Posted on September 14, 2018
Earlier this week, the Board of Directors for the Charlotte Regional Partnership and the Executive Committee of the Charlotte Chamber voted unanimously to authorize their CEOs and staff to engage in the steps necessary to formally combine the organizations. The Boards of both organizations are expected later this year to act on a formal recommendation from their respective Executive Committees to finalize the combination. It is anticipated that should the Boards vote to ratify the recommendation, the new enterprise will begin operations on January 1, 2019. We are providing the media this afternoon with a limited joint statement, but we believe it is important for you to hear this news from us first.
The decision to combine the two organizations is rooted in a belief that the vision and mission of the two organizations naturally align with one another and combining the two will sustain and enhance the economic growth, prosperity and global competitiveness of the Charlotte region. As part of an integration effort, the mission statements of each organization will be reviewed with an intent to build on their respective foundations to determine the mission and vision of the new organization.
The intent of the combined enterprise will be to build on the experience and passion of both organizations to galvanize the 16-county Charlotte region through a shared vision and coordinated efforts. The business leaders in our community are committed to building the best enterprise in the country in order to drive long-term growth and a vibrant economy. A unified enterprise provides a clear path and single development team for site selectors and business leaders and owners who are considering a corporate re-location or business expansion.
We are confident a new combined organization is the right strategic decision for our region’s future. Success hinges on maintaining the consistent support of our investors and partners through 2020 to ensure a smooth transition and to bolster our ability to achieve our goals through one unified organization. As a new organization, there would be an emphasis on expanding the base of support to ensure the Charlotte region can be competitive amongst her peers.
An ad hoc committee was formed to oversee the evaluation process and identify necessary integration steps, including establishing a new name for the combined enterprise and to facilitate the search for a CEO. We anticipate the CEO search process being completed in early 2019. The 10-member ad hoc committee is comprised of past, current and future leaders of both the Charlotte Chamber and Charlotte Regional Partnership: Kendall Alley, Wes Beckner, Howard Bissell III, Malcomb Coley, Jesse Cureton, Ned Curran, Chris Kouri, Carol Lovin, Andrea Smith, and Judy Wishnek.
Both the Charlotte Chamber and Charlotte Regional Partnership have strong and talented teams and the Executive Committees and leadership teams of both organizations are confident that great work will continue by both organizations during the next few months. Bob Morgan and Ronnie Bryant will continue to run their organizations through the transition.
There are a lot details that need to be finalized in furtherance of potentially combining these organizations in order to deliver on our goal of building the best economic development enterprise in the country. We look forward to sharing more information with you in the coming weeks as this process continues.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Kendall Alley, Charlotte Chamber Board Chair
Howard Bissell III, Charlotte Regional Partnership Chair