Two Charlotteans with extensive entrepreneurial backgrounds were among four people named this week to serve as the newest members of NC IDEA foundation's minority-focused council.
The North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council formed in August 2020 "to serve the entrepreneurial aspirations and economic potential of North Carolina’s Black community," NC IDEA said that year. It also supports commitments the foundation made to provide no less than 50% of its programming and funding resources to underserved and underrepresented communities.
The Charlotte members brought on to serve on the council include Carrie Cook, community affairs officer for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and vice president of community development, as well as Jamila Davis, business diversity and inclusion director of Mecklenburg County's Office of Economic Development.
Prior to her current role, Cook served as executive director of the GreenLight Fund and founder of EmpowHERment. She also held various roles at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and served as regional liaison to the late U.S. Sen. Kay R. Hagan.
Davis previously served as program officer for education and workforce development of Neighborhood Revitalization with the Renaissance West Community Initiative. She also was a director of professional education and strategic initiatives with the Charlotte School of Law and program developer and business counselor for Central Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center. She also award the National Association of Counties Award this year.
Other new members announced by the council this week were Onboard Health CEO André Blackman of Raleigh-Durham and Black Wall Street AVL founder J. Hackett of Asheville.
“We are fortunate to have the expertise and altruistic support of these individuals in furthering the mission of the council,” said Thom Ruhe, president and CEO of NC IDEA, in a statement. “NC IDEA has placed its trust in the NC BEC to guide our efforts to combat the historical inequalities in economic development."
The new members join 21 other state leaders in the business and tech ecosystem who were reelected for a second term. In addition to Cook and Davis, three other members are based in Charlotte.
The council helps guide the NC IDEA foundation on programming, as well as grant and funding decisions. Members also work closely with NC IDEA to identify and support partners and programs that will help elevate Black innovators throughout the state.
NC IDEA's BEC has awarded more than $2 million in grants since its inception three years ago.
