The WilmingtonBiz 100 is an annual Business Journal initiative to recognize the top 100 Power Players, Influencers, Innovators, Connectors and Rising Stars impacting Southeastern North Carolina’s business landscape.

The Business Journal’s editorial team selected the WilmingtonBiz 100, who will be featured in the December issue of the WilmingtonBiz Magazine. The issue will be mailed directly to subscribers and online Dec. 17.

Individuals must live or work in the Wilmington region to be eligible for the WilmingtonBiz 100. Elected officials weren’t considered because of their clear influence on business in our region.
 

The Power Players
The businesspeople and officials having the greatest impact on the region’s business and economic landscape

-Jeff Bourk, Wilmington International Airport

-Ernie Bovio, Novant Health Coastal Region

-Brian Clark, N.C. Ports

-Sophie Dagenais, New Hanover Community Endowment

-Sean Desmond, nCino

-Bryce Dill, Corning Incorporated

-Brian Eckel, Cape Fear Commercial

-Natalie English, Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce

-Chip Mahan, Live Oak Bancshares

-Tim Milam & Denise Kinney, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

-Mark Moon, GE Aerospace

-Jim Morton, CFCC

-Craig Ranson, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy

-Holly Sullivan, Amazon

-Neil Underwood, Canapi Ventures

-Aswani Volety, UNCW

-Trey & Jim Wallace, Intracoastal Realty Corp.

-Laurie Whalin, Novant Health Coastal Region

-Shannon Winslow, New Hanover Community Endowment

The Influencers
The changemakers, in front of or behind the scenes

-Joe Apkarian, The Eagle’s Dare, Tacobaby and The Pour House

-Christopher Barnes, New Hanover County Schools

-Chris Boney, LS3P

-Chris Coudriet, New Hanover County

-Shane Fernando, Thalian Hall

-Becky Hawke, City of Wilmington

-Chad Hodges, McKinley Building Corporation

-Jim Hundley Jr., Thomas Construction Group

-Mike Kozlosky, WMPO

-Lauren Krall Ivey & Sunny Gerhart, Olivero

-Ryan Legg, MegaCorp Logistics

-BJ Losch, Live Oak Bank

-Chris Norvell, Edgewater Ventures

-Aubrey Parsley, City of Wilmington (former)

-Jerod Patterson, Business Alliance for a Sound Economy

-Yousry & Linda Sayed, Quality Chemical Laboratories/Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed

-Roger Shew, UNCW (retired)

-Gene Smith, Brunswick Community College

-Lynda Stanley, Dosher Memorial Hospital

-Jason & David Swain, Swain Associates

-Bryan Thomas, Monteith

-Kenneth Waldroup, Cape Fear Public Utility Authority

-Jack Watson, UNCW College of Health & Human Services

-Margaret Weller-Stargell, Coastal Horizons

-Gwen Whitley, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare

-Landon Zimmer, Zimmer Development Company
 

The Connectors
The real-world networkers who bring together people and resources to get things done

-Andy Almeter, Leath HR Group

-Rhonda Bellamy, Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County

-Rob Burrus, UNCW

-Chris Capone, Capone & Associates

-Dana Conners, New Hanover County Library

-Travis Corpening, Young Mogul Development Group

-Bill Early, Brunswick Business & Industry Development

-Tara English & Scott Wagner, Brooklyn Café/Goat & Compass

-Johnny Griffin, Wilmington Regional Film Commission

-Beau Gunn, Local Daily Media/Beau Gunn Presents

-Christina Haley, Wilmington Downtown Inc.

-Josh Hallingse, Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce

-Pam Hardy, Duke Energy

-Kim Hufham, Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau

-Alexis Hunter, Wilmington Health

-Velva Jenkins, YWCA of the Lower Cape Fear

-Althea Johnson, MedNorth Health Center

-Janet Kane, Cape Fear Realtors

-Katrina Knight, The Good Shepherd Center

-Sheri Leavens, UNCW College of Health & Human Services

-Heather McWhorter, UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

-John Monahan, Vistage Worldwide

-Cameron Moore, Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association

-Ken & Connie Morris, Salvation Army Cape Fear

-Tracey & Girard Newkirk, Genesis Block Foundation/Genesis Block

-Yolanda Pollard, UNCW Swain Center

-Tammy Proctor, Greater Topsail Chamber of Commerce & Tourism

-Leneice Rice, UNCW/CFCC

-Scott Satterfield, Wilmington Business Development

-Barnes Sutton, Town of Leland

-Meade Van Pelt, The Harrelson Center

-Cynthia Walsh, Brunswick County Association of Realtors

-Heather Wilson, Cameron Art Museum
 

The Innovators
The disruptors shaking things up and getting the region to see things in a different way

-Chris Babcock, Apiture

-Alison Baringer, N.C. Azalea Festival

-Umar Bowers, Dawson Med Primary Care & Urgent Care

-Brett Caines, Lumos Technologies Inc.

-Robin Cowie, Skillmaker.ai

-Ben Currin & Dave Sweyer, Vantaca

-Barrett Earney, Earney IT

-David Fioravanti, Infinite Structures

-Drew Harrison, Synaptigen

-Jeff James, Wilmington Health

-Randall Johnson, N.C. Biotechnology Center Southeastern Office

-Nik Morton, Catalyst

-Zeke Nathans & Dynh Lee, Chow Town

-Leslie Smith & Kelly Reynolds, Cargo District

-Steve Uebele, Frontier Scientific Solutions

-Evonne & Don Varady, Clean Eatz
 

The Rising Stars
The next generation of leaders who are already making waves (limited to those 35 years old and younger)

-Megan Buchbinder, Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau

-Travis Henley, City of Wilmington

-Devin Lessard, NSEA Swim

-Eion Dockery, Port City FC

-Stefanie Roback, Allora Rise Counseling and Therapy

-Alexis Siebert, Topsail Young Professionals