Partner with the Academy

Executive speakers and clients

Community business leaders play an important role in the Tar Heel Business Academy. Executive speakers have shared important insights and perspectives with students. Local businesses and organizations have served as clients, bringing their real-world business challenges into the classroom for students to solve.

Past speakers and organizations include:

• Bain & Company: Mansoor Kazi, Partner
• Brandwein’s Bagels: Alex Brandwein, Founder/Owner
• Break Bread Ventures: Jonathan Crumpler, CEO/Partner; Rob Bryan, Co-owner
• Charlotte Hornets: Tyrel Kirkham, Chief Marketing Officer; Liz Rackoff, Vice President, Marketing; Graham Pitt, Senior Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
• Coca-Cola Consolidated: Beau Fisher, Chief Legal & Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary; Brent Tollison, Chief People and Public Affairs Officer
• Community Financials: Chris Elmore, Director of Sales and Business Development
• Dunning Custom Homes: John Lucas Dunning, Senior Project Manager
• EY: Austin Alpern, Solution Mobilization Strategy, Office of the CTO
• Halftime Rentals: Austin Helms, Owner
• Keurig Dr Pepper: Jeff Smith, Division Sales Manager/Director, CASO Sales; Drew Heist, Regional Sales Manager, CASO
• Lucid Bots: Andrew Ashur, Founder/CEO
• McKinsey & Company: Bill Aull, Partner
• Nuveen Real Estate: Katie Grissom, Global Head of Retail
• OTIS Software/June Coast: Willie Barron, Founder, OTIS Software; Co-Founder, June Coast
• Shug & Spice: Laura Storey, Founder/Owner
• Starbucks/Domino’s Pizza: Ritch Allison, Board Director, Starbucks; Former CEO, Domino’s Pizza
• Wells Fargo Securities: Meredith Reynolds, Executive Director
• Wells Fargo Corporate and Investment Banking: Belma Porobic, Vice President, Fund Finance
• Wray Ward: Kent Panther, President & Chief Growth Officer; Charla Mueller, Executive Director, PR, Content, Social and Influencer
• YMCA of the Triangle – Chatham Park YMCA: Logan Livingston-Laidlow, Associate Executive Director for Youth; Lori Olivet, Member Engagement Director

If you are interested in serving as a future consulting client or joining the Academy as a guest executive speaker, please contact us.

School districts

In summer 2026, the Tar Heel Business Academy partnered with Chatham County Schools to deliver a unique experience for students from the district’s high schools at the new Steven D. Bell Hall on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. The district supported students with scholarships and the local YMCA served as the week’s client. Students worked with the YMCA and Professor Chip Snively, a Chatham County resident himself, to brainstorm and present ideas to make a positive impact in the community.

If you’re a school system or non-profit interested in supporting your students to attend the Academy, please contact us.