Business Playbook

Ray Starling, General Counsel, NC Chamber and President, NC Chamber Legal Institute

North Carolina’s economic success has been built over decades through intentional leadership, long-term investment, and a willingness to plan for what comes next. Drawing on his experience as a life sciences executive, former chair of the NC Chamber, early champion of the NC Chamber Foundation, and board member of NC Children’s, Jack Bailey will offer a long-view perspective on what has made the state successful, the choices required to sustain that momentum, and the opportunities ahead. His remarks will explore what it takes for business and civic leaders to think beyond the immediate moment and help shape North Carolina’s next chapter.

Jack Bailey, Biosciences executive and NC Children’s Board Member

Across the country, employers, educators, and policymakers recognize that traditional approaches to education and workforce development are not keeping pace with changes in technology, industry, and the labor market. Meeting this moment will require new thinking about how we develop talent, connect people to opportunity, and respond to a rapidly changing economy.

This panel will explore what a better way forward looks like for North Carolina—where change can have the greatest impact, how the state can build a more responsive education-to-career system, and what business leaders should prioritize to strengthen our talent pipeline and long-term competitiveness.

• Meredith Archie, Senior Vice President of External Affairs, NC Chamber and President, NC Chamber Foundation
• Robert Baugnon, Senior Vice President of Personnel& Administration, Construction Partners Inc.
• Erik Leiden, Managing Director of Workforce Strategy, Burning Glass Institute Burning Glass
• Moderator: Paul Fain, Co-founder, Work Shift and Editor, The Job newsletter

North Carolina’s economic success increasingly depends on its ability to build the infrastructure that powers growth, innovation, and investment.

As artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, defense technologies, and digital services reshape the economy, demand for energy, water, transmission, data centers, and industrial capacity is accelerating. The states that can deliver reliable, scalable infrastructure will have a competitive advantage in attracting jobs, investment, and emerging industries.

This conversation will explore how North Carolina can position itself to lead in an increasingly digital and energy-intensive economy, what infrastructure investments are required to support future growth, and how policymakers, utilities, technology companies, and communities can work together to build the foundation for long-term competitiveness.

• Shannon Becker, President, Aqua NC
• Oliver Brooks, President, East Division, Martin Marietta
• Teresa Wilson, Vice President, Customer Care Gas Distribution & Storage, Enbridge
• Moderator: Dana Magliola, Senior Director of Infrastructure Competitiveness, NC Chamber Foundation

Just two days after Election Day, Republican and Democratic strategists will break down what voters said, what the results reveal, and what comes next. This timely conversation will examine the forces that shaped the election, the implications for North Carolina’s political and policy landscape, and what the outcomes could mean for the state’s business climate in the years ahead.

• Jim Blaine, Co-founder, The Differentiators
• Kimberly Reynolds, Founding Partner, Maven Strategies

Food security. Health security. National security.

The industries that power North Carolina’s economy are increasingly central to America’s future. From feeding a growing population and producing life-saving medicines to strengthening defense manufacturing and military readiness, North Carolina sits at the intersection of some of the nation’s most important strategic priorities.

Join leaders from agriculture, life sciences, and defense for a conversation about the opportunities, challenges, and investments needed to ensure North Carolina remains a leader in the industries that help feed, cure, and defend the nation.

• Jay Jandrain, President and Chief Executive Officer, Butterball, LLC
• Brandon Keener, Chief Executive Officer, JGA Space & Defense
• Moderator: Gary J. Salamido, President and Chief Executive Officer, NC Chamber

State Treasurer Brad Briner brings a unique perspective to public service, shaped by decades of experience investing, assessing risk, and making decisions with a long-term view. In this closing keynote, Treasurer Briner will share how lessons from the private sector are informing his approach to public leadership and his perspective on North Carolina’s future. He’ll explore where the state’s greatest opportunities lie, the choices that will position North Carolina for continued success, and the role business leaders can play in shaping the state’s next chapter.

Treasurer Bradford B. Briner, North Carolina Department of State Treasurer

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