United Way begins CEO search

The United Way of Central Carolinas has formed a 9-member search committee to find its new CEO, six months after the nonprofit's long-time leader was fired in a pay scandal. Two high profile public officials will be part of the search. Charlotte City Manager Curt Walton and Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones have agreed to help the United Way find a new CEO. They were chosen by search committee co-chairs Frank Emory - a local attorney - and Bank of America executive Susan Faulkner. Emory says the choice of Walton and Jones was based on their expertise, rather than a desire to restore the United Way's reputation with local leaders: "To get the two managers struck us as a good way to have people who are on a day to day basis dealing with community services, human needs," says Emory. "As well as people who are dealing with campaigns." Employee fundraising campaigns at the city and county raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the United Way each year. Emory says protecting those funds was not on his mind in choosing Walton and Jones. However, the County is currently considering ending the exclusive right the United Way and the Arts and Science Council have to solicit from its employees. The search committee also includes a health care executive, two businessmen and two nonprofit leaders. Emory says they'll hold their first meeting tomorrow, but he says there's no deadline yet to find a new leader for the troubled nonprofit.