Six UNC Charlotte alums named to ’40 Under 40’ list

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Charlotte Business Journal recently recognized six UNC Charlotte alumni on its annual “40 under 40” list. The 23rd edition of Journal’s “40 under 40” recognizes young professionals who play an important role in building businesses and the Charlotte region. 

Gretchen Carson (’05) earned a bachelor’s degree in international business from UNC Charlotte. Carson currently serves as the project manager of existing industries for Monroe-Union County Economic Development. She has worked to develop a supervisory training seminar series that provides training for Union Country manufacturers in a local setting. 

 As the regional director of government affairs for American Airlines Group Inc., Tracy Montross (’10) represents the company on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Community Working Group to support the Federal Aviation Administration and industry partners. Montross completed a master’s degree in public administration from UNC Charlotte.

Shabari Basu (’13), a director for Duke Energy Corp., is a mentor to women in STEM fields. After sponsoring rural families in West Bengal, India, Basu added green energy to her civic initiatives. She earned a Master of Business Administration from UNC Charlotte.

Steven Finch (’02), director of hospitality at RBA Group, developed brand standards for the growing company. He received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from UNC Charlotte in 2002. His civic contributions include Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

President of Corporate Information Technologies, Lawrence Cruciana (’00) teaches middle school students to build and understand computer networks. In 2016, the UNC Charlotte electrical engineering and physics graduate also launched a threat detection platform for small businesses.

UNC Charlotte Foundation Board member Joanna Gammon (’05) is a talent acquisition recruiter for Compass Group – Canteen. She earned a bachelor’s in business management with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Within the past year, Gammon supplied school uniforms for orphans in El Salvador and won three company awards, including “Top Social Networker.”

Content for this article is based upon the print edition of the Charlotte Business Journal.