Leadership lessons from Hugh McColl

Hugh McColl Jr. is a Charlotte household name. As the former chairman and CEO of Bank of America, McColl was a major player in consolidating the banking industry in the 1980s and 1990s that has transformed Charlotte into the financial hub it is today. He was also apart of the group of influential Charlotte leaders that pushed to improve the arts and revitalize uptown.

On September 17, 2024, McColl, 89, was interviewed in front of an audience at Queens University of Charlotte at an event called “Legacy of Leadership: A Conversation with Hugh McColl.” The Charlotte Ledger received permission from Queens to share the audio of the 30-minute conversation on this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast.

At the event, McColl discussed his background, his leadership style, what it was like running one of the country’s biggest banks and his advice for success. He was interviewed by Will Sparks, who is the Dennis Thompson chair and professor of leadership at the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte.

McColl spoke on the occasion of the launch of a newly designed MBA program from the McColl School of Business. The school describes the McColl MBA as a “dynamic program tailored to meet the evolving needs of Charlotte’s professional community,” and one that offers “unparalleled flexibility, field-based consulting experiences, networking opportunities and a strong leadership focus inspired by McColl himself.” You can find out more about it at www.queens.edu/mba.

(Photo on podcast: courtesy of Queens University of Charlotte)

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

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