This week’s podcast guest might sound a little familiar. You’ve been listening to his voice for more than two years. Steve Dunn regularly interviews winners of The Charlotte Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Awards , which are awarded every spring to individuals over the age of 40 who are doing important and inspiring work in Charlotte. While podcasting has become a significant part of his work, Dunn’s primary profession is mediation—following a career as an employment lawyer. As a mediator with Miles Mediati...
Feb 09, 2025•30 min
Charlotte Center City Partners, an organization that promotes and advocates for uptown and South End, recently published its annual report on the state of the Center City in 2025 . Charlotte Center City Partners President and CEO Michael Smith and James LaBar, senior vice president of economic development, recently sat down with Ledger editor Tony Mecia to talk about the state of the center city and its upcoming plans for the area. For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up f...
Jan 31, 2025•28 min
The 2025 Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Championship is set to take place at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte from May 12-18, 2025, bringing one of golf’s four major championships back to the Queen City. Tournament Director Jason Soucy, who has spent decades in the sports industry, is leading the effort to organize the event, which is expected to draw global attention. On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Soucy to talk about the magnitude of...
Jan 25, 2025•25 min
Michelle Crouch is a freelance writer and healthcare reporter for The Charlotte Ledger and North Carolina Health News , which is a nonprofit statewide newsroom that covers a variety of healthcare topics in North Carolina. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Crouch about the state of healthcare — why it is the way it is, and where it is heading. It’s a recording of a conversation and Q&A session at The Sharon at South Park on Jan. 6, 2025. It i...
Jan 18, 2025•30 min
One of the questions Charlotte Ledger founder and executive editor Tony Mecia is asked a lot is, “How is it going with The Ledger?” As we begin 2025, now is the traditional time to answer. In the spirit of transparency, we’re giving you a peek behind the curtain of our operation. The Ledger published an article on Dec. 30, 2024, recapping the year, what The Ledger accomplished and what we hope to see in 2025. You can check it out here . But we wanted to take it a step further. Mecia recently sat...
Jan 13, 2025•33 min
Amanda McGough has spent more than two decades helping people navigate their most challenging moments, from suicide prevention to life transitions. As a licensed psychologist, she’s seen firsthand how overwhelming struggles can affect mental health, but she’s equally passionate about the power of conversation and connection in healing. On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, McGough talks with host Steve Dunn about how to know when to seek professional help and the critical role of open...
Dec 19, 2024•27 min
Longtime Charlotteans know Lawrence Toppman from the 40+ years he spent as a critic at The Charlotte Observer. Now, he writes reviews for The Charlotte Ledger several times a month in a column called " Larry At Large ." The Ledger has a partnership with The Sharon at South Park retirement community and hosted a Q&A session in December 2024 for residents. Toppman shared his experiences as an arts critic, how he approaches his reviews and what he’s learned along the way. He also answers reside...
Dec 13, 2024•36 min
José Alvarez believes that everyone has the potential to be an entrepreneur. As vice president of Prospera North Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to helping Latino entrepreneurs, Alvarez works to provide invaluable support to immigrant entrepreneurs by offering bilingual services that guide them through the complexities of starting a business. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Alvarez discusses trends he's noticed among immigrant entrepreneurs in Charlotte, the importance of offeri...
Dec 09, 2024•27 min
In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, we are sharing a speech by Kelly Weeks at the Rotary Club of Charlotte. She is the widow of U.S. Marshal Tommy Weeks, who was one of four law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in a shootout in east Charlotte on April 29, 2024. In her talk, she discusses what her day was like on that awful day — how it started, how she found out he had been shot — and all the support she has received from the community and law enforcement. She talks a...
Nov 19, 2024•28 min
In 2018, Dr. Dale Owen and nearly 90 physicians left Atrium Health to form Tryon Medical Partners, driven by a vision of patient-centered care without the bureaucracy of large health systems. This bold move, initiated amidst legal battles and skepticism, aimed to prioritize personalized care and coordination while reducing costs. Fast forward six years, Tryon Medical now serves nearly 200,000 patients in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, demonstrating the viability of independent practices despite...
Nov 17, 2024•27 min
For many people in Western North Carolina, everything changed on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Hurricane Helene brought record levels of rainfall, reaching as high as 30 inches in some places and triggering massive flooding and mudslides. Roads, buildings, trees, power lines and entire water systems were wiped out, affecting hundreds of thousands of people. More than 90 people died in North Carolina. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Ledger staff repo...
Nov 08, 2024•25 min
The Charlotte region is on track to lose about 19,400 acres of farmland by 2040. The Carolina Farms Fund aims to prevent that. The Carolina Farms Fund is a new initiative from the Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit dedicated to environmental preservation and economic development. The Carolina Farms Fund aims to protect 5,000 acres in the Charlotte region as working farms and to match farmers to those properties with a path toward ownership. The fund was started in November of 2023 by Tim Be...
Nov 03, 2024•29 min
In this special episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia and elections specialist Sucharita Kodali quickly break down the 14 statewide races on the 2024 general election ballot. In less than 10 minutes, they zip through the races that will be on the ballot for every North Carolinian: the Council of State — including races for governor, lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner and so on — as well as statewide judicial races and a constitutional amendment. Check out t...
Oct 21, 2024•10 min
In this special episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia and elections specialist Sucharita Kodali quickly break down the Mecklenburg County ballot, including state legislative races, county commissioner races, local judicial elections and bonds. In less than 10 minutes, they zip through the under-the-radar races that many voters haven’t considered but will find on the ballot. Check out the accompanying 10-minute podcast on statewide races , such as those for governor, l...
Oct 21, 2024•10 min
In 2019, Melissa Sutherland made a dramatic career shift, leaving her role as a bank executive at Bank of America to join Best Impressions Catering as the company’s chief operating and financial officer. Her move from a global financial institution to a small catering business offered her the chance to take her expertise to a new industry, she says, helping the company expand from a single location in Charlotte to three, including Raleigh and Charleston. But just as she was settling into her new...
Oct 19, 2024•27 min
Many children who are on the autism spectrum or have ADHD also have anxiety or depression, and parents caring for those children experience high stress. Diane Reid Lyon’s goal is to help parents not feel quite so alone while finding ways to help their kids. As a licensed clinical mental health counselor for more than three decades, she's helped hundreds of children, teens and adults find growth and healing while dealing with challenges like ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief and trauma. So, she's ...
Oct 10, 2024•22 min
Hugh McColl Jr. is a Charlotte household name. As the former chairman and CEO of Bank of America, McColl was a major player in consolidating the banking industry in the 1980s and 1990s that has transformed Charlotte into the financial hub it is today. He was also apart of the group of influential Charlotte leaders that pushed to improve the arts and revitalize uptown. On September 17, 2024, McColl, 89, was interviewed in front of an audience at Queens University of Charlotte at an event called “...
Sep 27, 2024•32 min
In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Nate Negrin, owner of SouthernEEZ Landscaping , discusses the rapid evolution of the landscaping industry. Once viewed as a basic service, landscaping now involves advanced technology, sustainability practices and professional expertise. Negrin shares his journey from banking to landscaping, the challenges he faced early on, and the emerging trends such as robo-mowers and corporate consolidations. He also highlights the increasing demand for eco-f...
Sep 23, 2024•26 min
In a pivotal moment for Charlotte’s University City, Keith Stanley, the newly appointed president and CEO of University City Partners, is bringing a fresh vision to the area. Having transitioned from his role in Milwaukee’s Near West Side Partners, Stanley has been focused on leveraging his experience to enhance the vibrancy and functionality of northeast Charlotte. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Stanley discusses the changes afoot in University City, economic trends, developme...
Sep 16, 2024•26 min
David Cronenberg’s “Dead Ringers” was an eye-opening film for Brad Ritter. He first saw the horror movie in 1988 alongside college friends — and he hasn’t been able to bring himself to watch it since. “Dead Ringers” exposed Ritter to the world of immersive film, and although he didn’t know it at the time, it would lead to his current role as the executive director of Charlotte’s only arthouse theater and nonprofit, Independent Picture House, located in NoDa. On this episode of The Charlotte Ledg...
Sep 09, 2024•27 min
While some Charlotteans might struggle to list even 50 must-do activities in the city, Axios reporter Brianna Crane faced the opposite challenge. In her new book, “ 100 Things to Do in Charlotte Before You Die ,” narrowing it down to just 100 was the hard part. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Crane talks with The Ledger's Tony Mecia about the challenges and excitement of curating a list that captures the essence of the city, balancing beloved staples with hidden gems that even l...
Aug 30, 2024•22 min
Effective leadership is key to building a thriving work environment and driving team success. Paulette Ashlin, founder and president of Ashlin Associates , is an executive and business coach with a knack for transforming workplace dynamics. With a career spanning various industries, she works to help leaders and teams thrive. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ashlin talks with The Ledger's Tony Mecia about the art of effective leadership and positive accountability. She shares ins...
Aug 24, 2024•26 min
Charlotte's Plaza Midwood neighborhood is often known for its bars and restaurants. But it's more than that: As one of Charlotte's historic streetcar suburbs, Plaza Midwood is a diverse community that stays close-knit. It's also undergoing a lot of change. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, host Steve Dunn — a Plaza Midwood resident — talks with neighborhood leader Phil Gussman about the changes afoot in Plaza Midwood and what makes the area special. As the founder of Gussman Consu...
Aug 18, 2024•25 min
What started as a small Charlotte restaurant in 1977 has since grown into a beloved brand with over 800 locations across 17 states, known for its fried chicken, biscuits and sweet tea. That’s right, today we’re talking about Bojangles. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia talks with Bojangles' chief marketing officer Tom Boland about how the chicken chain stays relevant in a fiercely competitive industry, how it innovates its menu and the thinking behind its ...
Aug 09, 2024•27 min
Since 2018, developer Northwood Office has been working on an ambitious plan to remake the center of Ballantyne with its Ballantyne Reimagined project. Now, the effort on the 535-acre Ballantyne Corporate Park is bearing fruit, with restaurants and retailers opening on the former golf course of The Ballantyne hotel. Leading the effort has been John Barton, president of Northwood Office. In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Barton shares insights into the project, how and why it came ...
Aug 02, 2024•27 min
From the challenges of scaling and fundraising to the critical need for financial sustainability, business principles can drive nonprofit success. Raj Merchant serves as chair of Feeding Charlotte, a nonprofit that provides nutritious food for those in need. He also serves on the boards of Helping Education and the Kenan-Flagler Business School. In his day job, he’s the director in data and analytics at Perficient, a leading global technology consulting firm serving Fortune 1000 customers. In th...
Jul 28, 2024•25 min
Electric vehicles (EVs) have slowly been taking over the roads of Charlotte. Many people have traded in their transmission cars for one that is more environmentally friendly and offers a quieter and smoother driving experience. After a year of driving a Ford Mustang Mach-E, Mark Gustafson, an attorney and mediator with Bell, Davis and Pitt, says he will never go back to a gasoline-reliant car. Gustafson even has written an article about what he calls his "personal social experiment" to see if th...
Jul 21, 2024•30 min
Speak to any nonprofit leader, and you'll frequently hear about the difficulties of delivering essential community services while also handling the operational aspects necessary for growth and stability. This is where skilled volunteering becomes invaluable. Skilled volunteering enables volunteers to contribute their expertise and professional experience to charities. For instance, a nonprofit might need assistance with website design but lacks the staff, time or funds to accomplish it. In such ...
Jul 15, 2024•30 min
Michael Bay was born in a small village in Mesopotamia. Despite his humble beginnings, his ambitions took him far beyond the borders of his village. From helping tourists as a young boy to moving to London driven by the dream of a better life, Bay’s path has been anything but conventional. In London, he started from scratch, washing dishes before venturing into import-export businesses, and later navigating the challenges of mad cow disease that disrupted his thriving beef trade. His journey con...
Jul 08, 2024•26 min
You might be surprised by how many brides still flip through the glossy pages of wedding magazines to gather inspiration for their big day, says Charlotte-based wedding photographer Robert Burns II. But as with many types of publications, bridal magazines are increasingly moving to digital formats — swapping that satisfying page-turn with a swift click. Burns recently ventured into the world of digital publishing himself, with his new annual bridal publication, BRIDE Magazine . On this episode o...
Jun 22, 2024•23 min
