Charlotte – Croixstone

Building an AI Foundation for Growth

“Artificial intelligence and generative AI may be the most important technology of any lifetime.”
– Marc Benioff (Chair, CEO and Co-Founder – Salesforce)

Taking AI to the Next Level: Like many other organizations, Croixstone has launched a journey to harness the full potential of AI and to drive its value creation. Last week, three of our leaders (Ed Ritter, Brandon Morgan, and Mark Weber) participated in the second of a three-part AI educational series hosted by the Charlotte Chapter of the Private Directors Association (Croixstone serves as a sponsor along with Gold Sponsor Charlotte Business Journal and fellow Bronze sponsors GreerWalker and Essex Richards).

AI Speakers: Last week’s AI educational session featured a diverse panel of speakers including Jeremiah Grant (President, Chief Information Security Officer – EverOak Solutions), Lisa Weil (Board Advisor – Quinnipiac University School of Nursing and former Senior Managing Director, Head of Experience Product Management – TIAA), David Phillips (Founder – Faster Glass) and moderator Carolina Ko (Senior Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager – Bank of America).

AI Key Messages: We appreciated and strongly aligned with the following key messages delivered by the panelists regarding the AI journey:

There is a call to action for EVERY organization when it comes to AI.
Focus first on your employees and their concerns and potential resistance to AI.
Allow for experiential learning to drive AI training.
Organizations must have solid foundations rooted in clean data strategies, great controls environments, and solid governance to support their AI journeys.
Organizations should “right-size” their governance of AI.
Board members need not be AI techies, but rather they should be asking foundational and strategic questions related to AI.

Wondering about how to best launch your organization’s AI journey? Reach out to Mark Weber, Croixstone’s Managing Partner and Co-Founder here.

Learn more about the Private Directors Association. Founded in 2014, the Private Directors Association is dedicated to improving private companies’ growth and sustainability through governance that adds value. Learn more here.

Congrats to the SEED20 Class of 2024

“We distributed awards totaling over $41,000! With Wells Fargo’s generous match, our fundraising total surpassed $60,0000 (a new SEED20 record!) and continues to grow.”

– Social Venture Partners Charlotte (Host organization of SEED20)

What a night! On Tuesday, March 26, ten leaders from local Charlotte region nonprofits took the stage at the annual SEED20 pitch contest hosted by Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP), the unique nonprofit organization that hosts this annual program to identify, spotlight and support the Charlotte region’s most innovative ideas for tackling pressing social issues.

An electrified atmosphere. The SEED20 Class of 2024 took the stage at Central Piedmont Community College’s New Theater and captivated us with their inspiring narratives on how they are transforming the greater Charlotte area for the better. Our very own Mark Weber (Managing Partner and Co-Founder) also took the stage to share the story about his personal involvement with SEED20 and host organization SVP. Mark is a former board member with SVP and he and Patti Weber (our CEO) are long term Partners (donor volunteers) with this innovation-centric nonprofit.

Congrats! Croixstone extends a hearty congratulations to the SEED20 award winners.

• Wells Fargo People’s Choice Grand Prize of $20,00: Day Services Program at Children’s Attention Home
• Second Place Prize of $7,000: Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats
• The Brand Building Shop’s Brand Narrative Package valued at $8,000: Rooted Hearts Ministries
• The Professional Video Production Package valued at $3,500: Siloam Educator Institute at the Charlotte Museum of History
• Coaches’ Award of $2,000: Our Daily Bread Foundation
• Community Vote Prize of $1,000: Day Services Program at Children’s Attention Home

Learn More. Click here to learn more about the SEED20 Class of 2024.

Croixstone is named to Inc. Magazine’s List of the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

We Did It Again: We are celebrating some big news today! For the second consecutive year, Croixstone was named to the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list as one of the region’s fastest-growing private companies.

Our Ranking: Croixstone is ranked at #83 on this year’s annual list of the fastest-growing private companies based in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The 2024 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2020 and 2022.

“We are thrilled to land on the Inc. 5000 Regionals list for the second consecutive year,” said Patti Weber, Croixstone’s Chief Executive Officer. “This achievement is fueled by the passion of our employees and consultants to fulfill Croixstone’s vision to lead in the delivery of professional services that transform careers and businesses.”

Learn More About the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list can be found at inc.com/regionals/mid-atlantic.

Read Our Press Release: Click here.

Social Venture Partners Charlotte wins CATALYST 2023 Fire Award

Snapshot: Last week one of the most unique nonprofit organizations in Croixstone’s home city of Charlotte, NC scored a big, high-profile win. Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP Charlotte) was honored to win the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2024 CATALYST Fire Award.

What are the Fire Awards? The annual Fire Awards program honors the people, companies and organizations that keep the Charlotte area’s innovation ecosystem going. SVP Charlotte was one of 24 organizations or people nominated across 6 categories for blazing a trail in Charlotte’s innovation ecosystem.

Who is SVP Charlotte? SVP Charlotte is a nonprofit organization that passionately attacks social and economic inequality across the Charlotte region through venture philanthropy. Croixstone’s co-founders, Patti Weber and Mark Weber, are long-term Partners (volunteers) with SVP Charlotte. Additionally, Mark served on SVP Charlotte’s board for 4 years and served as Lead Partner for the organization’s annual SEED20 pitch program.

Who are the fellow Fire Award winners? SVP Charlotte is one of six blazers honored at last week’s innovation awards. As the winner in the “Catalyst” category, SVP Charlotte joins the following innovation blazers:

Energy: Atom Power
Fintech: Passport
Health Care: Premier Inc.
Innovation: RXO Inc.
Software/AI: PetScreening

Learn more: SVP Charlotte is seeking Partners and Corporate Sponsors to help broaden and deepen the organization’s impact across the greater Charlotte, NC region. Click here to learn more about the SVP Charlotte story.

Croixstone is ranked #28 on the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2023 “Fast 50” List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

The big reveal! Last evening the Charlotte Business Journal hosted its annual “Fast 50” awards event and revealed the rankings of the fastest-growing private companies across the Charlotte, NC region. Croixstone’s CEO Patti Weber accepted an award for the firm’s ranking at #28 on the list. The ranking is based on average percentage of annual revenue growth from 2020 to 2022.

Our second year! 2023 marks the second consecutive year that Croixstone has landed on the “Fast 50” list. In 2022, Croixstone was ranked #2 and Patti was featured in an interview published by the Charlotte Business Journal.

2023 has been a remarkable year! Croixstone’s latest honor contributes to a remarkable year of growth-related honors for our firm.

• In February, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked No. 11 on the publication’s fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list of the fastest-growing private companies in the region.

• In August, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked nationally at No. 511 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

• Also in August, Inc. ranked Croixstone at No. 8 as the fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro area. Additionally, the magazine ranked Croixstone at No. 16 in our home state of North Carolina, and at No. 56 in the Business Products & Services segment.

We are grateful. Croixstone launched our firm in 2016 with a vision to lead in the delivery of professional services that transform careers and businesses. We thank our employees, consultants, executive search candidates, clients, partners, friends, and family who fuel Croixstone’s journey in fulfilling our mission.

Read our Press Release. Click here to read our Press Release about Croixstone’s latest achievement.

Say “Hello Pancreas” this November

We are partnering for your pancreas! Croixstone has joined forces with the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance to create awareness on behalf of your hard-working digestive organ during November’s “Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.”

Who is the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance? Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance is a nonprofit community group founded by three of Croixstone’s leaders (Patti Weber, Grace Lynch, and Mark Weber) to create awareness of pancreatic cancer on a local, regional, national and global level. The group was founded in 2020 and is a member of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition. The group was founded in memory of Patti’s father (Jim Benson), Grace’s niece (Carmen Reyes), and Mark’s mother (Shirley Weber).

Say “Hello Pancreas”! The average person around the globe knows very little about one of their hardest working organs – – their pancreas. Leaning into this year’s global awareness campaign, Croixstone and the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance invite you to say “Hello Pancreas” this November to get to know your pancreas buddy a bit better.

Two Ways to say “Hello Pancreas”! Here are two fast and easy ways to get to know your pancreas this month.

• We invite you to visit hellopancreas.com as the first step in getting to better know your pancreas.

• We encourage you to read the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance’s November newsletter that features a variety of actions and events in which you can participate to build your friendship with your pancreas.

Croixstone is named to the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2023 “Fast 50” List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

We did it again! For the second consecutive year, the Charlotte Business Journal named Croixstone as one of the Charlotte region’s 50 fastest-growing private companies. The publication announced its 2023 annual list of “Fast 50” companies on Tuesday, October 31.

What companies are eligible? Eligible companies must have completed three full years of operation by the end of 2022 and logged sales of at least $1 million that year. They are privately held corporations, proprietorships or partnerships – not subsidiaries or divisions – that are based in the greater Charlotte region.

How are companies evaluated? Eligible companies provided financial documentation that was evaluated by accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen, which ranked participants based on annual growth over three years.

What is Croixstone’s ranking? We don’t know yet! The Charlotte Business Journal will reveal the 2023 Fast 50 rankings during an awards event on November 30, with a special report to be published by the publication on December 1.

2023 has been a remarkable year. This latest news contributes to a milestone year of growth-related honors for Croixstone.

• In August, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked nationally at No. 511 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

• Also in August, Inc. ranked Croixstone at No. 8 as the fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro area. Additionally, the magazine ranked Croixstone at No.16 in our home state of North Carolina, and at No. 56 in the Business Products & Services segment.

It takes a village. Founded in 2016, Croixstone’s remarkable 7th year has been achieved thanks to the amazing support and contributions of our employees, consultants, executive search candidates, clients, partners, friends and family.

Application Period for SEED20 2024 is Now Open

About Croixstone and SVP Charlotte: Croixstone is a proud Community Partner of Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP Charlotte). This unique nonprofit organization provides a way for passionate and committed individuals and companies to collectively invest their money, skills and time to nurture and support some of the most promising nonprofit organizations attacking social and economic inequality within the greater Charlotte region.

What is SEED20?: SEED20 is the nonprofit pitch contest hosted annually by SVP Charlotte. This high-profile program provides a terrific opportunity for innovative nonprofits to tap into professional development around messaging, gain access to high quality marketing assets, benefit from incredible community exposure, and build their social capital.

Spread the word: SVP Charlotte announced yesterday that the application period for the SEED20 Class of 2024 has officially launched. Please share the following link with your professional network and help us spread the word: https://tinyurl.com/applytoday4Seed20

Save the date: You don’t want to miss the SEED20 Class of 2024. Join us to watch them take the stage on Tuesday, March 26 at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.

Croixstone has been recertified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

We did it again: Croixstone is excited to share the news that our firm has been recertified as both a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Croixstone has received these certifications annually since 2020.

Why it matters: Croixstone’s certification as a WBE and WOSB fuels our firm’s access to supplier diversity and procurement executives at hundreds of major U.S. corporations and federal, state, and local government entities that accept WBENC certification. Businesses with inclusive procurement strategies widen their pools of potential suppliers and promote competition in their supply base, which can improve quality and drive down costs. Inclusiveness can also make supply chains more resilient and agile. Additionally, supplier diversity programs offer selling points to businesses when hiring.

How we did it: WBENC certification is the gold standard for women-owned business certification in the USA. The WBENC standard of certification implemented by GWBC is a meticulous process, and included an in-depth review of Croixstone’s business planning, operations and a site visit.

Learn more: Read our Press Release here.

Learn About Exit Planning for Privately Held Companies

We are an Event Sponsor for PDA’s next in-person event: Along with GreerWalker LLP and Essex Richards, P.A., Croixstone is excited to serve as an Event Sponsor for the next in-person event hosted by the Charlotte Chapter of the Private Directors Association (PDA), a professional association with a purpose to enable and enhance the value, growth, and resilience of privately held companies through effective governance.

Event details: The event is taking place on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 from 5pm – 7:30pm at Croixstone’s offices located at 101 S. Tryon Street, Suite 2700 in Uptown Charlotte, NC.

Topic: The program will focus on “how to and why” privately held company owners should initiate an exit plan well before owners are ready to execute on such a strategy. From a private company governance perspective, the discussion provides for multiple alternatives in seeking the best outcome for shareholders while educating all involved on the process.

Subject matter experts from GreerWalker and Essex Richards will address the following topics:

• Exit strategies – when should a private company begin the planning process and what are the strategic options to consider?
• Who should be involved (owners, board members)?
• Independent board members role in the planning process
• Preparation and expectations – issues and potential pitfalls

Interested in attending? This is an in-person event with no virtual option to participate. Members of the PDA can register for $25 by logging into their member accounts here. Non-members interested in attending as a guest of Croixstone can do so by emailing Grace Lynch, Croixstone’s Director of Business Operations, at glynch@croixstone.consulting.

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