Former North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Sharon Allred Decker will join UNC Charlotte’s leadership as a new member of the Board of Trustees.
The UNC Board of Governors appointed Decker to a four-year term beginning July 1. The board also reappointed current trustees Joe Price, Dhiaa Jamil and Laura Schulte, each to their second, full four-year term.
“UNC Charlotte is fortunate to have a very active and engaged Board of Trustees that provides guidance, accountability and advocacy. The board’s dedicated leadership strengthens the University and enables the exciting growth and innovation that sets us apart,” noted Chancellor Philip L. Dubois.
A long-time executive of Duke Power Company, now Duke Energy, Decker became the youngest and first female vice president in Duke Power’s history. After leaving Duke Power, she founded the Lynnwood Foundation, which was created to restore the Duke Mansion in Charlotte as a conference center and began the William States Lee Leadership Institute. In 2013, Decker was appointed Secretary of Commerce by Gov. Pat McCrory. Serving for two years, she led the creation of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a public-private entity charged with marketing North Carolina globally.
Currently, Decker is president of NURAY Media, a company whose mission is to protect and preserve vintage film and video content by providing preservation services to clients, restoring classic motion picture films and television collections for the public and creating educational content to advance the knowledge of film history.
“Sharon Decker brings a depth and breadth of knowledge and experience that will significantly enhance UNC Charlotte’s Board of Trustees. We already consider her a great friend of the University and are truly excited to have her on board in this meaningful, new capacity,” stated Dubois.
“I am honored to be joining the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees. A strong education system and economic development are inseparable. The University has a very important role to play in the Charlotte region and the state of North Carolina,” Decker said.
Currently serving as the vice chair, Joe Price first joined the board in 2007 to fill a vacancy. A 1983 graduate of UNC Charlotte, Price’s extraordinary credentials and vast knowledge of the financial services industry, including nearly 20 years as an executive with Bank of America, have contributed invaluable counsel to the board. Price also serves on the Board of Advisors of the Belk College of Business.
A 1978 graduate of UNC Charlotte’s William States Lee College of Engineering, Dhiaa Jamil is Duke Energy’s executive vice president and president of regulated generation; this experience lends considerable expertise and insight to the board. Having served since 2011, Jamil also is the chair of the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) Advisory Board and played a central role in securing funding for and guiding the development of the EPIC building and its academic programs.
Laura Schulte joined the board in 2009 to fill an unexpired term and has served as its secretary since 2012. Schulte recently retired as executive vice president for Wells Fargo’s Eastern Region and was named as one of “The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking” by “American Banker” in 2014.
The UNC Board of Governors made UNC Charlotte trustee appointments at their April 10 general meeting.