Join CBEX on Wednesday, March 11 at 7:00AM for our first Speaker Series event of the year. We’ll have breakfast, discussion, Q&A and networking at the Dilworth Neighborhood Grille (911 E. Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28204) from 7AM - 8:30AM. Networking and breakfast is from 7AM - 7:30AM, and the panel discussion begins promptly at 7:30AM and ends at 8:30AM.

CBEX Speaker Series Presents – Charlotte on the National Stage: the RNC in the Queen City We are pleased to welcome our panelists from the RNC, Charlotte Emergency Management and the Secret Service. With a large event like this in the Queen City, we will be discussing the planning, logistical issues, cybersecurity and safety as well as the impact this event will have on our business community. From an event of this size, we’ll also discuss how business leaders can learn big-picture lessons to help manage their businesses.

Moderator: Randy Mitchell
Randy Mitchell returns to CBEX to moderate our panel discussion. A broker with VR Business Brokers of Charlotte, Randy brings buyers and sellers together in business transactions. He frequently volunteers time in group facilitation and problem-solving.

Panelists:
John Lassiter, President of Carolina Legal Staffing

John Lassiter founded Carolina Legal Staffing n 1997. The company has grown to five offices in the Carolinas and has been included on the INC5000 fastest growing companies five times. He began his career in Charlotte as an attorney and later senior HR executive with the Belk organization after serving as an Assistant Attorney General with the Department of Justice in Raleigh. He was recently named the CEO of the Host Committee bringing the Republican National Convention in 2020. John has been recognized on numerous occasions for his leadership and service. Leadership Charlotte recognized him with the Circle of Excellence award in 2001. He honored in 2009 with the Mayor’s Award for Community Leadership and in 2011, the Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust awarded him a Spirit Award for his work on the Levine Cultural Campus. The North Carolina Bar Association honored him with their Citizen Lawyer Award in 2014. He was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor McCrory in 2017 and the Harold Josephson Award for Global Thinking by the World Affairs Council in 2018. John holds both his undergraduate and law degrees from Wake Forest University. He and his wife Beverly have two married sons and 4 grandchildren.

Elaney Katsafanas, Emergency Management Planner

Elaney serves as an Emergency Management Planner for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency
Management Office, and is tasked with all-hazards planning, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts. Elaney serves as the health, medical, and human services liaison for the department, and is responsible for Emergency Support Function (ESF) #6 Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing and Human Services, #8 Public Health and Medical Services and #13 Public Safety and Security. Elaney also serves as the functional lead for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg All-Hazards Advisory Committee (AHAC) and the Joint Health Operations Committee (JHOC). Additionally, Elaney facilitates the department's information technology programs, including serving as the administrator for Charlotte-Mecklenburg WebEOC (the region’s primary situational awareness tool and system of record for the 2020 Republican National Convention) and the department’s geospatial (GIS) platform, as well as overseeing the overall readiness of the Mecklenburg County Emergency operations Center (EOC). Ms. Katsafanas maintains a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Relations from Central Michigan University and is a graduate of the Leading Educating and Developing (LEAD) program at the University of Virginia.

Special Agent Gerd J. Ballner, Jr., FBI Charlotte RNC Coordinator

Special Agent Gerd J. Ballner, Jr. has served as an FBI Agent for the past 20 years working counterintelligence matters in New York, Washington, DC, and Charlotte. As a new Agent in New York City, SA Ballner investigated threats posed by hostile foreign governments and their intelligence services collecting science and technology information developed in the Unite States' private and public sectors. While in Washington, SA Ballner supesrvised all offensive and defensive operations against hostile intelligence threats in Washington and the Southeast United States through extensive cooperation with both U.S. Intelligence Community members and our foreign intelligence partners. Since 2012, SA Ballner has worked various counterintelligence and espionage matters in Charlotte. SA Ballner is currently leading the FBI Charlotte Field Office effort to prepare for the 2020 Republican National Convention. In addition, he serves as an Assistant Crisis Management Coordinator and
Assistant Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator for North Carolina. He is a graduate of James Madison and Clemson Universities, with previous work experience in pharmaceutical sales, marketing, and training.