Board of Trustees

Laura A. Schulte is a former executive with Wells Fargo & Co. During her 32-year career, she led some of the enterprise’s largest banking divisions with responsibility for $10 billion in revenue. Schulte was also responsible for the companywide customer experience and affluent strategies. She has deep and broad experience in profit and loss management, risk management, compliance, credit, finance, audit, strategy and distribution, and has served as a transition manager for multiple successful mergers and acquisitions. During her career, she was named one of the top 25 most powerful women in banking.

Schulte currently serves on the boards of Novant Health, Grubb Properties, and the National Association of Corporate Directors (Carolinas Chapter) and served for five years on the board of State Farm Bank. Schulte is an NACD Governance Fellow and holds an NACD Directorship Certification. Additionally, she has a Certificate in Cyber Security Leadership and Governance from the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Christine P. Katziff — Vice Chair, Audit and Compliance Chair

Christine P. Katziff is the chief audit executive of Bank of America and a member of the company’s executive management team. She leads the global division responsible for the company’s business strategies, all business segments, technology, operations, risk framework, financial management and credit standards. She is the executive vice chair of Bank of America’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Council and serves as the executive sponsor for the company’s Investing in Women Leadership Council.

Katziff is active in the Charlotte community and is a passionate advocate for wellness and higher education. She serves on the board of directors for the American Heart Association’s Corporate Operations Coordinating Committee, National Go Red Leadership Council and past Chair of the Charlotte Go Red for Women campaign, UNC Charlotte, Bryant University, and serves on the Campaign Committee for Central Piedmont Community College. Katziff is also the Charlotte Executive Market Sponsor, championing Bank of America’s efforts to support the community, clients and employees within the company’s home city.

 

James F. Amos - Secretary/Treasurer

Four-star general James F. Amos retired as the 35th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps in 2014, after 42 years of service.He currently serves as Strategic Advisor to the President of Singapore Technologies North America and as an advisory panel member to Huntington Ingalls Industries. He is a director for NeoVolta Energy Storage Systems and AeroMed LLC, and chairman to Kaman Inc. He is also a member of the Charlotte’s Veterans Bridge Home advisory board, the Jewish Institute for National Security in America (JINSA) and UCLA Medical’s Operation Mend advisory board. General Amos is the founder of Windsock LLC and former chairman of the board of Lord Corporation and the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

Nominated by the President, General Amos assumed the duties as the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps on October 22, 2010.During his tenure he completed the Corps’ combat mission in Afghanistan, catalyzed the total force reduction from 220K Marines to 185K while managing the Corps’ $35BB annual budget – all during congressionally mandated Sequestration. He established Marine Crisis Response commands in both Africa and the Middle East, all while adding an additional 1K Marine Security Guards to America’s embassies in response to the Benghazi tragedy. He galvanized national recognition for the service and sacrifices of the Corps’ WWII African American “Montford Point Marines” with the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal. He also institutionalized the effort to “ethically re-ground” his force in line with high standards of Honor, Courage and Commitment, as the Corps emerged from 13 years of sustained combat.

Following his selection to General in 1998, General Amos served in the Balkans with NATO forces during the Serbian–Kosovo conflict, two combat tours in Iraq while in command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, command of all east Coast Marine combat forces at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and multiple tours at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

General Amos joined the Marine Corps and entered pilot training after earning his bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from the University of Idaho in Boise, Idaho in 1970. He flew fighter aircraft in numerous Marine squadrons throughout the early years of his career, culminating in command of an F/A-18 Hornet squadron onboard the nuclear carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, followed by command of Marine Fighter Group 31.

He resides in Charlotte with his wife of 52 years, where they serve as “player-coaches” to their four, active grandchildren.

 

Carl S. Armato - Ex-officio member

Carl S. Armato is president and chief executive officer of Novant Health. He joined Novant Health in 1998 as vice president of finance and operations for physician divisions in both Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Armato has also served as senior vice president of materials management and logistics for Novant Health. In 2003, Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center appointed Armato as chief operating officer and later promoted him to president and CEO in January 2004. He became president of Novant Health markets in 2008 and chief operating officer of the system in 2011. The board of trustees appointed him to his current position in January 2012.

Before joining Novant Health, Armato was vice president of operations for First Care Physicians and director of finance for General Health System in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was also a senior tax/audit consultant for Ernst & Young in the Baton Rouge office prior to beginning his career in healthcare. Armato holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and a Master of Business Administration from Norwich University of Vermont.

He is a certified public accountant licensed in Louisiana, by the State Board of CPAs of Louisiana and in North Carolina, by the North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants, and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Armato serves on the Vizient Inc. Board of Directors as well as the Vizient Inc. Finance Committee, the American Heart Association Southeast Board of Directors, the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, the American Hospital Association Committee on Health Care Strategy and Innovation, and the JDRF North Carolina Executive Council, where he is a founding member. His past service includes work with the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the American Hospital Association Governing Council, the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, Knights of Columbus, Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education and the Friends of Scouting.

He has authored 2 books, It’s Never Just Another Monday and A Future With Hope: An Inspiring Guide to Overcoming Diabetes, in addition to multiple articles featured on CNN, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

In 2013, Armato was recognized by the Triad Business Journal as one of the Most Influential People in the Triad, and by the Public Relations Society of America, Charlotte Chapter, with the Pegasus Award. He is also a recipient of the 2015 Father of the Year Award by the American Diabetes Association, Charlotte Chapter, as well as the 2020 recipient of the Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO from Costs of Care. Additionally, Armato has been recognized by the Triad Business Journal and Charlotte Business Journal as a Most Admired CEO.

 

Brandon T. Adcock

Brandon Adcock is a co-founder and CEO of Adaptive Health, a health and wellness company that manufactures, markets and distributes dietary supplements direct to consumers, as well as in major retail chains. In 2012, Adaptive Health, formerly known as Direct Digital, was recognized as the fastest growing company in Charlotte. The same year, Adcock was named to the Charlotte Business Journal 40 under 40. Adcock graduated from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, where he also served as director on the university’s foundation board for more than seven years.

 

 

Deborah M. Ally

Deborah McQuitter Ally is the vice president and publisher of Gaston Lifestyles Magazine. She serves as a member of the Gaston County Planning Board and the Gaston County 2020 Census Committee. Before joining Gaston Lifestyles Magazine, Ally worked as president of United Way Gaston County, where she raised more than $20 million and revised its business model to focus on community initiatives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. Ally is also a North Carolina certified public accountant. She is on the board of directors for the United Way of North Carolina, the Chair of the Gaston Vision 2040 Steering Committee, a Communications Task Force member for the Gaston Business Association, and a member of St. Stephens AME Zion Church.

Ally is a past member the Rotary Club of Gastonia, and was president from 2014 to 2016 of the Piedmont chapter of the Links, Inc. In 2014, Ally was honored by the Gaston County commissioners as a William Gaston Award recipient. She resides in Gastonia, North Carolina, with her husband, Mo Ally.

 

Robert M. Barr, MD

Robert M. Barr, MD, is a practicing neuroradiologist and past president of Mecklenburg Radiology Associates, a group of 45 radiologists and 15 physician assistants. He has practiced in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 1995.

Dr. Barr is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), School of Medicine. Following an internship at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, Dr. Barr returned to UCSF for a radiology residency and neuroradiology fellowship.

Dr. Barr is the first past president of the American Society of Neuroradiology, the president-elect of the American Board of Radiology and a member of the advisory board of the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute.

 

Alvaro G. de Molina — Compensation & Leadership Committee Chair

Alvaro G. de Molina is a retired chief financial officer (CFO) of Bank of America. He began his career in 1979 with Price Waterhouse. He spent 17 years at Bank of America where he last served as CFO and a member of the bank’s risk and capital and management operating committees, managing more than $56 billion in revenue and $16.5 billion in earnings in 2005. As CFO, he orchestrated growth strategies for a financial institution that serves more than 55 million consumers with 5,800 banking offices and 16,800 ATMs.

After his role as CFO for Bank of America, de Molina served as the chief executive officer of Ally Financial, bringing the organization to the Carolinas. He has also served as chief executive officer of Bank of America Securities and president of its global corporate and investment bank. The June 2006 issue of Treasury & Risk Management magazine called him a "visionary CFO," and ranked him among the 100 most influential people in finance.

 

Christopher "Jay" Duggins, MD

Christopher "Jay" Duggins, MD, is an anesthesiologist with Providence Anesthesiology Associates in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has been chair since 2015. Duggins served as chair of the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Surgical and Invasive Procedures Peer Review Committee from 2014 to 2022 and as a member of that committee since 2004. He is currently a member of the Novant Health Greater Charlotte Market Credentials Committee as well as a current member of the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Continuing Medical Education Committee, of which he has been a member since 2007.

Duggins graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Memphis State University. He later received a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. Duggins completed his residency in anesthesiology at the Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he later served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a staff anesthesiologist and quality assurance officer.

 

Brian C. Eckel

Brian Eckel is a co-founder of Cape Fear Commercial, a boutique, commercial real estate firm in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he oversees strategic planning and has extensive experience specializing in corporate advisory services and strategic real estate planning. He is also a partner in the firm’s development arm, GHK Cape Fear Development. Before co-founding Cape Fear Commercial, Eckel was vice president of Ackerman & Co. in Atlanta, where he specialized in representing Fortune 500 companies, as well as emerging growth technology organizations. He is a native of Wilmington and has served as the co-chairman of the Economic Development Board and on the board of directors for Wilmington Downtown, Inc. Eckel has been appointed to the zoning board by the New Hanover County Commissioners and sits on the board of directors for the REALTORS Commercial Alliance of Southeastern North Carolina, Wilmington Cape Fear Home Builder Association and Business Alliance for a Sound Economy. He also serves on the Land Acquisition Committee of the Coastal Land Trust. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

 

 

David P. King - Strategic Growth Committee Chair

David P. King is a respected healthcare consultant, providing strategic and operational advice to numerous industry stakeholders. Named in 2019 to Forbes list of America’s Most Innovative Leaders, he has three decades of healthcare and legal experience. King previously served in leadership roles at Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp), one of the largest medical testing laboratory and drug development businesses in the world, including as Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and General Counsel. He was instrumental in leading the company’s transformation from a pure-play U.S. testing laboratory to a global life sciences company. He served on Cardinal Health’s board of directors from 2011 to 2018.

Prior to joining Labcorp, King was partner at Hogan & Hartson LLP (now Hogan Lovells) where he was an essential leader in the firm’s healthcare fraud and abuse practice, representing national healthcare companies in investigations and litigation, including Abbott, Amgen, Genentech, and Labcorp. King was also an Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Maryland.

Active with many nonprofit organizations, King is an active member of the Advisory Board and Executive Committee for the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy; Board Chair and Compensation Committee Chair of PATH, Inc.; and a member of the Finance Committee and Campaign Steering Committee for the Emily Krzyzewski Center. He previously served as Chair and Vice Chair of the American Clinical Laboratory Association. King earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and juris doctor degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

 

Ian A. McDonald — Safety & Quality Committee Chair

Ian A. McDonald is a retired BAE Systems executive. He began his career with IBM as an electrical engineer and spent his 30-year career in the aerospace and defense industry, having worked for IBM, Loral, Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. He spent the last 15 years of his career at BAE Systems, where he served as director of the company’s space business that supplied advanced technology solutions to many critical missions for the Department of Defense, intelligence community, NASA and commercial space communities. McDonald earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Brown University.

 

B. Dawn Moose, MD

Dawn Moose, MD retired in 2022 as a radiation oncologist with Piedmont Radiation Oncology in Winston-Salem. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, where Moose later received her Doctor of Medicine from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine. She completed her residency in radiation oncology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Prior to her retirement, she served as president of Piedmont Radiation Oncology as well as the medical director of radiation oncology for Novant Health Cancer Center at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center and Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center. She was also a member of the Radiation Safety Committee for Forsyth Medical Center since 1996 and served as chair from 2006 until her retirement. Moose has also served as a member of the Novant Health Forsyth Cancer Committee from 1996 until her retirement.

 

T. David Neill

T. David Neill is the president of Bob Neill Inc., an operator of automobile dealerships and real estate investments. He has worked with Bob Neill, Inc. since 1983 and has held various positions with manufacturers’ committees. Neill has served on the Mercedes-Benz National Dealer Council for six years.

Neill holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has served on numerous boards and capital campaign committees in Winston-Salem, including United Way of Forsyth County, Forsyth Country Day School, Summit School, Winston-Salem Foundation, Winston-Salem Business Inc., Twin City Youth Soccer Association and eight years as chairman of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utility Commission.

Neill currently serves as chairman of the Greater Winston-Salem Inc. board and past chairman of the UNC Shuford Program of Entrepreneurship advisory board. He also serves on the Winston-Salem Alliance, Piedmont Triad Partnership and Reynolda House Museum of American Art boards. Neill is a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and resides in Winston-Salem.

 

Elwood L. Robinson, PhD — Corporate Governance & Responsibility Committee Chair

Elwood L. Robinson, PhD, is the chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, a position he has held since 2015. Prior to his current role, Robinson was provost and vice president of academic affairs for Cambridge College in Boston. He held multiple leadership roles with North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, including dean for the College of Behavioral Health and Social Sciences, director of the Minority Access to Research Careers Program and chairman for the Department of Psychology.

In 2012, Robinson was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious awards presented by the governor of North Carolina. Robinson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from North Carolina Central University and completed his Master of Arts in psychology from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He received his doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Pennsylvania State University in State College.

 

Jason R. Thompson

Jason Thompson is the owner of American Property Experts, a recycling and biomass fuel production facility. He served in the United States Marine Corps for eight years, specializing in logistics and air delivery of assets.

Thompson previously served as a New Hanover County Commissioner for four years and as a Wilmington City Council member for eight years. In addition, he has served on the Wilmington Industrial Development Committee, New Hanover Parks & Recreation Committee, Cape Fear Community College board of trustees, the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, the Cape Fear Public Utilities Authority, the Wilmington Airport Authority, and the Wilmington Tree Advisory Committee. He aspires to be a positive influence in his community and spends time on endeavors aimed at achieving this goal. He is particularly interested in organizations that serve at-risk youth or in-need veterans.

Thompson is a graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, and earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois Gies School of Business in Champaign.

 

Ex-officio, non-voting members:

Avery B. Hall, Sr.

Avery B. Hall Sr. is senior vice president/commercial banking lender at Wells Fargo in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has served in various capacities with Wells Fargo for nearly 30 years, including providing business solutions to clients and internal and external risk management.

Hall has served on the Novant Health Triad Region Board of Trustees since 2020 as well as on the Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center Foundation Board in 2018. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Kernersville, the Appalachian State AA Diversity and Inclusion Accountability Team and is a lifetime member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. In 2019, he received the Outstanding Service Award from Appalachian State University, his alma mater, for his exceptional service to the university. An active member of the community, his service has included serving on the Appalachian State University Foundation Board and Appalachian State University Board of Trustees as well as United Way ERM, Greensboro Children’s Museum Board, Winston Lake Family YMCA Board and 100 Black Men of the Triad.

Hall holds a Bachelor of Science in communication with public relations concentration from Appalachian State University, a Master in Business Administration from Pfeiffer University and completed Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

 

James (Jim) P. Taylor

James (Jim) P. Taylor is vice president of finance in the consumer lending segment of Wells Fargo in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Taylor served four terms as mayor of Matthews, North Carolina, before retiring from the position in 2018. He served on the town of Matthews Board of Commissioners for five terms prior to being elected mayor in 2009, adding to his 23 years of service to the town of Matthews. He remains active in the community, serving on the board of the Matthews Historical Foundation. Previously, he was a board member of the Matthews HELP Center and the Matthews Volunteer Fire Department and chair of the annual Matthews Alive Festival.

Taylor also served the region as Chairman of the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization and the NC League of Municipalities.

Taylor graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa with a bachelor’s degree in economics.