The newsrooms from Triad Business Journal, Charlotte Business Journal and Triangle Business Journal bring you the top stories and exclusive interviews from across the state of North Carolina throughout the month.
The $9M Bet: Atlantic Union Bank's Big Play for the Triangle
Atlantic Union Bank CEO John Astbury on why North Carolina is the nation's hottest banking market — and what his bank's $9M Raleigh Convention Center naming rights deal signals about its Triangle ambitions.
Atlantic Union Bank, the largest regional bank headquartered in Virginia at nearly $38 billion in assets, is making a major play for North Carolina. In this episode, host Lauren Onasorge sits down with CEO John Astbury — a self-described "North Carolina banker at heart" who began his career at the old Wachovia in Winston-Salem — to discuss the bank's aggressive expansion across the Triangle and Wilmington, including seven new branches in the Raleigh area.
They dig into why so many out-of-state banks are flooding into North Carolina right now, why physical branches still matter in an increasingly digital world, how AI is reshaping everything from customer experience to cybersecurity, and the competitive threat from credit unions. John also shares his outlook on inflation, interest rates, and what's keeping bankers up at night in 2026.
Mentioned in this episode:
Elon University
https://www.elon.edu/
8 Oct 2026
Playing the Long Game: Mark Jerrell on corporate recruiting
Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are coming off a record year for economic recruiting — from SMBC Group's commitment of 2,000 high-paying jobs to the billion-dollar investment already generated at The Pearl. But behind every incentive package and land deal are tough questions about who benefits and whether growth reaches every neighborhood.
In this episode of *North Carolina Business Minds*, Erik Spanberg of the Charlotte Business Journal sits down with Mecklenburg County Commission Chair Mark Jerrell to dig into the county's role in recruiting and retaining business. They discuss how the county evaluates tax incentives, the balance between landing corporate headquarters and lifting up legacy residents, the long-delayed Brooklyn Village project, and what's next for The Pearl and its promise of 5,500 jobs — 40% of which don't require a four-year degree.
They also tackle affordable housing, the need for investment beyond Uptown and South End, and what it will take to make Charlotte's east and west sides the next big development success stories.
**Guest:** Mark Jerrell, Chair, Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners (District 4)
NC Business Minds is published with support from Elon University.
Mentioned in this episode:
Elon University
https://www.elon.edu/
1 Oct 2026
On deck? Temerity's Andy Sandler on baseball, stadium projects, possible new team
Is baseball still America's favorite pastime? Andy Sandler, founder of Temerity Baseball and Temerity Capital Partners, makes a compelling case — both on the field and as a business. In this episode of NC Business Minds, we explore the business of minor league baseball, sports tourism, and stadium-anchored real estate development across North Carolina.
Sandler's baseball portfolio includes the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Lexington Legends, and a minority stake in MLB's Tampa Bay Rays. He also owns the Columbus Fury of Major League Volleyball — a venture inspired by his wife's observation that he was having more fun in sports than she was running a law firm.
We dig into the Greensboro Grasshoppers' record-breaking home run season and playoff run, the difference between reported attendance and the numbers that matter to ownership, and why pace-of-play changes are reigniting younger fans' interest in baseball. Sandler also shares updates on mixed-use development plans around stadiums in Kannapolis and Greensboro — including apartments, hotels, restaurants, and a 12-story tower with views of the Charlotte skyline — plus ongoing conversations to bring a new Coastal Plain League team to Mooresville, potentially as early as 2027. He also compares the experience of being a hands-on minor league owner-operator versus a limited partner in Major League Baseball.
Whether you follow baseball, real estate, or the business of sports in North Carolina, this conversation offers a rare inside look at building a sports and entertainment empire from the ground up.
NC Business Minds is produced with support from Elon University.
Mentioned in this episode:
Elon University
https://www.elon.edu/
Who has been a guest on North Carolina Business Minds
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Nathanael Tarwasokono
Ben Coulter
David Howard
Tony Jarrett
Chris Robbins
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