integrating a Fortune 500 merger. My work starts with a deep understanding of an organization’s strategy and value creation thesis and then tailors support to optimize the talent, leadership, and organization to achieve the company’s future goals. I relate with leaders based on my personal experience in operational roles and bring a strong focus on supporting others to achieve results.

Education

Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management, MBA 2007 – 2009

Wake Forest University -BS, Mathematical Economics, 1999 – 2003

Cathy Pace, Retired President, and CEO, Allegacy Federal Credit Union

Cathy Pace, retired CEO and president of Allegacy Federal Credit Union, is a financial trailblazer who has been a driving force behind the credit union’s exponential growth and impact on member and community wellbeing. As CEO, Ms. Pace guided Allegacy through successful fiscal initiatives, oversaw a transformative name change and rebranding, expanded into the Charlotte market and launched nationally recognized wellness and education programs. She also spear-headed a 20-year partnership with Wake Forest University that culminated in the naming of the football venue as the Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.

Ms. Pace’s remarkable 46-year journey at Allegacy began in 1978 when she joined Reynolds Carolina Credit Union as a switchboard operator. She rose through the executive leadership ranks, holding positions in marketing, business development and wealth management before being named CEO and president in 2013. During her tenure, the company grew from 17,000 members and almost $50 million in assets in 1978 to more than 175,000 members and over $2.2 billion in assets as of 2024. Allegacy’s dramatic growth is largely attributed to Ms. Pace’s leadership over successful initiatives in commercial lending, business services, and wealth and financial planning.

In addition to engineering corporate growth, Ms. Pace has been instrumental in establishing a culture of wellbeing for employees, members and the community. She embraced a corporate commitment to “doing right” by addressing needs in the community related to education, food insecurity, health and wellbeing. She also partnered with the Wake Forest School of Business to promote ethical business practices, which led to Allegacy’s multi-million investments in the school’s Center for Leadership and Character.

For her legacy of business excellence and community enrichment, Ms. Pace received the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation and was named one of the Triad’s Most Admired CEOs. She has served on numerous boards and currently serves as Past Chair of Greater WS, Inc., Advisory Board for Wake Forest’s Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and is a long-time member of the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center Regional Advisory Group. She also serves on the School of Business Board of Visitors at Wake Forest.

For modeling servant leadership by fostering a corporate culture of community outreach, for honoring Pro Humanitate ideals in her efforts to promote the ethical practice of business and for serving as a valued mentor to colleagues to ensure that Allegacy remains a purpose-driven enterprise, Cathy was recommended for the degree of Doctor of Business Administration by Wake Forest in May 2024.

Billy Prim, Founder and CEO, Primo Water Corporation

Billy D. Prim is the founder and executive chairman of Primo Water Corporation. Primo is a rapidly growing provider of multi-gallon purified bottled water, self-serve filtered drinking water, and water dispensers sold through major retailers throughout the United States and Canada. The Company’s products provide an environmentally friendly, economical, convenient, and healthy solution for consuming purified water. Primo is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol PRMW.

Before Primo, Mr. Prim was the founder and chief executive officer of Blue Rhino Corp., the nation’s leading provider of branded propane cylinder exchange and complementary propane-fueled appliances. In 2004 Mr. Prim sold Blue Rhino to Ferrellgas, New York Stock Exchange FGP.

Prior to founding Blue Rhino in 1994, Mr. Prim was chairman and chief executive officer of American Oil and Gas Company, a regional petroleum marketer.

Mr. Prim is chairman of the Dean Prim Foundation. This foundation provides scholarships for students to attend four-year colleges and universities and the opportunity to participate in a China travel and study program. The Foundation was created in memory of Mr. Prim’s father, who was an active Yadkin County Board of Education member.

Mr. Prim is president and owner of the Winston-Salem Dash, a Minor League baseball team and Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

In 2003 Mr. Prim was named a recipient of The Carolinas’ 2003 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. This program honors entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, hard work, and perseverance have created and sustained successful, growing business Ventures.

Mr. Prim is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization and serves on the board of directors of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, Wake Forest Business School, and the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Mr. Prim and his wife, Deborah, reside in Winston-Salem, NC.

Amy Reynolds, SVP Marketing and Customer Engagement, Flow Automotive Companies
Wake Forest University

Amy Reynolds is Senior Vice President of Marketing & Customer Engagement at Flow Automotive Companies, where she oversees strategy for 54 dealerships across 26 brands. She is also co-owner of Bespoke Cyclery and co-leads the MSBS Bespoke Cyclery cycling team, which fundraises in support of the Tour to Tanglewood for Bike MS. A frequent guest speaker at Wake Forest University School of Business and keynote for the 2021 WFU MBA graduation, Amy is recognized for expertise in marketing strategy, customer engagement, retail operations, and digital transformation. She serves on multiple nonprofit boards and holds an MBA from Wake Forest University and a B.S. in Psychology from Appalachian State University.

Melvin Scales, Executive Vice President, Meridian Resources, Global Career Management Leader
Wake Forest University

Melvin serves as Executive Vice President of Meridian Resources, a leading national talent management consulting firm. Specifically, Meridian provides talent management solutions to support new leaders and emerging leaders as well as career transition coaching to leading Fortune 500 organizations. Also, as Managing Member of Brookemeade Holdings, LLC, he provides leadership coaching and soft-skill workshops  for non-profit organization leaders. He is certified by the Interim Management Institute as an Interim Executive.

Before Meridian Resources, Melvin was the Assistant Director of Career Services for the Wake Forest University Schools of Business. He was also the Global Senior Vice-President for the world’s most effective career management and outplacement consulting organization-Right Management. He led the organization’s thought leadership and global delivery for all 19 global operating regions.

Melvin is a seasoned leader with proven success in brand promotion management and global talent & career consulting. Colleagues recognize him as highly collaborative and pragmatic, capable of overseeing major international initiatives. He is also the author of a leadership development book entitled “The Top 5 Soft Skills Leaders Must Have” available with Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

SPECIALTIES:

Global Talent and Career Management Consulting | Newly Appointed and Emerging Leader Coaching |Leadership Soft Skills Coaching & Workshops

Paul Schacht, Retired VP/GM, Duracell and Procter & Gamble 

Paul is a retired 39-year FMCG executive trained by two of the best (Procter & Gamble and Berkshire Hathaway). His 29-year career at P&G included various sales roles in the Food/Beverage sector as well as multiple new venture leadership roles helping the company get into new businesses such as Iams pet food, PUR water filtration, Tide dry cleaners, and MDVIP concierge medicine. While on the Duracell brand, Paul moved to Berkshire Hathaway in 2016 after the acquisition by Warren Buffett. He served in various VP/General Manager roles for Duracell across multiple channels (Food, Club, B2B) as well central roles leading Market, Strategy, and Planning for North America.

Paul is a well-rounded leader with experience in new business development, general management of large global businesses with P&L responsibility, strategy, and organization design/high performance work systems. Paul graduated from Wake Forest University in 1986 with a BS degree in Business while also selling books door to door during his college summers with the Southwestern Co.

Paul lives in Cincinnati, OH with his wife, Shalie, and three adult children where he enjoys golf, travel, reading, mentoring, and serving. He is currently serving on the Board of Trustees for Miami Valley Christian Academy and Count Me In Global (teen ministry in Kenya).

Patti Schnably Shields, Managing Consultant (Europe) at The Grayson Company. Chief Merchant/Consumer Advocate
Wake Forest University

Patti’s career across traditional, specialty, and fast-fashion retail over the past 30 years – from value to luxury – and across categories (men’s, women’s, kids/baby, accessories) – is unique. Her scope has included Omni buying, merchandising, planning, allocation, visual, design, trend, sourcing, e-commerce ops, store ops, and product development. Her ability to bring that breadth of experience to the table to lead teams to develop concrete strategies using consumer insights, data analytics and unique product assortments makes her one of the most diverse merchants in the industry today. Patti’s energetic approach is collaborative and customer-focused, bringing results through critical mass. During dynamic growth and transformation phases, she has worked for iconic brands such as Macy’s, Gap Inc., Victoria’s Secret, Charlotte Russe, and St. John Knits.

Patti currently serves as Chief Merchant for New York & Company, an $800M Omni retailer with over 400 stores across the US with their own branded merchandise and Celebrity Fashion collaborations with Eva Mendes and Gabrielle Union. Most recently, due to the recent pandemic, NY&Company’s parent, Retailwinds, declared bankruptcy. Patti was one of the key executives empowered with developing a reorganization plan and investment strategy, which recently resulted in a successful sale of the company.

Before starting at NY&Company, Patti and her family lived in Ireland for over six years while her husband Aidan served as CFO of Primark, Europe’s most significant value retailer. While living abroad, Patti developed a robust consulting agenda, helping with due diligence and trend forecasting assignments for US retailers and manufacturers while also becoming a guest lecturer at Trinity College (MBA Programme) and the undergraduate program at DIT’s Arthur Ryan Retail Centre. The family also purchased and co-own a 220+-year-old pub and B&B in their home village of Delgany, County Wicklow, Ireland.

April Smith, Senior Director, Client Services, Bellamy Market Intelligence

At Bellamy, April is responsible for maintaining client relationships and ensuring program success by providing excellent service and team leadership at every step of the research process. She is known for her comprehensive planning, organization, and ability to develop analyses using strategic judgment. She prides herself on promoting team collaboration to deliver exceptional results with zero tolerance for error, all while having a positive can-do attitude and passion for getting the job done.

April holds a BA in Economics and Communication from Wake Forest University. When not at Bellamy, April enjoys yoga, taking fitness classes at the YMCA, traveling, and spending time with her dog, Scout.

Kelly M. Smith, Retired  SVP/Chief Financial Officer of Replacements, Ltd.

Kelly M. Smith is the retired SVP/Chief Financial Officer of Replacements, Ltd., the world’s largest retailer of discontinued tableware and collectibles based in Greensboro, NC. Kelly spent 30 years with the company in the CFO role. He is a 1986 graduate of the School of Business with a BS degree in Accountancy. He began his career in public accounting before transitioning to industry.

In 2025, Kelly was recognized by the School of Business with the ACLC’s Excellence in Leadership Alumni Award. He is involved with several nonprofits and occasionally consults as a fractional CFO. Kelly is based in Greensboro and is available in person and by teleconference.

Zac Snyder, Senior Vice President, Carter Bank & Trust                                                                                                        Wake Forest University

Zac Snyder is a North Carolina banking veteran, serving the past four years as Senior Vice President and Regional Executive at Carter Bank & Trust, a $4.1 billion community bank headquartered in Martinsville, VA.

After completing his undergraduate degree at UNC-Wilmington, Zac earned his MBA from Wake Forest University, graduating with distinction.

A native of Mooresville, his career has spanned nearly 18 years, beginning in Wilmington, then on to various Triad and foothill communities before returning to Charlotte.

In his current role, Zac oversees Carter’s banking activities for the greater Charlotte area and other markets in the western part of the state. He also serves as a voting member on the Bank’s Executive Loan Committee and is a key ranking member of the bank’s Customer Experience Committee. Zac holds a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) certification and serves on the North Carolina State Board of CCIM. He is also actively involved in the North Carolina Bankers Association, where he served on the North Carolina Young Bankers board from 2018-2021.

Carol Spann Joyner, Vice President Real Estate, U.S. and Canada, Levi Strauss & Co.

Carol serves as the Vice President of Real Estate, U.S. and Canada for Levi Strauss and Co. with a history of negotiating leases and executing strategies in regional shopping centers, super regional malls, streets and freestanding retail real estate development.

Carol’s expertise includes strategic guidance of national expansion plans, portfolio and conformity lease negotiations, negotiation strategy and techniques, portfolio management planning and execution, overseeing real estate development lifecycle from strategy to store opening, as well as remodel and asset management strategies.

Carol earned her MBA in Finance from University of Georgia – Terry College of Business.

Brian Speas, former active-duty Army officer
United States Military Academy, Naval War College

Brian retired as a Special Forces Colonel after serving twenty-six years as an active-duty Army officer.  Post-retirement, Brian was an Athletic Director for a local middle school and high school sports program, and is currently a leadership coach for Arrowhead Leadership Consulting.

Brian has been married for twenty-eight years and has five children.

EDUCATION

Naval War College | Newport, RI | Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | Bachelor of Science in Management

Guy Squires, Army Special Operations Leader

Guy is an Army Special Operations leader with a wealth of leadership and leadership development experience. In the past fifteen years, he has been with the world’s premier Special Mission Unit on Fort Liberty, NC (formerly Fort Bragg) putting him in the top 0.0003 percent of the military.

Guy has vast experience operating and leading in the most consequential and dynamic environments. He is the program manager in a 2000+ person organization for the leadership development of the top performers in the U.S. military.

Guy has a Master’s degree in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University and is an International Coaching Federation trained coach.

Bailey Stinson, Brand Manager, Maverick Cigarettes, ITG Brands

Bailey Stinson is a Triple Deac from Boonville, North Carolina; earning her undergraduate, MSM, and
MBA degrees from Wake Forest University. In her professional career, Bailey is a branding strategist and marketing professional who currently works at ITG Brands in Greensboro, NC as the Brand Manager for Maverick cigarettes. In this role she focuses on overseeing agency relationships, fostering cross-
functional collaboration, and ensuring product and brand integrity to drive business results. Currently she is working on a largescale brand overhaul slated for 2026.

Informed by the diversity of her academic background and lived experiences, she also strives to give back to her community through volunteering and political activism. From managing local campaigns and canvassing, to registering voters; she is passionate about advocating for the inclusion and representation of diverse voices across our state.

Jeff Triplette, Former CEO and President, ArbiterSports
Wake Forest University

Jeff combines his passion for sports officiating with his skill in managing high-performance teams.

Before ArbiterSports, Jeff founded Triplette Advisors, LLC, a risk management and turnaround consultancy.  Also, he served as President and COO for FNC, Inc., a pioneer in real estate collateral information technology.

Prior to FNC, Jeff served at Duke Energy Corporation for 32 years in several senior leadership roles, including President and CEO of Bison Insurance Company, Duke’s captive insurance subsidiary.

Jeff recently retired after 22 years as an NFL official and is the past Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) and past President of the National Football League Referees Association (NFLRA).

A retired Colonel with over 32 years of service in the U.S. Army National Guard and Reserve, Jeff was awarded the Bronze Star while serving in the first Persian Gulf War.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Wake Forest University. He also serves on the Board of Visitors for the School of Business and is a Trustee of the Utah Technology Council.

Ramiro Villalobos, Retired U.S. Air Force Special Warfare Operator

Ramiro Villalobos, a retired U.S. Air Force Special Warfare Operator, brings over 20 years of leadership, operations management, and project management experience.

Currently pursuing an MBA at Wake Forest University, he holds multiple project management certifications (PMP, CPD, CPT) and has a strong background in business strategy and organizational leadership. Ramiro actively leads nonprofit initiatives, focusing on restructuring programs and driving strategic growth. Passionate about leadership development and business transition, he is committed to empowering professionals and veterans through mentorship and strategic guidance.

Peter G. Watson, Retired Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Greif Inc.

Pete Watson recently retired in 2023 as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at Greif, Inc.  He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Greif Inc. from 2015 – 2021.  Greif Inc. is a $6.3 billion industrial packaging company serving customers in over 37 countries worldwide.  Greif was founded in 1877 and is publicly traded on the NYSE under GEF.

As CEO, Pete led Greif, Inc. with the vision “To be the best-performing customer service company in the world.” This vision, together with developing a culture based on Servant Leadership, was adopted by Greif’s 16,000 global colleagues and propelled Greif to be a global leader in industrial packaging. Since joining the company in 1999, Pete has served in various executive positions, including Chief Operating Officer, Group President for Paper Packaging, Land Management, and Global Sourcing and Supply Chain.

Prior to his business career, Pete was a college football coach at Springfield College, Cornell University, and Wake Forest University for seven years. This experience greatly influenced his business leadership style.

In his retirement, Pete will focus his time and energy on teaching and mentoring young professionals and college students on leadership and global business.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of OhioHealth and the Founder’s Board of Leadership at the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University.  He previously served on the board of directors of the Central Ohio American Heart Association, the Columbus, Ohio Partnership, and the Ohio Business Roundtable.  Pete is the past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Forest & Paper Association and Fibre Box Association.

Pete holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree from Springfield College in Massachusetts.

Gregory J. Wessling, Principal Partner, A&G Associates and Partners, LLC

Gregory Wessling is the Founding Principal Partner at A&G Associates and Partners. Wessling is a seasoned executive with 48 years’ experience in senior merchandising, marketing and operating positions. He was a member of the Executive team that transformed Lowe’s Companies, Inc. into a leading chain of home improvement retail stores and brought the company to Fortune 50 status as a NYSE public company.

Wessling joined Lowe’s Companies, Inc. in 1974 where he served as a Floor Sales Specialist, Store Manager, Purchasing Manager, Marketing Manager, Director of Merchandising, Vice President of Merchandising, Senior Vice President – General Merchandise Manager and Senior Vice President – Store Operations. He retired with 33 years of service.

Wessling holds a BSBA from the University of North Carolina, and a MBA from Wake Forest University.