The WilmingtonBiz 100 is a new Greater Wilmington Business Journal initiative to recognize the top 100 Power Players, Influencers, Innovators, Connectors and Rising Stars impacting Southeastern North Carolina’s business landscape.   Those included in this year’s inaugural group were announced in October, but on the following pages you can read a little m ...

The Power Players: The businesspeople and officials having the greatest impact on the region’s business and economic landscape.   The Cameron Family The history of the Cameron family in the area harkens back to before the Civil War and extends into the Port City today.   Why they’re power players: In the 1950s, Bruce Cameron Jr. and Da ...

The Influencers: The changemakers, in front of or behind the scenes   Steve Anderson Owner and Developer, SAMM Properties   A salesman since high school, when he started selling clothing, Steve Anderson is still a salesman of sorts today but of a much larger product that he works to create.   Why he’s an influencer: Anderson has impacted th ...

The Innovators – the disruptors shaking things up and getting the region to see things in a different way.     Ash Aziz Owner, Circa Restaurant Group   Longtime Wilmington restaurateur Ash Aziz has run some of the most successful eateries in the city while also not being afraid to test out new concepts.   Why he’s an innovator: Az ...

The Connectors: The real-world networkers who bring together people and resources to get things done   Alison Baringer English Executive Director, N.C. Azalea Festival   Alison Baringer English became the N.C. Azalea Festival’s executive director in 2015, after the organization promoted her to the role. She first started working with the festi ...

Rising Stars: The next generation of leaders who are already making waves (limited to those 35 years old and younger)   Elizabeth Barfield Health Equity Education Specialist, NHRMC   Elizabeth Barfield, who grew up in Wilmington, returned to the Port City after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She works in New Hanover ...

This fall, banking software company nCino notched two significant accomplishments: The Wilmington-based company opened an office in Tokyo, and it announced nCino IQ, which enhances nCino’s Bank Operating System with artificial intelligence and machine learning.   The latest developments in the company that spun out of Live Oak Bank in 2012 mark the two Wilming ...

Economic developers have a clear impact on the Wilmington region connecting the area to potential job creators and new companies. While not in the selection pool for the WilmingtonBiz 100, their efforts, however, bear significance and are included in this roundup.   New Jersey-based Pacon Manufacturing plans to relocate some operations to Navassa to create 299 jobs ...

While elected government officials were not included in the WilmingtonBiz 100, they without a doubt have a large impact in the community. From the potential sale of a government-owned hospital system to public-private partnerships in residential and commercial developments, elected officials are making major decisions.   New Hanover County: Perhaps the most pressing ...

Quick. Name 100 people you think are just killing it – who are making an impact in our area, who are helping move the needle, who are getting the community to see things in a new light. Some of you could probably come up with a list pretty easily. Some of you would say 100’s impossible, that there’s more like 250 people in Southeastern North Carolina w ...