This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is presented by OrthoCarolina , a leading orthopedic care center based in Charlotte. For more information or to book an appointment with an expert, visit OrthoCarolina.com . This episode is a recording of the first session of the free “ Move Well, Live Well ” webinar series, brought to you by The Charlotte Ledger and OrthoCarolina. This summer, we’re bringing you a three‑part series designed to help you stay strong, mobile, and pain‑free as you age. E...
Aug 10, 2025•24 min
Lewis Donald, better known as “Sweet Lew,” is the classically trained chef behind Sweet Lew’s Barbecue in Charlotte’s Belmont neighborhood. After two decades in fine dining and country clubs, including an apprenticeship at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, Donald traded white tablecloths for wood smoke in 2018, opening a counter-service spot dedicated to Carolina barbecue and community. At Sweet Lew’s, the focus is on simplicity, consistency and tradition: whole pork shoulders, brisket, ribs and ...
Aug 01, 2025•24 min
Before Doug Madar helped launch Carolina Crown into one of the world’s top drum and bugle corps, he was simply a young music enthusiast captivated by the intensity and precision of the activity. Though he never marched himself, Madar became a lifelong supporter and, in 1990, co-founded the Fort Mill-based corps with just 57 members, homemade uniforms and used horns. Today, Carolina Crown is celebrated for its unmatched horn line, dynamic shows and the passion of its performers, many of whom are ...
Jul 25, 2025•28 min
Off the coast of North Carolina lies one of the world’s most treacherous stretches of sea — a place where shifting shoals, sudden storms and centuries of shipwrecks have earned it the name “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” In July 2025, The Charlotte Ledger ran a series with that same name — researched and written by journalist Mark Washburn — that explores the region’s lore through wartime sinkings, devastating hurricanes, pirate legends, lost treasure and enduring nautical mysteries. Washburn recen...
Jul 18, 2025•33 min
Running a large parks system in a fast-growing county might sound overwhelming, but for Nick Walker, it’s exactly the kind of challenge he was looking for. The former Memphis parks director took over as head of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation in February 2025 and now oversees more than 290 parks, greenways and facilities across 22,500 acres. Since arriving in Charlotte, Walker has been getting to know the system from the inside out. He’s toured parks, met staff and listened to residents’ ...
Jul 11, 2025•26 min
What happens when a major foundation suddenly triples its giving? In this episode, we talk with Tom Lawrence, CEO of The Leon Levine Foundation , about the decision by the 3rd-largest foundation in the Carolinas to boost its annual grantmaking to $100 million. Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Lawrence and board chair Michael Tarwater about how the move fulfills Leon Levine’s longtime vision, what kinds of organizations stand to benefit and how the foundation is navigating this turning point. ...
Jul 08, 2025•16 min
Running a business with your sibling might sound like a challenge, but for Amoura and Avery Carter, it’s become their secret weapon. The Charlotte-based sisters co-founded AC Creative Collective, a firm offering marketing and learning and development services across the Carolinas. With complementary skills — Amoura in strategy and operations, Avery in design and messaging — the two are helping businesses cut through the noise and build authentic, effective brands. On this episode of The Charlott...
Jun 27, 2025•27 min
Joy Callaway started her career in marketing, but after rediscovering her childhood love of storytelling, she traded spreadsheets for stories. Now the Charlotte-based author has seven books to her name, including two new releases in very different genres: a World War I-era historical novel set in west Charlotte called “The Star of Camp Greene,” and a contemporary romance rooted in small-town charm called “Sing Me Home to Carolina.” On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Callaway talks ...
Jun 20, 2025•32 min
As North Carolina employers grapple with a tight labor market and rapid technological change, community colleges are stepping up to meet the demand, and more students are taking notice. Enrollment at the state’s two-year colleges jumped 8.3% this spring compared with the previous year, outpacing the national average. John Loyack, vice president of economic development for the North Carolina Community College System, attributes the growth to the system’s flexible pathways, from associate degrees ...
Jun 13, 2025•29 min
Charlotte’s hospitality and retail scene is changing rapidly, but what’s really driving the evolution? Industry experts agree that Charlotte’s hospitality market is thriving but becoming more competitive, with new players entering the scene and raising consumer expectations. Neighborhoods like South End have been pivotal in putting Charlotte on the map. However, the suburban retail market is now gaining momentum — like in SouthPark, Ballantyne and Huntersville. A new report, called the Charlotte...
Jun 07, 2025•43 min
Before Susan Evren became the executive director of the Go Jen Go Foundation, a Charlotte nonprofit supporting families facing breast cancer, she was no stranger to pushing limits. A passionate ultrarunner, Evren has completed grueling 50k races — events that test not just endurance, but mental grit. Evren’s journey on the trail has informed her approach to nonprofit work, she says. Just as every race comes with unexpected hills and challenges, so does supporting families in crisis. At Go Jen Go...
May 30, 2025•28 min
Before Grace Weisiger could join her family’s four-generation business, The Weisiger Group (formerly Carolina Tractor and Equipment), her parents told her she needed to gain some experience in a different industry. In 2014, while still a student at the University of Georgia, she received a call from a friend of a friend, who had a cryptic pitch: “I can’t tell you what we’re doing, but we’re starting a company, and it's going to be huge. And we’d like you to be a part of it.” Skeptical but intrig...
May 24, 2025•30 min
Charlotte celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 2025, at a ceremony and re-enactment in uptown Charlotte. Watch the full celebration, with commentary and interviews by co-hosts Tony Mecia and Cristina Bolling of The Charlotte Ledger — with impromptu guests including former county commissioner Matthew Ridenhour, planning commission member Clayton Sealey and Ledger history correspondent John Short. You might also enjoy this podcast about the Mec...
May 20, 2025•1 hr 25 min
If you've ever tuned into Charlotte’s NPR station in the mornings, you've probably heard the soothing voice of Marshall Terry. But you probably don't know much about him otherwise. In an era marked by building personal brands, influencers and oversharing on social media, Terry is refreshingly old school. He doesn’t post on social media, and he rarely talks to media interviews outside of his job. On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Terry talks with Ledger editor Tony Mecia about the ...
May 17, 2025•28 min
Did a group of Charlotte patriots really declare independence from Britain more than a year before the rest of the colonies? Or is the tale of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence — the “Meck Dec,” said to be signed on May 20, 1775 — just a case of wishful thinking and poor recollections? As the 250th anniversary of the Meck Dec approaches, this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast looks deeper into that enduring debate — one that has been raging for more than two centuries, and one th...
May 10, 2025•39 min
Joanna Beck has an eye for identifying inefficiencies. She helps businesses see their potential for improving their operations. She founded Beck Insights, a business consulting and strategy firm, with the mission to help businesses recognize their challenges and make the necessary changes to thrive. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Beck sits down with podcast host Steven Dunn to talk about her experience in transforming inefficient business operations into profitable, structured ...
May 07, 2025•29 min
In a world where the disparity between different socioeconomic classes is increasing, organizations like United Way of Greater Charlotte play a critical role in forging paths toward greater economic mobility for future generations. United Way of Greater Charlotte is one of the Charlotte region's largest health and human services nonprofits. The nonprofit stands at a unique confluence of the public sector, private corporations, philanthropy and nonprofit organizations, which allows it to harness ...
Apr 29, 2025•29 min
In a time of economic turbulence and market volatility, understanding where things stand—and where they’re headed—feels more important than ever. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with economist Mark Vitner. Vitner, a longtime Charlotte-based economist formerly with Wells Fargo, is now chief economist for Piedmont Crescent Capital, a boutique economic consulting firm. He explains why the Charlotte region has remained resilient—and what clouds may be ...
Apr 18, 2025•14 min
Aging is a stage of life that many of us are either confronting personally or experiencing through the eyes of loved ones. Discussing it can be uncomfortable and overwhelming, especially when there is some resistance or hostility toward extra care as you or your loved one gets older. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Caregiving Corner CEO Jennifer Szakaly shares practical and compassionate advice for families navigating aging and caregiving. It's the audio of a webinar held in Apr...
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 1 min
April has been dubbed as “sustainability month,” and sustainability and environmental impact initiatives have become increasingly more important for businesses — especially for bottling companies like Charlotte-based Coca-Cola Consolidated, the largest Coke bottling company in the U.S. Esther Moberly was hired as the company’s first-ever sustainability manager almost two years ago, just a few years after the company created its sustainability department dedicated to ensuring the company follows ...
Apr 11, 2025•26 min
Engaged and motivated employees are more likely to stay and grow. In this third and final installment of the “Trends in the Workplace 2025” series, experts share the secret sauce to retaining talent and how to transform employees into your company’s biggest competitive advantage. This episode is a recording from March 2025 of the third day of a three-part webinar series, brought to you by Catapult Employers Association and The Charlotte Ledger. The webinar series explores the key trends, technol...
Apr 04, 2025•47 min
What do recruiters and hiring managers think candidates want? What do job seekers actually need? Rethinking your hiring strategy could be the key to long-term success. In this second installation of the “Trends in the Workplace 2025” series, experts break down the shifting workplace expectations and how to attract and retain top talent. This episode is a recording from March 2025 of the second day of a three-part webinar series, brought to you by Catapult Employers Association and The Charlotte ...
Apr 04, 2025•49 min
Workforce trends for 2025 are taking shape — from AI and automation to evolving employee expectations and hybrid work models. In this kickoff of the “Trends in the Workplace 2025” series, experts break down what’s coming and what it means for the workplace. This episode is a recording from March 2025 of the first day of a three-part webinar series by Catapult Employers Association and The Charlotte Ledger. The webinar series explores the key trends, technologies and shifts reshaping the workplac...
Apr 04, 2025•53 min
Growing up, Courtie Coble’s Saturdays were filled with day trips to Charlotte. Her mother, a self-made entrepreneur who never went to college, would load Coble and her siblings into the car and take them to open houses in Charlotte’s gated communities. Coble would see glimpses of a life that, at the time, felt worlds away from her small town of Burnsville, N.C. But to Coble’s mother, these trips weren’t just outings; they were lessons. "It’s hard to have what you don’t see," Coble said. Today, a...
Mar 28, 2025•32 min
John Short, who writes the "Historical Heavyweights" column for The Charlotte Ledger, talks with Ledger editor Tony Mecia about Charlotte's most fascinating historical figures and the importance of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and early settlers. They also discuss two of Short's other projects: The Charlotte Podcast (which has nearly 300 episodes) and the Elizabeth neighborhood's Halloween pumpkin wall (which Short helps organize). This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was ...
Mar 24, 2025•25 min
Since Marcellus “MT” Turner took over as CEO and chief librarian of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in 2021, the library system has undergone significant transformation — and it’s not over yet. The library system, which currently has 21 locations, has ambitious plans to expand to 31 branches to better meet the needs of the city’s growing population. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library wants to bring branches to "library deserts," where residents lack easy access to library resources, as well as moderniz...
Mar 16, 2025•29 min
North Carolina is home to world-class university research — but many groundbreaking ideas never make it beyond the lab. Now, a new nonprofit backed by state and private funds is working to turn university research into thriving businesses, with the goal of creating jobs and boosting the state’s economy. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Michelle Bolas , executive vice president and chief innovation officer of NCInnovation , discusses how the organization works to bridge the gap be...
Mar 08, 2025•25 min
In 2005, a group of friends with a shared love of motorcycles, beer and barbecue opened a restaurant in an industrial area near uptown known as South End. Today, 20 years later, that restaurant — Mac's Speed Shop — has grown into a company with nine such restaurants in North and South Carolina, with more on the way. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Tony Salerno, president of Mac’s Hospitality Group, talks with Ledger editor Tony Mecia about how this well-known fixture in Charlott...
Mar 01, 2025•26 min
What does it take to turn a city into a top destination for Broadway tours? Tom Gabbard, CEO of Blumenthal Arts since 2003, joins The Charlotte Ledger Podcast to pull back the curtain on Charlotte’s booming arts scene. Under Gabbard's leadership, Blumenthal has transformed into a powerhouse, managing four theaters and hosting more than 1,000 events annually. In this engaging conversation—recorded in front of an audience at The Sharon at South Park—Gabbard shares the inside story of how Charlotte...
Feb 21, 2025•30 min
Longtime Republican consultant Carter Wrenn, who spent decades shaping North Carolina politics, has witnessed a dramatic shift in the political landscape since he began his career in the 1970s. Wrenn, a senior advisor to the late U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms, helped build the National Congressional Club, a fundraising powerhouse that revolutionized political outreach and advertising. In a recent interview on The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Wrenn noted that while politics has always been “rough and tumble...
Feb 14, 2025•28 min
