• Arrivals and getting settled

• Gregory Niehaus |  Interim Dean, Darla Moore School of Business

•  Patrick Wright | Associate Dean for Corporate Relations, Darla Moore School of Business
• Emcee: Hannah Hall (née Horne) | Award winning journalist

 

• Speaker: Boyd Blanchard | Chief Executive Officer, Blanchard Machinery

• Break and Panel Setup

 Purpose and Leadership – how individual and organizational purpose guide leaders

• Panelists:
  Kathryn Kissam | Co-Founder, Carolina Youth Coalition
  Natalie Wright | President, The Real Estate House International Inc.
  Josh Dorminy | EVP Executive Assistant to the Chairman and CEO, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. 
• Moderator: Hannah Hall | Emcee and award-winning journalist 

• Visit from Cocky

• Speaker: José Salibi Neto | Speaker & Global Entrepreneur 

Leadership and Purpose in an AI World — How AI may be reshaping the importance and expression of purpose

• Panelists:
  Wendy Thomas | Former Chief Executive Officer, Secureworks
  Zach Greenberger | Chief Executive Officer, Nexar Inc.
  Mike D’Ambrose | Former Chief HR Officer, Boeing
• Moderator: Hannah Hall | Emcee and award-winning journalist
   

Distilling the day’s conversations into making a difference in the workplace and in our lives

• Moderators:
  Patrick Wright | Associate Dean for Corporate Relations, Darla Moore School of Business
  Hannah Hall | Emcee and award-winning journalist

• Summit concludes

Boyd Blanchard is President and CEO of Blanchard Machinery Company, the Caterpillar dealership serving the state of South Carolina. Boyd graduated from the University of South Carolina, where he received a B.S. in business management and marketing.

He began his career with H.O. Penn in New York and lived in Manhattan while working in their Power Systems division. In 2015, Boyd moved back to South Carolina and joined his father and brother at Blanchard Machinery. In his role as Vice President, Boyd was directly responsible for the Parts and Service operations across the state.

In July 2022 Boyd was named President, being the fourth generation to lead the family business.

Boyd is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization. He is an avid supporter of Habitat for Humanity and Harvest Hope Food Bank through the foundation he and his siblings created in their father’s honor, Joe’s Wish.

Boyd and his wife, Emilie Blanchard, reside in Columbia, South Carolina. They have two children, Harper and Bo, and are expecting their third.

A three-time Fortune 50 Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), former CEO, and board director, Michael D’Ambrose is a trailblazer in leading complex, global transformations. Energized by the most daunting challenges, he has led seven CEO transitions across five public companies and played a key role in multiple turnarounds. Mike is renowned for breaking down bureaucracy to identify and honor each person’s unique value to an organization—a differentiating vision that sets him apart in his field. As a result of his achievements, he was awarded HR’s highest honor as a National Academy of Human Resources Fellow.

Strategic Expertise

• Nationally recognized expert in CEO succession, labor negotiations, global HR challenges, and executive compensation
• Mentor to multiple CEOs and leaders across manufacturing, technology, retail, aerospace/aviation, agriculture, and media industries
• Unmatched ability to assess, develop, and place talent to create competitive advantage
• Out-of-the-box leadership and workforce development designs and a passion for reskilling workforces for the future
• Instills data-driven methodology and psychologically safe culture to set and achieve DEI goals as a business priority

As CHRO of Boeing, Mike was a trusted voice to the executive leadership team during multiple crises as he led an end-to-end transformation of the HR function. A dynamic change leader, he spearheaded the CEO’s succession while simultaneously renegotiating multiple labor contracts globally. Known for elevating companies into employers of choice, he revamped global rewards to establish bonus eligibility for 100% of employees and created innovative recruitment and training programs for college and high school students.

Mike joined Boeing after serving as CHRO of ADM, where he facilitated a company-wide turnaround into an industry leader and 5X growth in profitability. During his tenure, he created a world-class HR function and led ADM’s first-ever worldwide organizational restructuring—including refreshing the entire senior management team and the selection and transition of a new CEO.

Prior to ADM, Mike served as CHRO of Citigroup (Citicorp), where he led the integration of Travelers and Citicorp, which was then the world’s largest merger. Earlier in his career, he developed his financial acumen and his business approach to HR after acquiring and transforming a bankrupt New York business into a nationwide premier media enterprise as CEO.

Mike is a valued member of multiple boards focused on HR excellence, including the Society for Human Resource Management and the National Academy of Human Resources. He is also a founding Board Director and Senior Strategic Adivsor for the Center for Executive Succession at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. Passionate about increasing the country’s high-school graduation rate and addressing skilled labor needs, Mike has been deeply involved with Jobs for America’s Graduates and has testified before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He also founded and leads Together We Grow, a consortium of more than 40 industrial, educational, NGO, and legislative partners to develop the next generation of industry leaders.

Mike is a sought-after speaker on topics such as leveraging HR functions to drive business growth. He graduated from Cornell University with a BS in industrial and labor relations, where he now serves as an Executive-in-Residence.

Josh Dorminy serves as Executive Vice-President, Assistant to the Chairman & CEO of Coca-Cola Consolidated.  In this role, Josh is responsible for advising the Chairman & CEO regarding various aspects of the business, supporting the Company’s strategic objectives, and participating in the management of the Chairman’s office.  Josh is deeply involved in the strategic direction and planning of Coca-Cola Consolidated’s Culture & Care, t-factor, Rapid Response, and charitable giving programs.  

Josh joined Coca-Cola Consolidated in 2016.  Prior to joining Coca-Cola Consolidated, he was the Broker and Managing Member of a commercial real estate firm.  Additionally, Josh previously served as the Executive Director of a ministry that trained and encouraged pastors around the world.    

Josh is a graduate of the University of Georgia.  

Josh and his wife, Kristy, have been married for 25 years and reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.  They have three children: Ruby (21) is a Senior at Liberty University, Molly (20) is a Senior at Liberty University, and Mack (18) is a Freshman at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC. 

Zach Greenberger is a seasoned business executive known for his innovative approach and leadership in the technology and transportation sectors previously working for companies like IBM, Lyft,. and Tesla. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in global supply chain operations management and investment finance from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. Zach is the CEO of Nexar Inc., and he currently resides in New York City.

In 2018, Greenberger joined Lyft, initially serving as Director of Global Supply Management. He quickly advanced to Vice President of Strategic Business Development and Supply Chain, and later to Chief Business Officer. In these roles, he oversaw critical aspects of Lyft's operations, including partnerships, sales, global supply chain, and city operations. He played a pivotal role in developing growth strategies and integrating platforms with major brands such as Delta, Hilton, Disney, and JPMorgan Chase, contributing to hundreds of millions of rides on the platform.

In September 2024, Greenberger was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Nexar Inc., a company specializing in automotive data and vision-based technology. In this role, he continues to drive innovation in the transportation sector, leveraging his extensive experience in supply chain management and business development.

Attuned to the ebb and flow of societal issues that impact companies and communities, Kathryn Schanen Kissam brings years of experience, strategic insight, and deep passion to the causes she champions today.

Kathryn is a co-founder and chairwoman of Carolina Youth Coalition, a rapidly growing nonprofit that empowers motivated and capable students by providing access to college and career opportunities. She is also a board member of Hopeway Foundation, supporting mental health initiatives, and serves on the Merkin Peripheral Neuropathy and Nerve Regeneration Center Patient Advisory Board.

In the business and academic arenas, Kathryn serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and actively engages in thought leadership in education, philanthropy, and corporate strategy. She is an advisory board member for the Crested Butte Film Festival and the International Picture House in Charlotte, NC., Kathryn is a passionate fundraiser and research advocate for The International Rett Syndrome Foundation, where she served as board chair for over 14 years.

Previously, Kathryn co-founded The Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System, a nonprofit focused on enhancing STEM education in alignment with evolving workforce needs. Additionally, she recently served six years on the board of the Charlotte Mecklenburg School Foundation.

Before dedicating herself to nonprofit leadership and advocacy, Kathryn had a distinguished career as a seasoned marketing and public relations specialist. She served as Global Lead for Monsanto Company’s corporate marketing, public affairs, and crisis management teams, leading high-impact strategies on a global scale. Kathryn was a member of the Monsanto Leadership Team, reporting to the CEO. She co-founded evolve24, a technology-based issues management business acquired by Maritz Research.

Kathryn holds a B.S. from the University of South Carolina (1988) and an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin (1990).

Kathryn lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, Luke, and three sons. A dual citizen of Luxembourg and the United States, Kathryn shares this heritage with her three sons and over twenty extended family members.

With a lifelong passion for education, community impact, and strategic storytelling, Kathryn continues to drive positive change.

José Salibi Neto has built a successful career as a thought leader, consultant, and author. Salibi co-founded the HSM Group, a global learning and executive education company that has brought world-class speakers and thought leaders to Brazil and Latin America. Under his leadership, HSM became a pivotal platform for disseminating cutting-edge management practices and fostering a culture of continuous learning among business leaders. 

In addition to his work with HSM Salibi is a prolific author and speaker. He has co-authored several books on leadership and management, including works with business luminaries such as Ram Charan. His publications reflect his deep commitment to helping leaders navigate the complexities of the modern business environment. His contributions have made him a sought-after speaker and consultant, where his insights continue to inspire executives and entrepreneurs worldwide. 

He graduated from the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business and earned an MBA in International Business from the same institution. He was a member of the school’s Advisory Board for 20 years and, in 2009, was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the university’s highest tribute to a former student. 

Wendy K. Thomas leverages more than 25 years of experience in strategic and functional leadership roles. She’s worked across multiple industries at companies such as FirstData, Bell South, and Internap Network Services, Inc. 

During her career at Secureworks, Ms. Thomas has been a key part of several milestones including the acquisitions of Verisign’s Managed Security Services (MSS) business and DNS, as well as the acquisition by Dell Technologies and the IPO. In 2017, she recognized Secureworks’ unique opportunity to leverage its experience and threat intelligence to help customers transform their security operations with an integrated, cloudnative security analytics platform. As Chief Product Officer, Ms. Thomas led the team to develop Secureworks Taegis and launched Secureworks’ first security analytics product, Secureworks Taegis XDR, in April 2019. She has been instrumental leading Secureworks’ strategy to empower the global security community and beat the adversary at scale with a software-driven approach grounded in their security enterprise. 

In her previous role as President of Customer Success, Thomas led the customer success organization, which encompasses product and engineering, operations, customer experience, and Secureworks’ threat intelligence-focused Counter Threat Unit. Recently, Thomas was recognized in the number one position in The Software Report’s ‘Top 25 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity of 2021.’ Outside of Secureworks, she serves as a Liaison for AFS Intercultural Programs, and international youth exchange organization. 

As CEO and co-founder of Real Estate House International (REHI), Natalie Wright applies the expert knowledge and relentless pursuit of excellence required to ensure that clients achieve their home buying dreams. Natalie began her career in 2014 as an agent for Keller Williams Realty in Charleston, South Carolina after transitioning from a career in education, and has never looked back. Over the past 8 years, she has established herself as a savvy and results-driven Realtor that seems to always find a way to get her clients the best deals. 

REHI is a realization of a vision that she had to create a real estate company that would allow her to leverage her knowledge and talent for finance to help people not only have a home but a solid investment vehicle for wealth creation. After several years of success in the industry, her experiences revealed a gap in the market for a customer-centric real estate company that not only educates but empowers its clients with a path forward to wealth. With the assistance of her business partner Jenna Richardson, Natalie launched the REHI brand in 2020. 

Natalie brings broad expertise in the areas of residential & luxury sales, property investment, land purchasing, and property management. She also specializes in-home consultations. Her hands-on approach to leadership is a key ingredient to the culture of success that permeates the brokerage. Her goal is to grow REHI into a leading national brand and to create an impact by helping people and communities effectively leverage the power of real estate for a better financial future.