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CREW Charlotte’s January 2026 Luncheon with CMPD’s Chief Estella D. Patterson

January 20, 2026 In Luncheon Summary

CREW Charlotte’s January 2026 Luncheon with CMPD’s Chief Estella D. Patterson

Submitted by Davina Thorpe

 

At CREW Charlotte’s first luncheon of 2026, Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department delivered an inspiring message on leadership shaped by resilience, intention, and collaboration. Her remarks reflected several of Colin Powell’s well-known leadership principles, offering timely guidance for leaders navigating complexity and change.

 

Chief Patterson encouraged attendees to keep challenges in perspective, reminding us that “It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.” She acknowledged the realities of frustration in leadership while reinforcing the importance of “Get mad, then get over it,” urging leaders to move forward with clarity and purpose.

 

Her message emphasized confidence and perseverance through the belief that “It can be done,” paired with thoughtful decision-making and accountability—“Be careful what you choose, you may get it.” Throughout her remarks, she underscored that “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier,” especially when leaders intentionally create space for others.

 

Chief Patterson closed with a powerful reminder that progress is never achieved alone. By lifting as we climb, sharing access, and leading with gratitude and humility, leaders can create meaningful, lasting impact—together.

 

Support the CMPD Foundation

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation is an independent non-profit that invests in creating a safer community by supporting efforts to pilot new strategies and improve officer safety and effectiveness, while promoting trust in and support of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in our community.

 

The generous support of organizations and individuals make it possible for our Foundation to continue to grow our support of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, making our community a safer place to live. We focus our support in building community, providing investments in equipment, technology and training, improving employee morale, increasing employee health, safety and wellness, and investing in recruitment and retention.

 

You can donate online, via mail, PayPal or Venmo. For more information, please visit: :www.charlottepolicefoundation.org

 

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January 8, 2026 In Crowning Moments

LM CREATIVE STUDIO

🌿 Excited to Launch LM CREATIVE STUDIO, LLC 🌿

I’m thrilled to share the launch of LM CREATIVE STUDIO, my interior design and art consulting studio focused on creating thoughtful, functional, and beautifully curated environments.

From commercial and residential design to experiential spaces, styling, and creative direction, I’m excited to bring intentional, elevated design to every project.

Cheers to the New Year and to creating spaces that tell a story.
Let’s connect if you’d like to collaborate or learn more about LM CREATIVE STUDIO.

🌿 Thrilled to Announce the Launch of LM CREATIVE STUDIO, LLC 🌿

I’m excited to share that I’ve officially launched LM CREATUVE STUDIO, an interior design & art consulting studio dedicated to creating thoughtful, functional, and beautifully curated environments.

This new chapter brings together my passion for beauty, art, and the belief that well‑designed environments can truly transform how we live and work. At LM CREATIVE STUDIO, I’ll be focusing on:

🔹 Commercial & Residential design
🔹 Space Planning & Materiality
🔹 Experiential Design & Art
🔹 Styling, décor, and project coordination
🔹 Creative direction for renovations and new builds

Launching this studio has been a long‑time goal, and I’m grateful for the support and encouragement from those who’ve inspired me along the way. I’m looking forward to collaborating with businesses, builders, and fellow creatives who value intentional, elevated design.

Cheers to the NEW YEAR and to creating spaces that tell a story.

If you’d like to connect, collaborate, or learn more about LM CREATIVE STUDIO, let’s meet!

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January 8, 2026 In Job Posts

Client Services Coordinator – – Colliers

About you

You are an experienced professional looking to take the next step of your career in commercial real estate! Your background includes delivering exceptional sales support to internal and external clients. In this position, you will be supporting marketing, operational duties, and transactional management with a high level of business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit – which means YOU will be an integral part of the team’s success.

In this role, you will…

Help oversee the team’s transactions, tracking critical dates and regularly updating clients and colleagues

Maintain company databases to track prospects and business opportunities

Create/format proposals and presentations, collaborating with Colliers Marketing to help curate team marketing collateral

Bring a great attitude in learning the business and local marketplace by attending local business and industry events, networking, and participating in client meetings

Process executed lease/amendment paperwork, create vouchers, collect pertinent documentation, sending tenant/property eblasts, create market surveys, print tour books, schedule tenant tours, etc.

What you’ll bring

At least 2+ years of sales or administrative experience in a professional environment (preferably real estate, sales, legal, architectural, construction or related)

Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign) experience required.

Commercial real estate experience is an asset.

High proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)

High level of initiative and excellent communications skills, both oral and written

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January 8, 2026 In Job Posts

Marketing Manager – Colliers

About the role:

You are an accomplished marketing leader with a proven ability to drive innovative strategies and deliver exceptional results in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. You excel at balancing strategic vision with operational efficiency, ensuring workflows run smoothly while inspiring high-performing teams.

Your expertise spans branding, digital content, property marketing, event planning, and presentation development, and you bring a collaborative approach to working with market leaders, internal stakeholders, and regional partners. You are adept at implementing best practices, leveraging new technologies, and maintaining brand consistency across all initiatives.

Success in this role requires strong leadership, creativity, and organizational skills, along with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver impactful marketing solutions that align with business objectives.

In this role, you will:

Lead and manage the local marketing team, ensuring efficient project workflow, resource allocation, and high-quality execution across all marketing initiatives.

Develop and deliver marketing materials for business development, pitches, property marketing, and brand campaigns, ensuring alignment with messaging goals and brand standards.

Collaborate with brokers, client services, designers, researchers, and GIS specialists to create custom content and strategic materials that support client engagement and new business pursuits.

Produce and oversee visual content using Adobe Creative Suite and other tools, including brochures, signage, presentations, maps, and multimedia assets such as videos and photography.

Execute digital marketing initiatives, including email campaigns, social media, website updates, and paid media placements, optimizing for performance and consistency.

Champion brand governance and marketing tools, developing templates, training team members, and promoting best practices and platform technology to ensure brand consistency and operational efficiency.

Track marketing activity and performance, maintain pipeline reports, and provide insights to leadership on project status, team output, and campaign results.

Partner with regional PR to support external and internal communications, including press releases, media outreach, and collateral updates, while staying informed on competitive trends and emerging opportunities.

Act as the local marketing point of contact, collaborating with regional marketing to align on goals, implement programs, and share best practices across the organization.

What you bring:

5+ years’ experience in Marketing – experience within the Real Estate sector is required.
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field.
Experience in commercial real estate, B2B services, or a professional services environment preferred.
Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).
Experience developing interactive and multimedia presentations (e.g., Ceros or similar platforms).
Skilled in photography and video editing tools and best practices.
Experience with social media scheduling platforms (e.g., Hootsuite) and email marketing platforms (e.g., Salesforce Marketing Cloud).
Familiarity with CRM platforms, CMS tools, and digital analytics dashboards.
Demonstrated ability to use data tracking and engagement metrics to optimize campaign performance.
Working knowledge of automation workflows and AI content tools is a plus.
Experience in SEO strategy and implementation.

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December 9, 2025 In Luncheon Summary

CREW Charlotte December 2025 Impact Awards Luncheon: “Work Smarter, Not Harder” with Dawn Chanland

Submitted by Keiko Pace, Stephens Office

 

The luncheon presentation, “Working Smarter, Not Harder,” delivered by Dr. Dawn Chanland, focused on redefining productivity through intentional choices that maximize value, energy, and personal well-being. Rather than equating hard work with long hours or constant activity, the session encouraged attendees to reflect on how effectively their efforts aligned with organizational priorities and personal goals. The core message emphasized that smart work was not merely about efficiency—it was about strategic impact and life balance.

During the session, Dr. Chanland introduced the Five A’s of Working Smarter:

  1. Attuned to Impact and Priorities,
  2. Focused Energy,
  3. Awareness (Self and Team),
  4. Allies (Intentional Collaboration), and
  5. Alive (Choosing You).
    Each “A” represented a dimension of professional effectiveness, highlighting the need to understand where one added the most value, use time and energy intentionally, engage in continuous improvement, collaborate deliberately, and protect personal well-being as part of sustainable workplace success.

CREW attendees were asked to self-score across these dimensions, which prompted reflection on strengths and opportunities for growth. The presentation offered strategies such as identifying high-impact responsibilities, managing attention more strategically, building supportive networks, and avoiding collaboration overload. Dr. Chanland also emphasized “loop learning,” encouraging participants to break larger skills into daily micro-behaviors, test new approaches, seek feedback, and refine their methods for continuous improvement.

Another key theme centered on the value of intentional relationships. Participants were encouraged to seek out energizers and diverse collaborators who enhanced creativity and problem-solving, while also staying mindful of over-collaboration that could drain time and energy. The importance of communicating expectations, and healthy task-related disagreement was also highlighted as a way to spark creativity and improve workflow.

The luncheon concluded by underscoring that working smarter extended beyond work itself. Choosing oneself—one’s health, priorities, and overall life design—was presented as essential for long-term effectiveness. Attendees were invited to identify a meaningful life priority for the coming year and commit to a concrete step to elevate it. Dr. Chanland closed by reinforcing that when individuals intentionally design both their work and their life, they not only improve personal fulfillment but also deliver greater impact for their organizations.

Working Smarter Not Harder CREW presentation

 

Impact Award Winners

Stephanie Jenson with JLL was selected for the Emerging Leader Award. The Emerging Leader Award honors a CREW Charlotte member that embodies excellence, spirit and energy in the field of Commercial Real Estate and the CREW Charlotte Chapter. In addition to being a rising start in their field of CRE,  this honoree distinguishes themselves through their involvement in the CREW Charlotte Chapter committees and programs, showcasing a proactive commitment to our mission.

Liz Etheredge was awarded The Carrie Sharp Power Connector Award. This award honors a CREW Charlotte member who goes beyond traditional networking to forge impactful, intentional connections among members and sponsors—driving business development and referral opportunities. In doing so, they also embody CREW Charlotte’s mission to elevate women in commercial real estate by actively supporting the advancement of others. This individual has significantly influenced one or more women by providing connections, referrals, mentoring, or opportunities needed to pursue and thrive in the commercial real estate industry.

Sallie Jarosz won the Leadership in Action Award. This award recognizes a CREW Charlotte member or sponsor who consistently delivers excellence and whose efforts advance the commercial real estate industry and support our mission. The award winner is trusted and respected by others, and is seen as a thought leader, change agent, and champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This individual sets and achieves the highest standards of performance, accomplishing superior execution and results.

 

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November 4, 2025 In Luncheon Summary

November 2025 Luncheon:  “Beyond Automation: Leadership, Protection, and Creation in the Age of AI”

Submitted by Stephanie Jenson, JLL

CREW Charlotte’s AI Program Delivers Strategic Insights for CRE Professionals

The recent CREW AI program successfully explored AI’s transformative impact on commercial real estate. Moderated by Courtney Fain (JLL), panelists consisted of industry experts Jaime Dias (First American), Garrett Herbst (Little Diversified), and Pad Alce (AI Patent Law). They covered essential topics including AI implementation strategies, prompt engineering, and collaborative applications in project management and operations.

Key discussions addressed balancing innovation with responsibility, emphasizing risk management, data security, and ethical AI adoption. Participants gained practical knowledge on leveraging AI as a collaborative tool while maintaining transparency and accountability.

Key Takeaways:

  • Approach AI as a collaborator, not just an input/output tool for building context and brainstorming
  • Don’t fear committing resources to AI while remaining cognizant of third-party tools
  • Focus on change management and strategic implementation
  • AI’s future lies in amplifying human capabilities rather than replacing professionals

Thank you to our exceptional panelists for sharing invaluable insights on AI’s transformative impact across industries. Your expertise helped us navigate beyond automation to discover leadership opportunities in our evolving landscape.

To further your understanding and boost your AI collaboration, check out our Helpful Tools and Resources list.

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October 31, 2025 In Job Posts

Project Architect, Healthcare – Progressive Companies

As a Project Architect II, you will lead the technical design and documentation of large, complex projects that shape communities and elevate environments. You’ll provide architectural consultation and apply advanced design thinking to deliver sustainable, code-compliant, and client-centered solutions. You’ll collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless project execution while mentoring junior staff and contributing to a culture of excellence.

This position is in the Charlotte, NC office.

Deliver Results
Develop architectural models, contract documents, and specifications for small-to-moderate complexity projects, integrating codes, sustainability principles, and material standards.
Ensure the design intent and Performance-Based Design processes are upheld throughout project documentation.
Lead coordination of project specifications with architectural drawings to ensure integration across all deliverables.
Apply proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD to produce precise documentation aligned with project goals.
Manage due diligence tasks, including documentation of existing conditions, plan review submissions, and organized file systems.
Coordinate technical design with internal teams, consultants, and engineers, promoting alignment across disciplines.
Communicate proactively with project teams regarding progress, technical requirements, and design changes, escalating scope changes as needed.
Contribute to project fee and scheduling discussions with informed input and strategic awareness.
Lead reviews of submittals, drawings, and estimates for accuracy and compliance with project scope and standards.
Resolve construction issues during site visits, including unforeseen conditions and code compliance challenges.
Mentor junior staff and participate in professional development activities such as “Lessons Learned” sessions.

Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture required; Master’s degree preferred.
Completion of AXP and licensure through Architectural Registration Exams (ARE) required.
NCARB certification preferred.
AIA membership and CSI-CDT certification preferred; training provided.
LEED AP BD+C certification preferred.
5+ years as a licensed architect or 10 years of post-graduate architectural experience.
Strong proficiency in Revit and/or AutoCAD.
Demonstrated understanding of building codes, architectural detailing, and multi-phase project documentation.

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October 31, 2025 In Job Posts

Project Manager, Healthcare – Progressive Companies

As a Healthcare Project Manager II, you will be influential in developing the continuing and rapid growth of our Healthcare Practice. You are a relationship builder who takes ownership for the success of the practice by utilizing strong communication skills when interacting with internal and external partners, as well as our clients. This position provides the opportunity to manage projects with a wide range of scope and complexity across the healthcare field.

This position is in the Charlotte, NC or Durham, NC offices.

Deliver Results
Establish project delivery teams, coordinating in-house and consultant services. Create and edit contract for consultant services.
Own the project scope, schedule, and budget, and mentor others in schedule and budget creation.
Advise the client in their best interest and maintain positive relationships. Actively balance client, contractor, and Progressive Companies success.
Actively lead new business development and participate in cross team marketing and selling. Follow up on leads, lead interviews, and take the lead in proposals and contract negotiations.
Own the project profit goals, including planning, monitoring, and controlling technical costs and scheduled performance. Review, monitor, and update project financial reports in a timely manner, managing report formats and information.

Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in an area of expertise (architecture or engineering preferred).
Professional registration in your field.
10 years of professional experience with healthcare building design.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree in area of expertise, business administration, or project management.
CSI-CDT certification.
Certification through PSMJ/PMI.
Experience with project management and scheduling tools (Microsoft Project, or similar).
Experience with Excel DB and Power BI.

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October 14, 2025 In Luncheon Summary

October 2025 Luncheon: “Game Changers: Female Leaders Shaping the Sports Industry”

Submitted by John Garner, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance

 

At CREW Charlotte’s October Luncheon, attendees heard from Caroline Wright, Chief Venues Officer for Tepper Sports & Entertainment, and Donna Julian, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Spectrum Center, for an engaging discussion on Charlotte’s sports, real estate, and community ecosystem.

 

Caroline detailed Bank of America Stadium’s $800 million renovation, emphasizing Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s ownership structure and partnership with the City, while Donna shared insights on the $245 million transformation of Spectrum Center, a City-owned facility operated by the Hornets. Both leaders highlighted how tourism and hospitality tax dollars are reinvested locally through these projects, fueling Charlotte’s economic growth.

 

Caroline noted that Bank of America Stadium generates $1.1 billion annually for the local economy and supports more than 1,000 construction workers during renovations, while Donna described Spectrum Center as a year-round hub for NBA games, concerts, and community events. Both underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in maintaining world-class venues and positioning Charlotte as a national destination.

 

Beyond the numbers, Caroline and Donna reflected on leadership, teamwork, and giving back. Caroline highlighted the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation’s $10 million donation to food banks across the Carolinas, and Donna discussed her community involvement through Big Brothers Big Sisters and Blumenthal Performing Arts. Together, they showcased how visionary leadership and collaboration continue to shape Charlotte’s skyline, economy, and spirit.

 

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