Boone Business Leaders Honored as NC Trailblazers by Business North Carolina Magazine
Recent Boone Area Chamber of Commerce 4 Under 40 Award winner Richard Campbell joins non-profit business professional Caroline Poteat as two of twenty-one individuals honored across the State as Business North Carolina Magazine’s 2021 Trailblazers. Campbell serves as Operations Manager and Director of Marketing for Boone Rent-All & Parties Too while Poteat is Director of Development for Blue Ridge Conservancy.
The official announcement from Business North Carolina says the annual feature recognizes thriving business owners and professionals under the age of 40 who work in North Carolina cities and towns that have fewer than 100,000 residents. They received nominations for talented professionals from Winterville near the coast to Sylva in the mountains. This year’s roster reflects a variety of occupations including a farmer, banker, police officer and a couple operating an ice cream shop. Several economic-development officials are also profiled. Their efforts breathe life into communities in great need of promoters and champions.
Read the Full Release from Business North Carolina Magazine Here
Campbell was honored by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce in May of 2021 as this year’s 4 Under 40 Award winner in the Rising Star category.
As Marketing Director, Campbell has implemented a marketing effectiveness tracking system and improved our scores and outreach in every category of social media and marketing. The company’s marketing efforts now reaches enhanced target markets both geographically and demographically. This has led to increased sales revenue and a much improved economic impact for their investment in marketing dollars.
Campbell sets a professional example for the company and represents Boone Rent-All & Parties Too in numerous professional organizations. He was instrumental in helping the company navigate the unpredictable COVID-19 economic factors that hit their event-based business, and helped stabilize market share, profits, and grow the company’s non-impacted lines to better support the organization throughout 2020.
“I’m truly honored to be recognized as a Trailblazer, Campbell said. “I believe the Boone area is a truly special place with a wonderful and vibrant community and I’m honored to be a small part of building and growing it. We have all worked hard over the last two years and I’m surrounded by many other young professionals doing everything they can to grow their businesses, organizations and grow their communities. My accomplishments couldn’t have happened without my wonderful team at Boone and Avery Rent All, my wife and son, and my friends and family supporting and challenging me. I am grateful to be recognized and excited to see Boone and it’s community grow and flourish.”
Poteat was recognized as a finalist for the 2019 4 Under 40 Awards in the non-profit business category.
In her role with Blue Ridge Conservancy, Poteat has kept donors engaged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, creating new twists on legacy fundraising programs that helped the organization surpass its 2020 revenue goals. She has also worked to establish legacy giving programs while growing the roster of recurring monthly donors that support the organizations land conservation efforts.
In addition to her professional work, Poteat is an active volunteer with Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge and the Boone Sunrise Rotary Club. An avid outdoor enthusiast and soccer fan, she was an inaugural member of The Squatch Guard, a group of Appalachian FC supporters that engage in volunteer support throughout the community.
“It was an unexpected honor to be chosen as a 2021 Trailblazer,” said Poteat. “I am lucky to have worked for two of the most wonderful nonprofit organizations in the High Country: Blue Ridge Conservancy and Valle Crucis Community Park. The support I have received from my coworkers, board members, and supporters of those organizations has been invaluable in shaping my career. I hope to continue to serve this community for many years.”
"Richard and Caroline are two more examples about how the High Country business community can be the perfect canvas for motivated, young professionals," said David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. "Richard has shown great vision and equally impressive results as he has put his stamp on the operations and sales strategies for an already successful business at Boone Rent-All & Parties Too. Caroline is one of the most respected and successful non-profit development directors in our community, and Blue Ridge Conservancy has been very successful in checking off more of their mission-driven projects thanks to her fundraising work. These two professionals are excellent role models for the next crop of rising stars within our business community.”
Campbell is the 4th 4 Under 40 Award winner to be recognized as a Business North Carolina Trailblazer since the inception of the awards. Poteat was nominated for 4 Under 40 honors in 2019.
2020 4 Under 40 Award winner (Education) Laura Barry was named a Trailblazer by Business North Carolina last year. 2018 4 Under 40 award winners Anna Oaks (Rising Star) of Mountain Times Publications and Danny Wilcox (Non-Profit Business Professional) of the We Can So You Can Foundation were in the publication’s inaugural class of 2018.
Jesse Pope of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation was honored as a Business North Carolina Trailblazer in 2018 while Matt Vincent of VPC Builders was recognized in 2019.
The 4 Under 40 Awards program is presented annually by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and its event partner Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.
If you have questions, please contact the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce at 828-264-2225 or email david@boonechamber.com.