Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

The Queens McColl School of Business, along with the Entrepreneurial Leadership Circle, proudly established the Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2010 to honor the individuals whose legacies still shape today’s business and economy throughout the Carolinas and beyond.

The McColl School is dedicated to developing leaders of high competence and character who are committed to shaping their communities. The Hall of Fame allows the school and the university to thank the entrepreneurs who have made lasting contributions and laid the groundwork for the major business sectors in our region. The event is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Membership Criteria

The membership criteria, which was established by the selection committee, include:

• Laureate can be founder or subsequent entrepreneurial leader.
• Induction into the Hall of Fame can be during active leadership role, after retirement or posthumously.
• Business founded or led by laureate must have minimum ten-year track record and must have positively impacted the community it serves.
• Laureate must personally have contributed to the greater good of the Carolinas.

Innovator of Distinction Award

In 2020, Queens University of Charlotte announced the addition of the inaugural Innovator of Distinction award, featuring an emerging entrepreneur or business to be honored at the Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

The award recognizes the entrepreneurial efforts and achievements of a businessperson who has developed a successful regional or national business. This entrepreneur must have launched and run a business with at least three to five years of sustained growth and multiple rounds of venture funding or sustained revenue growth. Additionally, the selected entrepreneur must be making a significant impact on the Charlotte region and have a clear statement of company principles.

More Information

The inductees for the Class of 2025 and the 2025 Innovator of Distinction Award will be announced in Fall 2025.

To learn more about the Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, please contact us.

Allison Meyer-Tucker
Director, Strategic Programming
704-337-2435
meyer-tuckera@queens.edu

Ariani Huguenin
Director, Memberships & Sponsorships
704-337-2553
huguenina@queens.edu