Chatter with BNC | Cecilia Holden - President and CEO, myFutureNC
Release Date: 07/02/2025
Chatter with BNC | Gary Frey - Owner, Director of Business Development at BGW
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. In this episode of Chatter with Business North Carolina, host Ben Kenney speaks with Gary Frey, co-owner and director of business development for BGW Advisors, a Charlotte-based accounting firm. Gary shares his unconventional journey through various challenges in his career, emphasizing the importance of resilience, community, and connection in entrepreneurship. He discusses the growth and culture at BGW Advisors, his passion for...
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Chatter with BNC | Jessica Aguilar - Policy and Program Manager, NC State Institute for Emerging Issues
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. In this episode of Chatter with BNC, host Ben Kenney speaks with Jessica Solis Aguilar, the Policy and Program Manager at the Institute for Emerging Issues at NC State. They discuss the upcoming Emerging Issues Forum, celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the focus on water infrastructure as a critical issue for North Carolina. Jessica shares her professional journey, the importance of community engagement in selecting forum...
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Chatter with BNC | Winn Maddrey - CEO, Blue Nine Partners
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. In this episode of Chatter with Business North Carolina, host Ben Kenney speaks with marketing expert Winn Maddrey about the evolving landscape of media and marketing, the impact of AI, generational differences in communication, and their shared love for music. They discuss how companies are adapting to changes in media consumption and the importance of quality content, while also reflecting on personal experiences.
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Chatter with BNC | Chris Moeller - Founder and CEO, Orion Growth
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. In this episode of Chatter with BNC, host Ben Kenney speaks with Chris Moeller, founder and CEO of Orion Growth. They discuss Chris's entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of starting a business during the Great Recession, and the evolving landscape of work and housing in the wake of COVID-19. Chris shares insights on affordable housing issues in North Carolina and his passion for vinyl records, highlighting the importance of...
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Chatter with BNC | Chris William - Host of Carolina Business Review
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. In this episode of Chatter with BNC, host Ben Kinney speaks with Chris William, host of Carolina Business Review. They discuss Chris's professional journey, the impact of Carolina Business Review on the business landscape in the Carolinas, and the feedback received from viewers as the show goes on hiatus. The conversation also touches on Chris's personal interests, including music, and concludes with reflections on the business...
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Chatter with BNC | Chris Kellam and David Campbell - Co-founders of Kellam and Campbell Accounting
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. In this episode, host Ben Kenney speaks with Chris Kellam and David Campbell, co-founders of Kellum and Campbell Accounting. They share their professional journeys, the founding of their firm, and their strategies for growth and expansion across North Carolina. The conversation also touches on their community engagement efforts, partnerships with East Carolina University, and personal interests in music, highlighting the...
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Chatter with BNC | Pete Proimos - Founder, Filotimo Foundation
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. On today's episode, Ben Kenney talks with Pete Proimos, founder of the Filotimo Foundation. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at seven months old, Pete defied expectations—building a successful automotive manufacturing business sold to Berkshire Hathaway in 2023. He shares how he kept his diagnosis hidden for decades and why he launched the foundation to help adults with CF who are now living longer than ever imagined. Hear...
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Chatter with BNC | Tim Walsh - Banking, Analytics and Cognitive Principal at Deloitte
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. On today's episode, Ben Kinney speaks with Tim Walsh, Banking, Analytics and Cognitive Principal at Deloitte and Chair of the Dean's Advisory Board at UNC Charlotte. Tim shares his journey from his first university hire in advanced analytics to building Deloitte's data and analytics practice in Charlotte over two decades ago. The conversation explores the dynamic state of banking today, from the surge in M&A activity among...
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Chatter with BNC | Gary Salamido - President and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. On today's episode, Ben Kinney speaks with Gary Salamido, President and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber. Gary shares his unexpected journey from pharmacist to advocacy leader, spending 19 years at Glaxo before joining the Chamber in 2011. The conversation explores the Chamber's groundbreaking Carolina Health Works initiative, a small business health insurance program 12 years in the making that aims to help North Carolina's...
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Chatter with BNC | Elizabeth Underwood Kazimir - Director of Economic Development, Stanly County EDC
Chatter with BNC
Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. On today's episode, Ben Kinney speaks with Elizabeth Underwood Kazimir, Director of Economic Development for the Stanly County EDC. Elizabeth shares her journey into economic development, from graduating during the pandemic in 2020 to leading transformative growth initiatives in Albemarle and Stanly County. The conversation explores exciting projects attracting talent from across the country, the challenges of building supportive...
info_outlineWelcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people.
Today's episode features an Interview with Cecilia Holden, the President and CEO for myFutureNC, a statewide initiative focused on the state’s educational attainment goal. Among other public service, she served as the Chief of Staff for the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Director of Government and Community Affairs for the State Board of Education. Her private sector experience includes a career with IBM, as well as a Registered Investment Advisory firm. Holden holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Duke University, a certificate in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina School of Government and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Business from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.