On Thursday, May 30, The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus hosted Leadership Cabarrus Graduation for the Class of 2024’s 33 members. The event was sponsored by The Chamber’s Cornerstone Investors: Atrium Health, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Duke Energy, F&M Bank and Lilly.
Leadership Cabarrus, begun in 1989, is a 10-month civic leadership development program for business leaders to educate and enhance the awareness of the assets, resources and needs within the Cabarrus County region. Through a series of monthly class days from September through May, participants learn how leadership in historical, educational, economic, government and cultural segments work together to advance our community. Since its inception, over 700 people have completed the program.
Each year, the class works together on a legacy project that is designed to address a pressing need that will benefit the community in perpetuity. This year’s class focused on addressing food insecurity and partnered with 1Can, a Cabarrus County nonprofit. The group built two new Blessing Boxes (one at Gibson Mill and one at Weddington Hills Elementary School), raised over $16,000 in sponsorship to stock the boxes with food for a year, collected 915 pounds of non-perishable food and redesigned marketing materials for 1Can.
“Each year, our class members spend a great deal of time outside of program days organizing and executing unique legacy projects that have been very beneficial to our community,” said Barbi Jones, executive director, The Chamber Leading Business in Cabarrus. “This year’s class wanted to reach as many neighbors in need as possible and quickly determined helping 1Can provide food in additional areas would be a great way to do that. We are so grateful for their work and appreciate their contributions and for those who supported their efforts through help and donations.”
The graduates of the Leadership Cabarrus, Class of 2024 are:
• Jess Buchanan, The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus
• Sarah Burgess, Westrock Coffee
• Katrina Carney, Anchor Real Estate Advisors
• Garrett Carter, Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Kristy DeSantis, UNC Charlotte
• Methuselah Dixon, Agape Global Ministries
• Meredith Dorton, Wayne Brothers, Inc.
• Gerald Faulkner, City of Kannapolis
• Patrick Graham, WeBuild Concord
• Andrew Guenther, Vulcan Materials
• Julie Henderson, Cabarrus County CVB
• Kim Herrick, Mills Law
• Zack Hubbard, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
• Jamie Hunter, Lilly
• Bonnie Jones
• Jessica Jones, City of Concord
• Julie Long, City of Kannapolis
• Sheila Lowry, City of Concord
• Tashina Mahatha, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
• Nick Manser, CESI
• Rosmery Morales, Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center
• Thomas Nunn, Cabarrus County Government
• Rusty Olson, Cabarrus Brewing Company
• Suzanne Philemon, The Cannon Foundation
• Amy Potoczny, Cabarrus Health Alliance
• Traci Rowan, Great Wolf Lodge
• Adam Ryerson, Concord Fire Department
• Jennifer Teague, Town of Harrisburg
• Tanesha Thompson, Synergy Realty Group
• Bill Tolone, UNC Charlotte
• Sarah Vingoe, Cabarrus Health Alliance
• Trish West, Atrium Health
• Scott Zeman, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office
Applications for the Class of 2025 are open until Friday, June 28 at 5:00 p.m. and are available at cabarrus.biz/leadership. The cost for the program is $1,250 for Chamber members and $1,750 for nonmembers, with priority consideration given to members. For more information, contact Barbi Jones at bjones@cabarrus.biz.