Matt Panik joined the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance® in August of 2021. As the vice president of government affairs, he works with investors and elected officials to advance the public policy goals of the CLT Alliance. He has started the Advocate newsletter, which is published twice a month and serves as a means of keeping investors apprised of the CLT Alliance’s advocacy actions in the region and throughout North and South Carolina. Matt also supports the Advocacy Committee and the Advocacy in Action speaker series hosted by the CLT Alliance.
“Matt is a gifted writer with a keen understanding of public policy,” Chief Advocacy and Strategy Officer Kelly O’Brien said. “He can digest complex information and draft an article for our newsletter, the Advocate, that helps our investors know what they need to know. While he is the lead creating the Advocate twice a month, he does so much more. He’s a valuable member of the CLT Alliance advocacy team and I appreciate all he does.”
A recent transplant to Charlotte, Matt started his career in Missouri. He served as a chief of staff to a Missouri state senator and then the state treasurer. Matt most recently worked as the vice president of government affairs at the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His policy work at the chamber included economic development, tax reform, and civil justice issues, among others. He established and ran the Missouri Chamber Political Institute, helping the chamber and its members better engage in state politics.
“I am passionate about advancing good public policy,” Matt said. “Our investors have chosen to do business in the Charlotte Region, and I want to be sure they stay here and thrive. I also want to see new businesses coming to the region because they know they can be successful here. Public policy plays an important role in where businesses will or will not decide to locate and the CLT Alliance has a role in shaping public policy for the region.”
Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Dayton, and a J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law.
In his spare time, Matt enjoys traveling and hiking with his wife and two boys. A Cleveland, Ohio native, Matt is still an avid fan of the Browns, Cavaliers, and the re-named Guardians, despite the teams’ historic lack of success.
