Steve Anderson
Amy Beatty
Rhonda Bellamy
Rob Burrus
Wes Carter
Cody CressOwner, The Cress Group at Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners
In addition to being owner of The CRESS Group, Cody Cress is vice president at Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners and an active investor and developer of commercial real estate. Since joining CBC Sun Coast in 2007, Cress has closed more than 500 transactions. As a commercial real estate adviser, Cress assists and influences businesses to relocate, remain or expand in the Wilmington area.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
Cress assisted Pacon Manufacturing with its relocation from New Jersey to Southeastern North Carolina, helping in the economic development project that could yield big returns for the Brunswick County town of Navassa.
The company has announced plans to bring 300 jobs and invest more than $30 million at the facility. Pacon is a contract manufacturer for major companies such as Clorox, Revlon, Johnson & Johnson and Burt’s Bees, making wipes, pads, towels and liquids for consumer, industrial and medical industries.
Current project: Cress is working with Renewal by Andersen, Andersen windows affiliate, to expand its operations to the region.
Ken DullPresident, McKinley Building Corp.
Beginning his construction career in 1985, McKinley “Ken” Dull founded McKinley Building in 1992. Since then, the company has become one of the city’s leading, locally owned commercial builders with more than 300 projects in its portfolio.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
Dull has completed and is currently involved in numerous high-profile projects in the Cape Fear region, including finishing Bradley Creek Station, an 80,000-square-foot office and retail building on Oleander Drive, and redoing The Harrelson Center in downtown Wilmington, among many others.
This fall, the company started work to add a building to Quality Chemical Laboratories’ campus on Corporate Drive.
Some of McKinley Building’s recently completed work includes Sawmill Point, a downtown Wilmington waterfront apartment community, which sold last year for $65 million. The company also built an $18-million, five-story parking deck and pedestrian bridge at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. His company has been hired to construct a second parking deck and pedestrian bridge for the hospital.
Spacious: McKinley Building built 200,000 square feet of space in six buildings that make up The Offices at Mayfaire.
Jeff EarpPresident, Funston Farms, Brunswick Forest and Funston Co.
Jeff Earp has described himself as a landowner and farmer who has a construction company. But he was instrumental in the development of the master-planned community Brunswick Forest.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
Earp continues to shape Brunswick Forest in northern Brunswick County, with more than 3,000 lots developed.
According to an October update to residents from Earp, he is working with builders and other developers on a long-term plan to sell the remaining land of the Brunswick Forest parcel. The update does not say exactly how many developable acres are left of the 4,500-acre master planned development in Leland, but it mentions current or future plans for nearly 1,000.
Earp is also part of a development team planning an $8.5 million industrial building, the International Commerce Center, in the International Logistics Park of North Carolina, one of two megasites near the Brunswick and Columbus county line.
Of note: The International Commerce Center, a spec building, will be the first development in the International Logistics Park.
(Photo courtesy of the N.C. Pork Council)
Brian EckelPartner, Cape Fear Commercial/GHK Cape Fear Development
Brian Eckel co-founded Cape Fear Commercial with Vin Wells in 2001 and has had a major impact on commercial real estate, development and the local business community.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
This year, Cape Fear Commercial (CFC) has avoided layoffs while increasing revenue in the midst of a pandemic, and the team worked with hundreds of landlords and tenants on mutually agreeable rent deferments. Eckel also helped grow CFC’s property management portfolio to over 3 million square feet and surpassed $2 billion in brokerage volume.
GHK Cape Fear Development has more than 1,000 apartment units and more than $125 million under development in 2020.
As a New Hanover Regional Medical Center trustee and Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) member, Eckel participated in the NHRMC and Novant- UNC deal.
As a Wilmington Chamber of Commerce board member, Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association board member, Business Alliance for a Sound Economy board member and member of Cape Fear Realtors, Eckel has helped unify the organizations to work together.
Current projects include: Redevelopment of the New Hanover County Government Center into a mixed-use project; Autumn Hall mixed-use; Echo Farms single-family residential development and 176-unit townhome community
Lucien EllisonSenior Managing Partner, East West Partners
Lucien Ellison has been a real estate professional in the Cape Fear region since 2005. His expertise includes mixed-use development, single-family neighborhood development and residential general contracting. In 2015, he joined East West Partners as the Wilmington partner and project manager for River Place.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
River Place, a mixed-use community with condominiums, apartments, retail and parking located on the Cape Fear River, is one of the biggest projects downtown Wilmington has ever seen. River Place has activated Water Street between Chestnut and Grace streets, replacing a defunct parking garage from the 1960s. The project has also been the catalyst for other recent projects in downtown Wilmington.
Ellison is also involved in the nearly complete Common Desk Wilmington, a coworking office space on Front Street in downtown Wilmington.
Other upcoming Wilmington projects for East West Partners include Project Indigo and Project Gateway, which is expected to bring office, retail and residential space along with the possibility of a grocery store to downtown.
Southport project: Project Indigo is a nearly 400-acre, $565 million development planned by East West and Bald Head Island Limited.
Natalie EnglishPresident And CEO, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
Natalie English became president and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce in 2017. She has been a chamber executive for more than 20 years, including previously with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.
Why she’s an influencer this year:
English has directed several initiatives and advocacy campaigns this year, on top of creating innovative ways to keep the chamber running and find funding in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled many of the organization’s events.
At the start of the pandemic in the spring, English led chamber efforts to advocate with government officials about what should be defined as an essential business. She also helped different industry sectors navigate through government-imposed restrictions on businesses.
English led her team to maximize chamber resources to help in business recovery efforts.
She is also working with regional economist Adam Jones to develop a program for business and community leaders to reflect on the region’s past economic scorecards and ways to help affect a post-COVID economic recovery.
The chamber organized an educational campaign during the exploration period for potential partnerships for New Hanover Regional Medical Center. English also helped launch the Latin American Business Council this year.
Other work: Member of the N.C. Chamber’s Destination 2030 Coalition; co-chair of the Wilmington’s Clean Energy Task Force
Terry EspyPresident, Downtown Business Alliance and Momentum Companies
President of MoMentum Companies, Terry Espy’s career in real estate development and brokerage spans more than 30 years. She was named president of Wilmington’s Downtown Business Alliance in 2016.
Why she’s an influencer this year:
In her Downtown Business Alliance (DBA) role, Espy has helped lead efforts to support downtown business owners through the COVID-19 pandemic, including pushing for closed streets and parklets, which are blocked-off parking spaces, to allow restaurants to expand their outdoor space. The effort, dubbed Downtown Alive, continued from the summer through November with Espy’s help and contributions.
Espy also keeps downtown business owners in the loop on the latest news. Throughout downtown, she has coordinated the sale or lease of numerous historical properties for tech and business service companies and has continued her work with commercial real estate projects in the area while also leading DBA.
Food fact: She played a role in drawing Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria, a restaurant by celebrity chef Vivian Howard, to the South Front redevelopment project.
The Trask FamilyThe Trask Family can trace its roots in the Cape Fear region back to the 18th century, later making a name for themselves as successful lettuce farmers and then landowners and prominent developers.
Why they’re influencers this year:
Trask Land Co. in 2020 revealed plans for two communities on more than 500 acres owned for decades by the Trask Family.
Trask Land Co. officials envision that the communities – one on 159 acres at the northeast quadrant of the interchange of Interstate 40 and Interstate 140 and one on 350 acres at the southeast quadrant – would include apartments, single-family homes and townhomes.
The Trask Family has a history of providing the land that becomes home sites in the area. In the 1950s, the family purchased land that would one day become a master-planned, mixed-use development on Eastwood Road called Autumn Hall, now considered a sought-after address in the region that’s growing.
Members of the Trask Family started out as farmers. Over the years, they used their farmland to enter the development industry, with Raiford Graham Trask Sr. creating major subdivisions throughout Wilmington.
Raiford Graham Trask Sr.’s son and grandson, Raiford Trask Jr. and Raiford Trask III, respectively, have developed Autumn Hall and other current and forthcoming projects in the Cape Fear region.
Number of note: Trask Land has developed more than 500 residential lots since 2010.
Joe FinleyCo-founder, CastleBranch
Joe Finley is the co-founder of the local background screening company CastleBranch and the startup coworking space tekMountain. He also helped create Connected by Cause, a platform that highlights people and organizations making a difference in underserved communities.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
While Finley helped grow CastleBranch for over 23 years, a company with about 460 employees, he is now focusing his efforts on advocating for the Wilmington community through Connected by Cause and other organizations.
In 2020, Finley joined the board of Cape Fear Collective, a nonprofit that uses data and social innovation to highlight and address social issues in the region. In the business community, Finley is centered on diversity and inclusion, especially considering Wilmington's troublesome racial past, he said.
Finley has supported Tracey and Girard Newkirk, founders of Genesis Block, a coworking space in downtown Wilmington, with a focus on Black business owners/entrepreneurs. This year, through Finley’s backing, CastleBranch and tekMountain partnered with Genesis Block to create an app to assist Black-owned businesses, also including a $50,000 investment.
Other 2020 involvements: Northside Food Co-op, Wilmington on Fire: Chapter II, WARM capital campaign
Jim FlechtnerExecutive Director, CFPUA
Jim Flechtner was promoted to executive director in 2013, previously serving the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority as chief operations officer. He leads an organization of more than 300 employees and a $90 million annual operation budget. He is set to retire next summer.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
Flechtner led CFPUA’s efforts to adapt operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as keeping the Wilmington area’s water and sewer services running uninterrupted.
Flechtner has also overseen the organization’s progress on several key projects this year. CFPUA completed its Northern Water Mains Project, a $4.5 million installation that increased capacity to northern New Hanover County. The utility also made upgrades to its filter membrane technology at the Richardson Water Treatment Plant.
The utility has made progress on its $43 million addition of deep-bed granular activated carbon filters at Sweeney Water Treatment to reduce PFAS, such as GenX, in raw water and construction on an additional raw water line to increase capacity. The raw water line is being built in partnership with Brunswick County and the Lower Cape Fear Water & Sewer Authority.
CFPUA’S service reach in New Hanover County: 200,000 people
Charles Foust
Anne GardnerAnne Gardner was hired for the organization’s top post by Cape Fear Realtors officials in 2019.
Gardner was previously CEO of the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors. She has two decades of experience in leadership in real estate associations.
Why she's an influencer this year: Gardner leads an organization with 3,100 Realtor members and earlier this year lobbied to make sure real estate was deemed an essential service by the state during the COVID-19 lockdown. She also led the way for CFR’s Safe Showing Pledge, making sure members pledged to hold safe home showings during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the housing market nationally and locally recovered quickly in 2020 and went back to breaking records again in the summer, with double-digit increases year-over-year.
This summer, the group published the first in a series of white papers and public comments on land use, housing affordability, environmental stewardship and economic development.
Speaking of safety: The first trade group Gardner worked for was the American Industrial Hygiene Association, which was all about worker health and safety.
Johnny Griffin
Kim Hufham
Chris IsenhourWhy he’s an influencer this year:
This year, Isenhour led his clinic to serve as Brunswick County’s primary COVID-19 screening and respiratory assessment center.
The location tested nearly 8,000 patients on top of regularly seeing more than 300 patients daily. In the spring, Isenhour quickly supported the idea to house the county’s busiest testing location and helped make arrangements to relocate staff parking to accommodate the testing areas, arrange for tents and testing supplies, and rearrange provider and clinician schedules.
He ensured his team had proper PPE, instruction and the support to serve the community.
For the clinic, which has been open since 2006, Isenhour has helped grow it from two providers in 2006 to 16 now, with additional services including ultrasound, X-ray, pulmonary, sleep medicine and occupational health services.
The clinic also has been designated as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Respected by other physicians in the community, Isenhour has mentored dozens of physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who have worked alongside him over the years.
Patient load: Annually, the clinic sees more than 50,000 patients.
Velva Jenkins
Adam JonesRegional Economist, UNCW Swain Center
Adam Jones took on the role of regional economist for the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Swain Center in 2015. Before working on his Ph.D. in economics, Jones was the director of economic development with the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce in Georgia.
Why he’s an influencer this year:
Jones helped coordinate the Cameron School of Business’ technical response to the online pivot as a result of COVID-19. He also continued to help support the community through information requests and presentations in a virtual format.
His responsibilities included business recruitment, retention and expansion of existing businesses and public policy development.
As the region grappled with the shutdown and then partial reopening of the economy, Jones has helped provide local data on the rapid changes and context to what might be ahead.
Current projects he’s involved with include examining the economic impact of NCDOT’s super streets design; supporting the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s Scorecard initiative in its COVID-altered version; and supporting Cape Fear Collective’s initiatives where possible.
In his words: “I prefer to think of my impacts as facilitating others’ good work. If I can stir creative thought and new perspectives, then I have made my contribution.”
Paul Kamitsuka
Mike Kozlosky
David Michael
Tim Milam
John Monteith
John Nichols
Chad Paul
Chris Ramm
Chris Reid
Sabrina Sells
Sabrina Sells has 31 years of experience in the banking industry, including work at NewBridge Bank and currently as the market president at North State Bank, which has been helping small businesses by providing Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sells has also been on the Wilmington Business Development (WBD) Board of Directors for six years.
Why she's an influencer this year:
In 2020, Sells was selected as the chair of WBD’s board, becoming the first woman to hold this position at the organization.
She moved to Wilmington in 1990 and became involved with the economic development group, which represents New Hanover and Pender counties.
The WBD has aggressive goals this year toward attracting, relocating and retaining businesses in New Hanover and Pender counties, especially on New Hanover County’s Blue Clay Road site and in the Pender Commerce Park, Sells said.
“I would like to see quality employers locating there,” she said.
Under her leadership, Sells works to strengthen partner relationships with CFCC, UNCW and other local organizations to provide a business network and attract more businesses to the region.
Pen name: Sells has published two mystery novels.
Dane Scalise
Linda Thompson
Linda Thompson moved to the area 37 years ago and was with the Wilmington Police Department for decades before moving to her new position with the county this year. She received her bachelor’s degree in communications and broadcasting and a master’s in conflict management and resolution from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Why she's an influencer this year: After working for the Wilmington Police Department in public relations for 25 years and making connections throughout the community, Thompson this year became New Hanover County’s first-ever chief diversity and equity officer.
Since starting the office in late August, she established a virtual town hall for the deaf and hard of hearing community; created Pastor’s HUB, a monthly virtual information meeting on county services and programs; and initiated county COVID-19 testing sites in minority communities.
She was named co-chair of the Regional Racial & Social Justice Task Force, between New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender and Duplin counties.
One focus is recruiting minority- and women-owned businesses for the county’s vendor list.
She’s currently conducting New Hanover County’s first diversity and equity assessment and launching the county’s Employees Diversity & Equity Committee. Thompson also serves as staff adviser for the newly formed Commission for Women.
Training focus: Thompson developed implicit bias training curriculum for the county’s more than 1,800 employees.
Bill Vassar
Bill Vassar leads all aspects of the Wilmington operation of EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, including marketing, sales, operations and finance. He has served a top role with the studio’s New York-based parent company for more than 20 years.
Why he's an influencer this year:
Vassar led efforts to oversee the challenges that came with the pandemic’s impacts on the film industry this year. His efforts helped keep the studio’s team on payroll during the crisis and committed to creating a new way to work by implementing health and safety protocols.
During restrictions due to the pandemic, management and accounting teams worked remotely while lighting and maintenance teams rotated workdays to upgrade stages, offices and grounds.
Productions came back to EUE/Screen Gems Studios in September. Vassar led efforts to quickly reopen the Wilmington studios, making it one of the first locations in the U.S. to return to work post-shutdown. EUE/Screen Gems was at 90% percent capacity in October, with several productions filming projects, including two television series. Officials expect to remain nearly full into the spring of 2021.
No. of employees: Under 50
Trey Wallace
Trey Wallace is a native of the Wilmington area who was introduced to real estate sales and development at a young age through his father, Jim Wallace, founder and CEO of Intracoastal Realty Corp. Graduating from East Carolina University, he acquired a real estate license in 2010, and over the next couple of years worked as a sales agent in Intracoastal’s Lumina Station office.
Why he's an influencer this year:
In 2013, Trey Wallace made a transition into the company’s management team, with a focus on operations. Since that time, he has acquired management experience in sales, operations and accounting, marketing, rentals and even real estate development.
These days, as president, he has taken on much of the leadership aspects of the company, which is one of the largest residential real estate firms in Wilmington.
No. of agents: About 400 Realtors
Cynthia Walsh
Cynthia Walsh has held the role of CEO of the Brunswick County Association of Realtors since 2015.
Why she's an influencer this year: When COVID-19 came along, the Brunswick County Association of Realtors (BCAR) switched to a virtual office environment in 24 hours – without affecting its ability to provide its 1,200 members with the same level of service.
Walsh recently completed the National Designation for Commitment to Excellence and is scheduled to take the exam for the international designation of Certified Association Executive in December.
She led the design and launch of a new, updated BCAR website and digitized all forms and applications.
Additionally, BCAR applied for and was awarded an Innovation Grant through NC Realtors to create a “Realtors Vote” campaign to encourage Realtors and others engaged in the real estate profession to vote.
More on the grant: “My goal was to create a model that could be adapted to any association, and luckily, I partnered with Pioneer Strategies Marketing to make all of this come to life,” Walsh said.
Donny Williams
Wilmington native, Donny Williams has worked for the Wilmington Police Department for nearly 30 years, starting as a summer youth worker and rising through the ranks.
Why he's an influencer this year:
After former chief Ralph Evangelous retired in February, Williams was named interim chief.
In July, Williams was named police chief.
In a year of civil unrest and national protests about racial justice and police reforms, Williams guided the department through the issues.
On his first official day as chief, Williams fired three veteran officers who were recorded on a police car camera using racial slurs and threats of violence.
Williams said he has this year led “an internal cultural reset for the WPD,” including implementing project ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement). The program, in partnership with Georgetown University Law Center, is one of the first to be offered by police departments in the country and involves training for those in the Wilmington Police Department on ways to intervene if they see any employee making mistakes including officer misconduct.
No. of employees: 350
Lee Williams
One of the original founders of the bank, Lee Williams serves as the company’s vice chairman. Before Live Oak, Williams spent 19 years in corporate banking at Wachovia and 14 years at Vine Street Financial in SBA lending.
Why he's an influencer this year: A more behind-the-scenes influencer than some of the other founders of Live Oak Bank, Williams has helped connect people in the community for years, having lived in the area for decades.
This year – besides the work Live Oak did to disperse the new Paycheck Protection Program and to land again at the top of the country’s list of SBA lenders in terms of dollar amount – Williams also was active in the local community.
He serves on the New Hanover County Airport Authority and its finance committee. In that role, he worked with the airport’s staff on a three-year, $80 million expansion project. He also assisted with helping the airport weather the impacts of COVID-19 on the air travel industry and the associated financial management of the airport.
Other community involvement: Voyage board member, JDRF, StepUp Wilmington and Camp Schreiber
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The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.
