The board of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance has named Andrea B. Smith interim President and CEO. Smith is regarded in the Charlotte community as a top business executive, a community leader, and a philanthropist. The CLT Alliance also announced that Thaddeus Jones, the Founder and Managing Partner of Nexus Search Partners, has been retained to conduct the search for the organization’s full-time President and CEO.
As a trailblazer and champion for women in banking, Smith held a number of senior leadership positions for Bank of America during her 34-year career with the company. Those included such roles as the head of Global Human Resources, where she transformed the bank’s hiring, employee benefits, and diversity and inclusion efforts and subsequently Chief Administrative Officer. Among her numerous recognitions include American Banker’s Most Powerful Women in Banking, Business North Carolina’s Most Influential Business Leaders in North Carolina, and Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year by Queens University.
Smith was also the Chair of the Executive Committee for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce in 2017, one of the CLT Alliance’s two predecessor organizations.
“I am proud to support the CLT Alliance and the board as we continue the important work to grow the economy, advocate for business, and help create opportunities for everyone to thrive,” said Smith. “Thanks to the support of hundreds of investors, partners, and a dedicated professional staff, we are confident the organization is poised for the future.”
In 2021 Smith was named the Citizen of the Carolinas, the CLT Alliance’s most prestigious award given to a Carolinian who has made great strides in the betterment of the quality of life in the Charlotte region and the country through years of accomplishment in community leadership. She has been an ardent supporter of equitable economic mobility in Charlotte, including serving as the inaugural Co-Chair of the Leading on Opportunity Council. Smith also currently chairs the Bank of America Alumni Network.
“We are thrilled to have Andrea Smith lead the organization during a period of transition, as she has provided decades of steadfast leadership in the Charlotte area. We know she will help us create even more impact during a time of great economic opportunity for this region,” said Ali Summerville, Chairman of the Board of the CLT Alliance. “Andrea’s consistent commitment to supporting local leaders, especially women- and minority-owned businesses, has provided more people in our community the opportunity to advance and thrive.”
In addition to announcing the interim CEO, the CLT Alliance has retained Thaddeus Jones, the founder of Charlotte-based executive search and advisory firm, Nexus Search Partners, to conduct the search for a permanent president and CEO. Nexus Search Partners has a mission to connect clients with executive leaders who can help accelerate growth. With a focus on increasing diverse representation at the executive level, Nexus partners with clients to find and evaluate the industry’s best leaders. Since launching the firm, Jones and Nexus have placed several top executives at leading corporations nationwide.
“Andrea is certainly highly experienced and poised to help guide the CLT Alliance, and we are grateful she has accepted this interim role,” said David Longo, Vice Chair of the CLT Alliance Board. “We are also grateful to have Thadd and his firm’s specialized expertise conducting a thoughtful search for our next full-time CEO who will lead us into our next phase of growth. Nexus has successfully led many important executive searches, including the recent CEO search for the YMCA of Greater Charlotte.”
Since its creation the CLT Alliance has helped generate over 37,000 jobs and $15.2B in capital investment in the region, with the announcement almost 400 companies choosing to expand or relocate to the Charlotte Region. In addition, the CLT Alliance has been instrumental in the successful passage of three bond referendums, advocating for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, as well as the legalization of sports betting.
