The Power Players: The businesspeople and officials having the greatest impact on the region’s business and economic landscape.
Jackson Autry
Executive Plant Leader, GE Aerospace
Jackson Autry is in his second year leading the GE Aerospace plant in Castle Hayne. The plant manufactures aircraft engines and components and employs 540 people.
Why he’s a power player: Autry oversees daily operations at the Wilmington-area plant with a focus on safety, delivery, quality and cost. This year, Autry also led the facility as General Electric Corp. completed its spinoff, establishing GE Aerospace and GE Vernova as independent companies.
GE Aerospace announced a more than $22 million investment earlier this year to increase capacity at the local plant. The funding aims to help modernize how the plant manufactures complex engine hardware and puts a focus on new technologies.
At the Wilmington plant, Autry is working on a new manufacturing development cell and the introduction of commercial aircraft engine GE9X into production for Boeing 777X. The plant also has received a grant from NC Edge, in partnership with Cape Fear Community College, to support customized employee training over the next three years.
Looking ahead, Autry plans to lead the deployment of what he calls the “first modern rotating parts manufacturing line focused on delivering significant growth in the narrow body engine market.”
Giving back: The Wilmington plant received the GE Aerospace Human Spirit award this year for volunteering more than 2,800 hours.
Jeff Bourk
Airport Director, Wilmington International Airport
As the head of Wilmington International Airport, Jeff Bourk works with a team of about 50 employees. He has 30 years of experience in the aviation industry and started in the ILM role in 2022.
Why he’s a power player: Bourk manages the region’s airport – the fastest-growing airport in North Carolina last year and fourth-fastest growing in the country – as it continues to see more passengers and undergo more construction to expand its footprint.
This year, the airport saw nine new nonstop flights announced or initiated, bringing ILM’s destination count up to 20 cities through six airlines. The Utah-based low-cost carrier Breeze Airways also started service at the airport this year.
Airport officials are projecting 750,000 passenger boardings by the end of the year, which would be a 15% increase over 2023.
He also is leading the airport’s $185 million capital plan now in its second year.
Current major projects include realigning Airport Boulevard, expanding parking areas, making terminal curb improvements and planning for another terminal expansion with three additional gates.
Continuing to grow air service options as the area’s population increases is another focus. Bourk said the airport aims to land at least three new nonstop routes.
Looking ahead: “I expect,” Bourk said, “we will add at least three new nonstop flights in 2025 and see expanded service from our existing airlines to routes already serviced – at least that is the goal.”
Ernie Bovio
President, Novant Health NHRMC and Coastal Region
Ernie Bovio serves as the head of Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and leads the health system’s coastal region, which also includes Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, Novant Health Pender Medical Center, Novant Health New Hanover Orthopedic Hospital and the future Novant Health Scotts Hill Medical Center.
Why he’s a power player: In his role, Bovio is in charge of the region’s largest employer, covering about 8,000 employees and the area’s primary medical provider through multiple facilities.
Near the new 66-bed, nearly $250 million hospital under construction in the northern part of the county, a new medical office building in Scotts Hill is set to open this month.
In the works under Bovio is continuing to expand outpatient clinics, with future office spaces planned for Eastwood Road and midtown Wilmington, and developing capabilities at Pender Medical Center and Brunswick Medical Center while recruiting new physicians and health care providers.
This year locally, Novant opened Wilmington’s first Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic on Greenfield Street and added Community Care Cruisers to reach underserved populations. Additionally. The health system also launched a mobile mammography unit.
Workforce pipeline: “We continue to prioritize recruitment of new physicians and advanced practice providers to our region,” Bovio said about upcoming focuses, “and we’re partnering with area colleges and UNCW to support efforts to grow the health care workforce pipeline.
Editor's note: Ernie Bovio's info here has been updated to reflect a more recent estimate of the Scotts Hill hospital construction project.
Bill Cameron
Chair, New Hanover Community Endowment
Bill Cameron has served as head of the endowment’s 13-member board since the beginning of 2023.
A Wilmington native, Cameron co-founded and is president of Cameron Management Inc., an investment management and real estate development firm. His background in finance also includes serving as a founding member and director of Port City Capital Bank and director of Crescent State Bank following its acquisition of Port City Capital Bank in 2006.
Why he’s a power player: The endowment board oversees the fund that now has a balance of nearly $1.6 billion, according to organization officials.
Along with having the leading board role the past couple of years, Cameron also has been the board’s voice on several key issues facing it this year including hiring the endowment’s second CEO. Board vice chair Shannon Winslow led the board’s CEO search committee. The board meets this month to elect new officers, and Cameron will remain on as a board member.
In February, the endowment’s first president and CEO, William Buster, resigned from the position. The board conducted a national search for his replacement, hiring Dan Winslow (not related to Shannon Winslow) from Massachusetts this summer.
On the funding side, the endowment this year continued funding a multiyear, $22 million project to train more health care workers. This fall, endowment officials announced $14 million in grants to more than a dozen local groups working on existing and future housing programs – the first investments of the endowment’s Affordable Housing Investment Strategy, which also was announced this year.
The board’s other funding decisions this year addressed workforce development, education, disaster preparedness and storm recovery efforts after significant flooding events this fall.
Board work: Cameron also has served on the board of directors of the UNC Health Care System, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and Cape Fear Memorial Hospital.
Brian Clark
Executive Director, N.C. State Ports Authority
Since 2021, Brian Clark has led the organization that manages deep-water ports in Wilmington and Morehead City and an inland port in Charlotte.
Why he’s a power player: Clark oversees port operations that contribute an estimated $16 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy.
The Port of Wilmington witnessed a record year of intermodal volume, moving 17,000 containers by rail. A new on-dock intermodal yard will add another 5,000 feet of track and container handling equipment, increasing the capacity to more than 50,000 intermodal rail moves annually.
N.C. Ports also invested $80 million statewide. In Wilmington, notable investments include the second phase of a refrigerated container yard, an expanded container yard and new gantry cranes.
Work continues on a more-than-$28 million effort to relocate the North Gate at Wilmington’s port. Officials are also expanding the port’s container yard with the target of doubling the annual throughput capacity to more than 1 million TEUs, a unit used to calculate the capacity of cargo ships.
In October, N.C. Ports saw the effects of a three-day strike from members of the International Longshoremen’s Association, which temporarily halted Wilmington port operations.
New produce: As Wilmington’s port grows its cold chain capabilities, grocery retailers and distributors have identified the port as an alternative to traditional gateways. That’s led to an increase in imported produce like bananas, pineapples and blueberries and trial programs that include apples, melons and other tropical fruits and vegetables.
Brian Eckel
Partner, Cape Fear Commercial
Brian Eckel, a partner in Cape Fear Commercial, also serves as partner of the companies Cape Fear Development, Cape Fear Construction Group and Cape Fear Building Maintenance.
Why he’s a power player: Eckel’s firms are involved in numerous high-profile development projects in the Wilmington area and beyond, including Project Grace, Proximity Carolina Beach, Proximity Watermark, Proximity New Bern, Proximity Blue Clay, Proximity Surf City and Autumn Hall.
Eckel is also a member of the Novant Health Board of Trustees, which oversees Novant Health, the owner of the hospitals in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties.
Eckel co-founded Cape Fear Commercial with Vin Wells in 2001. Eckel, born in 1973 in Virginia, moved to Wilmington in 1974. His family lived in Echo Farms, and he met his wife, Carroll Trask, in Wilmington when he was 15 years old.
Current company stats: 48 employees; over $3.5 billion in brokerage volume; over $3.8 billion under property management; and over $1.25 billion developed totaling over 4.8 billion square feet and 3,735 residential units.
Natalie English
President & CEO, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
As the head of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Natalie English serves as a top advocate for businesses across the Wilmington area.
Why she’s a power player: English plays a key role in supporting the business community and economic growth in the Cape Fear region.
Alongside local school board members, English successfully lobbied the N.C. General Assembly to secure nearly $3 million this year to fund an expansion of the chamber’s Career and Leadership Development Academy.
English also helped to bring one of NC Health Talent Alliance’s first regional talent collaboratives to the Cape Fear region. The collaborative regularly convenes 20-30 health care employers across the region.
She is also leading the evolution of the region’s Tech Talent Collaborate. The chamber plans to work directly with tech employers in the region to help fill talent needs.
In recent years, English has led a push to fund a replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. This summer, federal officials announced a $242 million grant to go toward funding a new bridge. The N.C. Department of Transportation also committed $85 million toward the project.
English has also headed up growth inside the chamber of commerce. The chamber’s staff increased from six in August 2023 to 15 in July of this year.
Property investments: English is working with chamber volunteers to review options for future investments needed for the 30-year-old chamber building at 1 Estell Lee Place in downtown Wilmington.
Russ Lopatka
Wilmington Optical Fiber Plant Manager, Corning Inc.
With about 1,000 employees, Russ Lopatka serves as the plant manager for one of the largest employers in the Wilmington area.
Why he’s a power player: Lopatka runs the day-to-day operations of Corning’s Wilmington plant, which makes optical fiber, an ultra-thin, durable and flexible thread of glass that can transmit information at high speeds.
This year, the Wilmington plant worked to meet a surge in demand for the optical fiber that’s needed for artificial intelligence. The large language models, which are foundational to generative AI, require dense neural networks inside data centers. Every pathway inside those neural networks is made of optical fiber – about 10 times more fiber than what’s needed in legacy data center architecture.
Because these new data centers require more fiber in the same amount of space, Corning has developed a fiber that’s 40% smaller, allowing for tighter bends and greater flexibility in deployments.
Corning is gearing up to provide continued support to its data center customers over the next year. The company will also support customers who are deploying fiber-to-the-home networks as part of the federal program known as BEAD or Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment. Lopatka sees both initiatives as major drivers of Corning’s Optical Communications business in the coming years.
STEM focus: Corning regularly shares the importance and science of optical fiber with local students through STEM field trips. More than 200 students visited the plant in 2024 to see the manufacturing process firsthand.
Chip Mahan
Chairman & CEO, Live Oak Bancshares
Since its start in 2008 as an SBA small business lender, Live Oak Bank has branched out into other types of business lending as well as commercial and retail banking. James “Chip” Mahan has remained a driving force behind the bank and its parent company, Live Oak Bancshares.
Why he’s a power player: Since his early career with internet banking and banking software, Mahan has remained true to his vision of a financial institution with national online reach but no physical locations.
Mahan is relentless in his pursuit of software that can increase banking efficiency and improve customer experiences.
This year, Live Oak announced its first embedded banking partnership. It’s working with Anatomy Financial Inc., an AI-powered financial automation solution for medical, dental, digital health and health care billing companies to deliver Live Oak banking products and services directly to Anatomy customers.
This year, the company marked the opening of its fourth building on its midtown Wilmington campus that houses more than 700 employees.
The bank’s third quarter in 2024 was the company’s highest loan production quarter of all time outside the historical period during the Paycheck Protection Program era in the wake of the pandemic.
In his spare time: Mahan serves on the boards of several financial institutions and fintechs, including Apiture, a joint venture between Live Oak and Firt Data Corp. He is also managing partner of venture capital firm Canapi Ventures.
Kelly McGinnis
CFO, PPD Clinical Research Business, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Kelly McGinnis joined Thermo Fisher in 2019 as vice president of finance for the scientific analytical instruments business. After the company acquired PPD in December 2021, she moved into her current CFO role, overseeing financial strategy and operations. In December 2023, she assumed CFO responsibilities for the Patheon contract drug manufacturing business of Thermo Fisher.
Why she’s a power player: McGinnis is the top local official for the more than 30,000 people who work in the PPD clinical research business – a part of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s overall workforce of over 120,000.
McGinnis is focused on “helping pharma and biotech companies get therapies to market faster in a more challenging macro environment,” she said. “Given my experience in the industry and with startups, I counsel our biotech clients on how to manage liquidity, exits and investors.”
She is responsible for full financial oversight of the PPD clinical research business as well as the Patheon drug manufacturing business within Thermo Fisher, which includes leading and developing 2,000 finance professionals.
Previous experience: Before her time at Thermo Fisher, she was CFO of Uptake, a technology firm specializing in industrial AI systems. Her earlier career was spent at General Electric, where she held global finance leadership roles across the U.S., Europe and Asia over 14 years.
Tim Milam & Denise Kinney
CEO/President, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Tim Milam and Denise Kinney lead one of the largest residential real estate firms in the region and state.
Why they're power players: For the third year in a row, they led Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage and the Advantage Family of Companies to their rank as the No. 1 Coldwell Banker affiliate company in the nation. In 2023, the company achieved over $3 billion in closed sales volume with over 8,200 transactions.
Roles: They said they are “committed to identifying expansion and related projects to ensure Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage’s continued success and growth.”
“They’re also dedicated to agents’ success by developing cutting-edge technology, recognizing the benefits of automation and AI platforms and identifying how to best utilize them to contribute to agent success and helping them grow their business.”
No. of employees: 850 agents and 70 staff members
Jim Morton
President, Cape Fear Community College
Cape Fear Community College ranks as one of the region’s top economic juggernauts and the fifth-largest community college in North Carolina. At the head of it sits CFCC President Jim Morton, who was hired in 2018. Morton’s previous employment included a 15-year stint at Wilmington International Airport, where he served as finance director.
Why he’s a power player: Morton’s tenure at CFCC has seen a significant rise in enrollment with a 6% increase from fall 2023 to fall 2024, bringing total enrollment today to more than 22,500 students over four different campuses.
Morton has helped shape CFCC’s many and varied health care and human services programs, including overseeing last January’s opening of the first phase of the Dan and Sheila Saklad Health and Human Services Center. New classrooms, laboratory simulation spaces and an expanded drop-in child care center were part of the build. In addition, CFCC’s Emergency Medical Services achieved Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program, the first accredited EMS program in southeastern North Carolina.
This year, the college also saw its highest-ever total fundraising year, raising $11.1 million.
Looking ahead: Morton’s plans include expanding CFCC’s Surf City campus to meet demand in Pender County and introducing two new health care programs.
Pierre Naudé
CEO & Chairman, nCino
Pierre Naudé has led cloud banking fintech nCino since it spun off from Live Oak Bank in 2011, overseeing its growth, product development and geographic expansion.
Why he’s a power player: Under Naudé’s leadership, nCino has made steady progress toward its goal of being a major player in the global banking industry. Its cloud-based banking software now powers consumer and commercial banking all over the world; its products and services are supported by nine locations in addition to its Wilmington headquarters.
Currently, the company’s employees are in North America, Europe, South Africa, East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, serving financial institutions in 16 countries.
The company scouts the financial technology landscape to identify software to strengthen and diversify its products. Its acquisition in 2022 of digital mortgage firm SimpleNexus added to nCino’s capabilities in mortgage lending.
In March of this year, it purchased DocFox, a South Africa-based onboarding service provider for commercial and business banks. This fall, it incorporated Lumos Technologies’ risk scoring model and entered into an acquisition agreement with UK fintech FullCircl, whose onboarding and lifecycle management software is already integrated into nCino’s banking solution.
Global recognition: Reflecting its growing international muscle, nCino was named Banking Technology of the Year by the 2024 Europe FinTech Awards and was included on CNBC’s and Statista’s 2024 World’s Top FinTech Companies list.
Craig Ranson
President & CEO, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Craig Ranson took over the top role for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, which is part of GE Vernova, in June, following the retirement of former top executive Jay Wileman.
Why he’s a power player: Ranson leads a nuclear energy company that employs hundreds in the Wilmington area and seeing an expansion of GE Hitachi’s Castle Hayne campus.
He’s also leading the company’s efforts to deploy its small modular reactor (SMR) technology and respond to climbing energy demands and growth in the nuclear sector.
Construction of GE Hitachi’s first BWRX-300 SMR began this fall in Ontario. The technology, which underwent a multi-year development process, has been selected for potential deployment by customers in Canada, the U.S., Poland, Sweden and Estonia. GE Hitachi is also strengthening support for its customer-installed base by investing in its fuel manufacturing operation and services innovations.
Ranson sees big potential in the future of the nuclear energy sector. With increasingly positive public opinion and government support for nuclear energy combined with increasing energy demand, pressures to meet decarbonization and energy security goals, a global interest in nuclear technology and an expansion in clean technology financing, “it’s clear that nuclear energy has to be part of the solution,” according to Ranson.
Spinning off: GE Hitachi is part of GE Vernova, an independent company that launched in April, following its spinoff from GE. The move to spin off divisions as independent entities began in 2021 and aimed to help General Electric improve its financial standing and attract investors.
Neil Underwood
Co-Founder & General Partner, Canapi Ventures
Neil Underwood helped found Canapi Ventures, which seeks to fund early- and growth-stage fintech companies. In 2018, the venture capital firm launched with backing from Live Oak Bank, with its first fund topping $650 million.
Why he’s a power player: Underwood co-founded Canapi Ventures and fintech companies nCino, Apiture and Live Oak Bank. He previously served as president of Live Oak Bancshares, Live Oak Bank’s holding company. Underwood currently serves on the boards of Live Oak Bank, Greenlight, ModernFI, Island, Proof (formerly Notarize), Asset Class and Posh. He previously served on the boards of nCino, Apiture, DefenseStorm, Payrailz, Finxact and Blend. A native of Miami, FL, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Before working for Live Oak Bank, Underwood worked for S1 Corp., a software development company based in Georgia, where he led the S1 Enterprise division. The company specializes in payment processing and financial technology.
In 2024, Canapi closed out its Fund II at $750 million.
Future projects for 2025: “Invest $200M of the $750M in great companies!”
Aswani Volety
Chancellor, UNCW
Aswani Volety was hired as chancellor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2022, after serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Elon University. His appointment brings his career full circle, having once held leadership positions at UNCW as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the executive director of the Center for Marine Science. He was a Fulbright fellowship recipient and holds a doctorate degree in marine science.
Why he’s a power player: Volety used his extensive higher education experience to work with UNCW’s Board of Trustees to unanimously approve the 2024 Campus Master plan, which included input from more than 1,700 students, faculty, staff, alumni and Wilmington community in an 18-month collaborative planning process.
The plan aims to maximize use of the university’s physical assets to meet academic, research and outreach missions.
Under Volety’s guidance, UNCW has seen record enrollment – more than 18,800 students in fall 2024, a climbing retention rate and 10 conference champions in two years for Seahawk Athletics.
In the past fiscal year, UNCW faculty and student researchers brought in more than $33 million in sponsored research.
A recent economic development study showed UNCW has a $3.2 billion economic impact on the Tar Heel state.
Future focus: To expand regional partnerships, including supporting relationships with various community colleges, and increase relationships with partner institutions around the world.
Trey & Jim Wallace
President/Founder & CEO, Intracoastal Realty Corp.
Jim Wallace founded Intracoastal Realty Corp. after moving to Wilmington in 1976. Today, his son, Trey, serves as president and manages the company’s day-to-day operations.
Why they’re power players: The Wallaces head up the region’s largest independent residential real estate company. Two years ago, the firm grew into South Carolina markets such as Little River, North Myrtle Beach and Cherry Grove Beach. It also continued activity on Bald Head Island, where Intracoastal took over sales and rental operations after merging with Bald Head Island Limited real estate.
Milestones: Intracoastal Realty in 2021 surpassed $2 billion in sales for the first time in its company’s history on a 12-month basis.
It now has more than 400 real estate agents and 100 staff members.
Dan Winslow
President & CEO, New Hanover Community Endowment
After a national search, Dan Winslow in August was named head of the New Hanover Community Endowment.
Why he’s a power player: Though new to the region having started his new job in October, Winslow is now head of the $1.6 billion fund that is intended to make ongoing grants to groups in New Hanover County.
The endowment, created from the 2021 sale of county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health, deployed its first grants in 2022. Since then, the organization has changed approaches for how it plans to award funds up to 4% of its market value annually.
Winslow said his initial goals after starting were to listen to board members and community groups.
Capacity building is another focus, Winslow said, so that organizations have the framework to handle future grants. He said he plans to raise the visibility of the endowment around the community and what it’s funding.
Resume highlights: Winslow has served as a former Massachusetts judge, legislator and chief legal counsel to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. His most recent role before moving to Wilmington was as head of the New England Legal Foundation in Boston.
Read more about the 2024 WilmingtonBiz 100 honorees by clicking here.
