| MELISSA KEY | CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL |
| Kieth Cockrell, president of Bank of America Charlotte, spearheads the financial institution’s philanthropic efforts in the region. |
Kieth Cockrell is committed to investing in Charlotte.
Cockrell, president of Bank of America Charlotte, is The Post’s Newsmaker of the Year for his role in a more dynamic corporate giving community. Cockrell’s job title makes him responsible for connecting the financial giant’s banking and investment resources across the region. But he also spearheads BofA social and economic initiatives as part of a 2021 commitment of $1 billion over four years to improve economic opportunity, health care initiatives and racial equality.
Newsmaker of the Year has been a tradition at The Post since 1990 when Harvey Gant was the first person recognized. People from all walks of life in Charlotte have earned newsmaker status: educators, preachers, entrepreneurs, activists and a professional sports franchise, the Charlotte Hornets.
Cockrell, who has been with BofA 29 years, has built a resume of community involvement. He co-chaired the 2020 Charlotte bond campaign and participates on boards including Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, My Brother’s Keeper Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and Foundation for the Carolinas. He’s even been named Father of the Year by the American Diabetes Association.
Bank of America’s platform for philanthropy includes 19,000 employees, many of them involved in initiatives related to education, jobs training, small business development, housing affordability and physical or emotional care.
In the last year with Cockrell at the point, BofA donated $10 million to transform Johnson C. Smith University as part of the bank’s $25 million commitment to the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative. Cockrell, vice chair of JCSU’s board of trustees, was appointed to UNCF’s board of directors in October.
The bank also gave 10,000 Chromebooks to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students to alleviate learning loss exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and bridge digital divides in some of the district’s poorest neighborhoods. One of those gifts – a $10 million donation to the Meaningful Medicine program – a partnership with Charlotte-based Atrium Health – enhances student care for programs.
In an interview with The Post, Cockrell discussed the changing dynamics of corporate philanthropy, diversity of business leadership and the challenge of sitting on a college board of trustees for the first time.
Answers are edited for brevity and clarity.
• On leading Bank of America’s philanthropic efforts locally and legacy of corporate giving:
“We’ve got a long history of Bank of America’s participation in helping us continue to grow and prosper. It’s without question a tremendous honor, but a privilege that I have tremendous respect for in trying to maintain the legacy of leadership that really has preceded me here in the Charlotte community.
“I’m trying my best to work with other leaders in this community too. We know that this is a great city and we’re going through tremendous growth and with growth, it does present different types of challenges or opportunities and I love Charlotte because there’s a true willingness to not ignore challenges or problems but quite the opposite to lean in.”
• How philanthropy became a personal and professional mission:
“I think it was probably instilled into me as a child, and just watching your parents and how giving they were, and now as a as a parent, you hope that you raise what [wife Trina] and I call givers. We know that our three children are great people and one of the things that makes them great is that they’re givers – they’re not takers. They believe in the concept of helping others.
“Next year is my 30th anniversary with Bank of America, and without question, one of the reasons I have practiced my profession here at the bank and made this commitment to Bank of America because I believe I align with the values of the company. It’s representing our name. We are the Bank of America and so I’m proud of who we are and what we’re trying to get.”
• The state of philanthropy in Charlotte now versus 10 or 20 years ago, especially with expanded diversity in corporate leadership:
“Well, I think it’s very healthy, and that’s because there’s acknowledgment, recognition, and appreciation for our past and our heritage. The good news is that we’ve moved beyond some of these legendary figures that we hold up and, quite frankly, stand on their shoulders, whether that’s a Hugh McColl or Harvey Gantt or other individuals in this company. Even though we’ve grown, there’s been new entrants to Charlotte, new headquarters, companies that have come in. You can see that they’re like-minded. So, what [Lowe’s CEO] Marvin Ellison has done, he’s not native to Charlotte, but he’s brought Lowe’s in, and Lowe’s is extremely active in the community.
“These leaders who are relatively new, if you will, to Charlotte, have continued to demonstrate not through words, but really through their actions and their philanthropy in their active involvement. … Rick Elias from Red Ventures, he and his wife personally gave a substantial amount of money to Johnson C Smith in support of the mayor’s initiative, but he’s given his time and his experience and guidance to the school.”
• On sitting on a college’s board of trustees for the first time with his appointment to JCSU’s panel:
“You know, it is different. I hadn’t thought about that. It is the first time that I’ve sat on the board of trustees for a college. I’ve served on high school boards and I’m enjoying the experience. I think it’s mentally stimulating.”
Source: news.google.com
