ENTREPRENEURSHIP - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneurial Program Specialist
• Events

Carrie Bovill joined the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation on September 1, 2022. Prior to coming to Charlotte, Carrie served as a Community Coordinator at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) where she was responsible for community engagement and chaired the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Prior to her time at CCU Carrie served as a Site Coordinator for the Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative Duke Engage Program in Detroit, Michigan. Carrie collaborated with students, community leaders, local businesses and social entrepreneurs with a goal to help rebuild Detroit. Carrie is a published author and holds a Master's of Public Administration with a concentration of Community and Economic Development from Clark Atlanta University and a Bachelor's of Art from Morris College.

Job Titles:

• Adjunct Professor

Called a "Startup Hero" by North Carolina Business Magazine and a maverick and mold breaker by SouthPark Magazine, Chris has written 10 books on the accounting process as well as sales and management. Chris is an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Computer Science, Business and Arts department at UNC - Charlotte. Chris has also taught Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Queens University of Charlotte. Chris serves on the board of the GBA and Gaston College Foundation. Chris was the first employee of AvidXchange in 2000. He currently serves in the company's merger and acquisition group as Director of Strategic Partnerships. AvidXchange, a public company (AVDX) helps 8,000 companies cut costs, improve visibility, and increase efficiencies. AvidXchange has earned the trust of 825,000 suppliers paid through the AvidPay Network, processing $180 billion in spend management in 2021. For more information about AvidXchange visit www.avidxchange.com. Chris lives in Lake Wylie SC, where business, 4 kids and a wife keep him very busy. For more information about Chris visit www.thechriselmore.com

Job Titles:

• Director of Technology
• Director of Technology and Business Support Programs
• Events

Devin Collins serves as the Director of Technology and Business Support Programs the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UNC Charlotte. He leads multidisciplinary student experiential activities, technology commercialization and small business support programs across the Charlotte community. He is responsible for the nationally acclaimed National Science Foundation I-Corps Site program and the Charlotte Community Capital Access Investment Initiative at UNC Charlotte. Prior to the creation of the Center, Devin was the Director of Ventureprise, the Charlotte region's longest serving entrepreneurial support organization and the 2021 U.S. Small Business Administration's Lab-to-Market Inclusive Innovation Visionary Award winner. During his leadership, Ventureprise launched several programs designed to support inclusive innovation within the entrepreneurial ecosystem and won multi-year grant awards from federal and state agencies and a private foundation. Earlier in his career, Devin was an entrepreneur founding and growing a startup and working on international development projects globally. Devin has worn many hats and worked across multiple industries and enjoys nothing more than supporting innovators and entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to market. He has served as the business lead for technology teams that have spun-out companies and received SBIRs, equity and strategic partnership funding. Devin has participated in the U.S Department of State Entrepreneurial Leadership Professional Fellows program since 2015 having mentored entrepreneurs from 25+ countries and speaks on entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and international development topics globally having recently been in Italy, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Jamaica, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Devin received his undergraduate degree from Babson College and his master's degree from American University.

Job Titles:

• Academic Director, DBA Program Distinguished Professor and Addison H. & Gertrude C. Reese Endowed Chair

Job Titles:

• Adjunct Professor of Innovation and Management

Job Titles:

• Belk Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation
• Director of Entrepreneurship Academic Programs and Research / Belk Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation
• Events

Justin W. Webb is the Belk Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation in the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte. His research interests include understanding the contextual and individual influences on the entrepreneurship process. He has undertaken this research in a number of contexts, including in studying market-based solutions to poverty in base-of-the-pyramid markets, entrepreneurship within the informal economy, and family firm dynamics. His research has been published in Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Family Business Strategy, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, and Journal of Operations Management, among other journals. He has served as a Field Editor for Journal of Business Venturing.

Job Titles:

• Clinical Associate Professor of Management
• Clinical Professor
• Events

Dr. Patel is a clinical professor in the Department of Management, Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte. His research and teaching interests include strategy, international business, entrepreneurship and innovation and entrepreneurial leadership. He has published in a number of journals and conference proceedings including European Journal of Management, Journal of Family Business Strategy, Business Horizons, Academy of Management, USASBE, and book chapters in proceedings for Academy of Marketing Science. Dr. Patel has taught internationally and has developed knowledge in cross-cultural management. He is an experienced investment banker and venture capital fund manager. He has experience in M&A strategies for MNCs and small and medium business enterprises.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence ( EIR )
• Events

Heavily focused on people and larger-picture reform, James Smith is an eco-centric entrepreneur with over 30+ years of experience driving advanced operational efficiencies, team unification, and overall organizational success. As the Entrepreneur in Residence at UNC Charlotte, James brings with him an extensive background involving creating and selling startup companies, strategic business/leadership development, DEI, governance, cross-foundation team management and the art of cultivating healthy workplace cultures via leading by example. Furthermore, James enjoys leveraging this acumen to not just instill innovative progressions for entrepreneurs on a local/national scale, but do so all while propelling various environmental and community initiatives forward along the way. Prior to joining the University, James built a large inventory of versed industry experiences across the technology, healthcare, recreation service businesses and real estate sectors. During this tenure, James has worked for several renowned organizations, playing an integral part in securing measurable impacts that have secured positive business trajectories nationally and internationally. One notable example includes completing a private offering and solidifying reputable growth without sacrificing the core notions of sustainability. Some of these former positions involved being the owner of a real estate and development company and holding executive titles with Verisign, the US Navy and Getronics. To date, James's efforts within the entrepreneurship consultant space have led to measurable impacts both granularly and societally. This involves bridging the gaps between resource sustainability and business development, optimizing scalable success across the categories of technology commercialization, business launch, capital formation and accentuating the notions of growth through intentional integrity. But more characteristically, James is appreciated for his motivating ambiance, his track record of harvesting opportunities that are as positive as they are productive and for his firm belief that exhaustive change stems from the development of strong, shared-value teams. Academically, James earned an MBA in Finance and Operations from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Northeastern University and studied Nuclear Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition, James is an avid board member of Anne Spring Close Greenway, the Nations Ford Land Trust, CleanAireNC and is an ongoing outdoor education instructor with Outdoor-Afro Charlotte.

Job Titles:

• Entrepreneur - in - Residence ( EIR )
• Events

Jenny Jackson is an agilest specializing in innovation process & methodology; design thinking and marketing research. Since 2019, she has served as a Business Mentor for Charlotte Launch (formerly Ventureprise Launch), as well as led a research team through the National Science Foundation's iCorp program. Prior to joining the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation team as Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Jenny worked independently supporting startups, labs and incubators. In her previous role as Senior Innovation Consultant for MetLife's U.S. Innovation Hub, she researched and evaluated concepts, created and developed strategy, formulated test plans, and drove execution on relevant projects. Her portfolio includes developing business cases that helped propel underwriting and advance the direct-to-consumer business, including the strategy for a first-of-its-kind on-demand insurance product. Before working for MetLife, Jenny spent three years at Allstate, where she received the Chairman's Vision Award for her training work with new hires in 2013 . She holds a Masters in Organization Development from Queens University of Charlotte, and a Bachelor's in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Graphic Communications from North Carolina A&T State University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is an advocate for children's rights and autism acceptance.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor of Management
• Events

Joyce Beggs teaches in the areas of strategic management and business ethics. Before coming to UNC Charlotte in 1989, she taught at West Virginia University. Her research interests include strategic management, organizational commitment, human resources management issues, business ethics and entrepreneurship, and her articles have been published in a number of journals. She is an active member of several professional organizations and served as editor of a case journal. She has received awards in recognition of casewriting, teaching, and service to professional organizations.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor of Economics
• Events
• Executive Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation / Associate Professor of Economics

Krista J. Saral is the Executive Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI). Krista's role will be to coordinate and lead the external-facing efforts, including reaching out and meeting with entrepreneurs and community leaders/partners. Along with Justin Webb and Devin Collins, she will work to establish the strategic direction of the CEI. She will also serve as a link between the classroom/research side and the technology/business side of the center. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from Florida State University in 2009 and is an associate professor in the Department of Economics at UNC Charlotte. Her research interests broadly lie in auction markets, management/personnel economics, entrepreneurship, and experimental methods. Her research has published in leading journals including the Economic Journal, European Economic Review, among others, and has earned media attention in outlets such as the Harvard Business Review. She is also a Chercheur Associée (Associate Researcher) with the CNRS laboratory, GATE Lyon Saint-Etienne, in Lyon, France.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor
• Associate Professor of Management
• Events

Laura J. Stanley is an associate professor in the Department of Management in the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte. Her work has appeared in such journals as the Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Journal of Vocational Behavior and Human Performance. She currently serves on the editorial board of Journal of Vocational Behavior, Human Performance, and Journal of Family Business Strategy. She conducts research in the areas of entrepreneurship, motivation & attitudes, & research methods. Her research focuses on the microfoundations of entrepreneurship, namely how entrepreneurs' emotions and attitudes influence entrepreneurial behavior. She teaches Entrepreneurial Action and Organizing, as well as Human Resource Management at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She also teaches Microfoundations of Entrepreneurship and Organizational Science and Attitudes at the doctoral level. She received her Ph.D. in management from the University of Georgia. Previously, she worked for Deloitte & Touche, Arthur Andersen and Aon Consulting as an auditor and later as a human resource management consultant.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Director
• Assistant Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Events

Laura Smailes serves as the Assistant Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI). With a focus on experiential student activities, Laura works directly with departments and colleges on campus to develop and implement an inclusive interdisciplinary community to engage and serve UNC Charlotte students and faculty in innovation, entrepreneurship and social impact. Laura assists in the design and implementation of several community programs including Inclusive Innovation Leadership Academy and Charlotte Launch (formerly Ventureprise Launch), prioritizing diverse leadership in the Charlotte entrepreneurial community and supporting founders in their customer discovery journey. Extending her mentorship in the academic community, Laura is an adjunct professor and guest lecturer on UNC Charlotte's campus and an adjunct professor for I-Corps South, National Science Foundation's I-Corps National program. Laura also serves as a NC IDEA Micro Reviewer, the Program Director for PitchBreakfast, a monthly pitching event for the Charlotte community and a Fellowship host and mentor for the Young Leaders of America Initiative. Her passion for entrepreneurial thinking and the Charlotte start-up community began after she graduated from UNC Charlotte with her Master's Degree in Communication Studies. She formed a startup (Eco-H2O Innovations, L.L.C.) with two UNC Charlotte engineers, working on a wave powered desalination system to provide clean water to areas in need. As Operations Manager of the venture, she immersed herself into the local entrepreneurial community, connecting with and learning about the programs and resources that are available to Charlotte entrepreneurs. Over the years, she has had the privilege to participate in several Charlotte programs, including Joules Accelerator, E4 Carolinas and Ventureprise Launch.

Job Titles:

• Events
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellow

Job Titles:

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellow

Job Titles:

• Events
• Program Director, Venture Creation
• Senior Business Leader

Rod is the newest addition to the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. As Program Director, Venture Creation, Rod's overarching mission is promoting entrepreneurship and innovation at UNC Charlotte and throughout the greater Charlotte region. He will support the three year grant-funded effort to source an initial $2-5M equity fund to be deployed in the region. Additionally, he will be responsible for engaging with accredited investors, supporting entrepreneurs with investor-ready training, building the new venture deal pipeline and related communications and marketing activities. Rod is a senior business leader experienced at creating positive change and delivering results; primarily in starting, building and growing businesses although he was also part of the senior leadership team that turned around a struggling company. Rod has been a key member of leadership teams that have resulted in creation of incredibly successful business enterprises. Equally as important are the lessons learned from his roles in initiatives that failed to meet expectations. He has had significant P&L responsibilities in roles that have ranged from business unit leader in a Fortune 50 company to more entrepreneurial endeavors as Founder/CEO. Rod spent the majority of his career in the energy industry including electric utilities, upstream and midstream oil and gas, energy commodities trading and project development. He also has experience in the medical safety device industry where he holds a medical safety device patent. Rod began his career in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service where he ran nuclear reactors and then supervised operation of the reactor and associated engineering and propulsion facilities. He has been involved in four startup companies involving energy and medical devices and has had the opportunity to work at industry leading companies such as Koch Industries, Duke Energy, Amoco (BP) and Enron. Rod has a Metallurgical Engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor of Management
• Events

Growing up in a multinational family business involved with the manufacturing of building materials in Germany, Torsten has experienced firsthand the many aspects of operating a family enterprise that spans borders, languages and generations. Torsten is Associate Professor of Management in the Belk College of Business at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Before joining UNC Charlotte, he was an associate professor at Kennesaw State University, where he was Academic Director of the Doctor of Business Administration Program and Research Director for the Cox Family Enterprise Center. Torsten is Past President of the International Family Enterprise Research Academy (IFERA), the largest network association of family business researchers in the world, and Editor-in-Chief of the Elsevier title Journal of Family Business Strategy (JFBS), the second-most-cited academic journal dedicated to the scientific study of family businesses, and among the top third of all management and business journals worldwide. He teaches entrepreneurship and strategic management at undergraduate and graduate levels. Apart from his academic work, he is an Advisor with Generation6 Consulting, helping families in business leverage their entrepreneurial capabilities to sustain growth and continuity across generations.