Alumni receive Forty Under 40 Awards
The Belk College of Business is proud to recognize alumni who are recipients of the Charlotte Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Awards. The Charlotte Business Journal is recognizing 40 of the region’s brightest and most talented up-and-comers on March 12 at the historic McGlohon Theater. These are 40 individuals under the age of 40 who are making major strides in their careers and having a positive impact on their communities.
Benjamin Collins (’07 MBA, Real Estate) is Senior Vice President for the Mid-Atlantic region at Crescent Communities. He has over a decade of real estate development experience and has been responsible for the development of over 5,000 multifamily units throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic totaling over $800 million. Prior to Crescent, Collins was responsible for leading a regional multifamily office for Colonial Properties Trust (NYSE: CLP) and has served in development and acquisition roles for Grubb Properties and The Community Builders. Collins is a founding member of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Real Estate Alumni Association, former president and chairman of the North Carolina Housing Coalition, and a current Board member for the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association, National Multi Housing Council and The Affordable Housing Group. He is also a member of the Urban Land Institute and volunteers with Crisis Assistance Ministries, Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers Big Sisters. He earned a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison Real Estate program and also has an MBA from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.
Julie Harris (’00 BSBA, Finance) is Bank of America’s CFO of Global Commercial Banking. When Julie Harris graduated from the Belk College of Business with a degree in finance and a concentration in accounting as part of the Business Honors Program, she immediately entered the Finance Management Associate Program with Bank of America. She has subsequently held positions of increasing responsibility with the bank and she now serves as CFO of Global Commercial Banking. She serves on the Belk College of Business Board of Advisors, the advisory body of North Carolina’s urban research business school. Julie is one of several executive alumni on the Board of Advisors, providing extra insight on the programs and expertise of the University and College. She also serves on the UNC Charlotte Foundation Board, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to support the educational mission of UNC Charlotte. Julie Harris is actively involved in the community with fundraising efforts for the Levine Children’s Hospital and the Wings Scholarship program of the Women Executives, Charlotte chapter. In 2011 and 2012, Julie was an ambassador for the United Way Bank of America campaign for the CFO group. Julie is also the co-chair of the Charlotte chapter of CFO Diversity and Inclusion and co-leads a women’s group called the “Power of 10” within Global Commercial Banking focused on providing mentorship and support as women look to pursue their career ambitions. In 2014, Julie was a Bank of America Global Ambassador, a partnership with Vital Voices, focusing on furthering the economic empowerment of women business leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Congratulations to these alumni and all of the Forty Under 40 awardees.
Learn more about the Forty Under 40 Awards and register to attend.