From business to police to public health, 5 people to watch in Charlotte in 2022
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Looking ahead to 2022 in Charlotte
As we look ahead to 2022, a handful of key people sit at the center of crucial issues facing Charlotte and the region. What they do and how they perform will help shape this community and our lives. You can also get involved — or simply better yourself.
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You may think of these as “honorable mentions” to The Charlotte Observer’s list of people in the most high-stakes positions for 2022 — but those listed below could have a standout year (for better or for worse) and ultimately, broad influence on the city.
Johnny Jennings
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief
A growing list of challenges will follow the city’s top law enforcement official into the new year.
Among them: Mistrust, stemming from local and national instances of police violence; CMPD being short-staffed with officers, who also have reported low morale; and combating a spike in weapons and violence in schools.
The department is also mourning the loss of Officer Mia Goodwin, who was killed in a crash Dec. 22. Another officer was shot on Dec. 27, but has non-life-threatening injuries.
Jennings also will oversee CMPD’s test run to divert some low-risk 911 calls away from police and to boost the department’s response, along with clinicians, to emergency situations involving mental distress or behavioral health issues. The police chief has pledged to increase diversity among CMPD’s ranks, particularly in hiring more female officers.
And, in 2022, making the best use of the department’s new de-escalation training facility will be key to reducing how often officers use force on the job.
Janet LaBar
President and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance
As head of the region’s leading economic development nonprofit, LaBar will be up front during Charlotte’s continued business recovery amid a lingering pandemic. At a recent summit hosted by the alliance, area CEOs said supply chain shortages and a tough labor market are making recovery difficult.
LaBar is also co-leading the corporate response team for Mayor Vi Lyles’ Racial Equity Initiative, which has announced a $250 million goal to address decades of laws and policies that disadvantaged Black and brown residents.
David Tepper
Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC owner
The Carolina Panthers owner and billionaire hedge fund manager has to contend with another disappointing season, even with the return of former MVP quarterback Cam Newton. This year also marks the inaugural season for the Tepper-owned Major League Soccer team, Charlotte FC, with hopes of a sold-out opener.
Construction continues on the Panthers’ new headquarters and indoor practice facility in Rock Hill, expected to open in 2023. The former Eastland site will also proceed with construction, including the 22-acre Charlotte FC Elite Academy for which Tepper Sports & Entertainment and developer Crosland Southeast signed a $11 million infrastructure agreement with the city and county.
Still up for debate: whether the Panthers will receive public money for a new stadium. When the Charlotte Pipe and Foundry site uptown was rezoned last month it reignited speculation that it could be the new site.
Bill Rogers
CEO of Truist
The chief executive of Charlotte’s newest and second-largest bank will oversee the final touches on the merger of BB&T and SunTrust that began in late 2019.
Truist’s full conversion to its new name and branding is set for early this year. Customers will see sign switches at bank branches, ATMs and mobile apps. Rogers, who succeeded Kelly King in September, finally will be able to shift his full focus to growing the country’s sixth-biggest bank.
Raynard Washington
Mecklenburg County Public Health Director
Incoming county health director Dr. Raynard Washington takes over in January for Gibbie Harris, who retired at the end of 2021. Washington, who moved to Charlotte to become deputy director two days before the county declared a state of emergency in March 2020, will have a number of substantial challenges on his plate, including managing the third year of a global pandemic that has killed more than 1,300 Mecklenburg residents as of mid-December.
His top priorities include providing top-notch service for residents and closing gaps in racial health disparities, he told the Observer in July shortly after his appointment was announced.
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