Philanthropic Support

Principal
R & D Properties

Until his retirement from Lowe’s Home Improvement in March 2007, David Shelton was responsible for Lowe’s real estate expansion activities. He joined the company in 1970 as a part-time warehouse associate and went on to serve as a store manager, corporate operations analyst, vice president of training, vice president of sales operations and vice president of store operations. He assumed the role of senior vice president of real estate, engineering and construction in 1997. 

A native of Stokes County, N.C., Mr. Shelton earned a bachelor’s degree from Berea College in Kentucky, and holds master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. 

Mr. Shelton has served as a member of the American Management Association, American Society for Training and Development, Home Center Leadership Council and the President’s Advisory Council at Berea College. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Excellence Foundation at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. 

He currently serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees for Berea College, and as a member of the Audit, Buildings and Grounds and the Executive Committees. He is also a member of the Association for Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges in the U.S. and serves on the Board of Directors for the Wilkes County, North Carolina, Chamber of Commerce.

CEO, Javara Inc.

Jennifer Byrne's career has been devoted to leading organizations, building teams and cultivating partnerships centered on advancing the clinical research enterprise to better connect patients and providers to clinical trials. Jennifer founded Javara with a vision to revolutionize the industry by accelerating access to research – for patients, biopharma companies and healthcare systems alike. Her passion and commitment to transforming the clinical research landscape into an integrated component of healthcare are at the forefront of Javara's mission.

As the former CEO of PMG Research and founder of Greater Gift (501(c)3), Jennifer's involvement in the clinical research enterprise has been vast across collaborations with hundreds of pharma, device, Contract Research Organizations (CROs), technology, site organizations and other research service providers. Her stellar track record for consistent and excellent quality in patient, provider and client experiences associated with research trials is but one of many professional accomplishments. Jennifer has been recognized as a PM360 ELITE, CenterWatch Top 20 Innovator, PharmaVOICE Woman of Influence, TBJ Power Player and TBJ Outstanding Woman in Business among others. Currently, she serves as board chair for Javara Inc. as well the Greater Gift (501(c)3), is an advisory board member for CISCRP and serves as a trustee for the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP). She is also an advisory chair for the master's in clinical research management with Wake Forest University. Additional advisory roles include Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, FCA Health Innovations Fund and the North Carolina Biotech of the Piedmont Triad. Jennifer is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Founder, Jim and Cheryl Caldwell Foundation; Head football coach for Wake Forest University, Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions

Jim Caldwell graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in Beloit Wisconsin, earning nine varsity letters in three sports (football, basketball and track) and membership into the National Honor Society. A four-year starter at defensive back for the Iowa Hawkeyes, he holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Iowa.

Jim’s coaching career in college and the NFL is extensive; he served as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, Southern Illinois University, Northwestern University, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Louisville, and Pennsylvania State University before being named head coach at Wake Forest University in 1993. He was the head football coach at Wake Forest University from 1993 to 2000, and the first African-American head football coach in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). From 2009 to 2011 Jim served as the head coach of the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts and the head coach of the NFL Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017.

During his first season as the Colts Head Coach, the team was 14-2. He became the NFL’s only rookie Head Coach to win his first 14 games in a season and second to win 14 games in his rookie season as coach. He also became the fifth rookie Head Coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl. In 17 NFL seasons, Caldwell worked on coaching staffs that led teams to 13 winning seasons. Overall, Caldwell’s teams have compiled a 174-98 regular season record, along with 14 playoff appearances, eight division titles, three conference championships and two Super Bowl wins.

During his first-year as the Lions head coach, Caldwell was honored by the Detroit Historical Society’s Black Historic Sites Committee after becoming the Lions’ first African American head coach. Caldwell is a two-time recipient (2009, 2010) of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Salute to Excellence Award, and was inducted into Beloit Memorial High School’s Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013. In May of 2016 The Beloit (Wisc.) School District dedicated the Jim Caldwell Gymnasium at the newly-opened Fran Fruzen Intermediate School in his honor.

Caldwell has been actively involved in a number of charitable organizations, including All Pro Dad, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Midnight Golf Program, Charlie Sanders Foundation and provides support to Student Healthy Heart Check programs provided by Beaumont Hospital and the Henry Ford Health System.

In 2009, Caldwell and his wife, Cheryl, launched The Jim and Cheryl Caldwell Foundation. The Foundation is committed to the educational empowerment of children through digital technology and "Preparing young minds for advancement in the 21st Century." To achieve this, the Caldwells create and provide community centers with integrated digital technology that serves as a catalyst to impact, change and enrich a child's learning proficiency.

In September 2014, The Jim and Cheryl Caldwell Foundation, in collaboration with the Detroit Lions, opened “The Project Phoenix Learning Center,” a new 21st Century computer lab and learning center at the Detroit Lions Academy. In May 2016, he and Cheryl opened their eighth Project Phoenix Learning Center in Jim’s hometown of Beloit, Wisconsin.

To learn more about Jim, visit www.coachjimcaldwell.com

Senior Vice President, Power and Utilities
Bank of America

Greg Cox is a senior vice president and the community point person for Bank of America in Winston-Salem, NC. His primary responsibility is managing the overall banking relationship for power and utility clients and prospects in the Southeastern United States for Bank of America.

Cox joined the company in 2001. Before moving back to his hometown, Cox was most recently the Regional Commercial Banking Sales Manager in the western half of Virginia during his eleven-year tenure at First Union National Bank.

Since moving back to Winston-Salem, Cox has been actively involved in the community. He is a current or former board member of many local non-profits to include the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Winston-Salem Foundation and the Forsyth County United Way. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and holds FINRA Series 7, 79 and 63 licenses.

Cox received a BS in Business from Wake Forest University where he lettered four years in baseball. He is married to the former Diane Nelson of Raleigh and has four children.

Managing Director
Deutsche Bank Alex Brown 

John W. Davis, III, is the managing director of Deutsche Bank Alex Brown investment bankers, headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C. He is a graduate of Guilford College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Wake Forest University with a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. 

Mr. Davis serves on the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina, and the Board of Directors of the following organizations: Research Triangle Foundation, Reynolda House Museum of Art, New Winston Museum (chairman), Wake Forest Schools of Business and the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce. His previous Board service includes some two dozen nonprofit, educational, arts and business organizations in North Carolina and the Southeastern United States. 

He resides in Winston-Salem with his wife, Terrie Allen Davis, a retired attorney. They are the parents of two grown children. 

Former Associate Director
Un. of Massachusetts Medical Center

Pamela Egan is a former Associate Director of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, where she served on several committees including the Human Subjects Committee, Quality Assurance Committee and served as Chair of Nutrition Support Service.

Pamela is a member of the Boards of The Winsor School Cooperation and the Children’s Hospital Trust, which promotes philanthropic engagement in Children’s Hospital Boston to advance its mission of patient care, research, education and community service.

Additionally, Pamela has served on the Board of Directors of Carruth Capital, LLC and is a past Vice President of the Board of the United States Figure Skating Club.

Pamela earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. She lives with her husband, Jack, and three children in Massachusetts.

President and CEO
Allegacy Federal Credit Union 

W. K. “Ike” Keener, Jr. is president and chief executive officer of Allegacy Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and known for its support of breast cancer research. In 2006, Allegacy was awarded the Jill Ireland Award for Voluntarism as a Corporation by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure. The company’s Winston-Salem location features a public park for breast and ovarian cancer survivors and their loved ones. 

In 1998, Allegacy started the annual Don’t Wait (DW) Golf Tournament, which has directly benefited Cancer Services, Inc. Allegacy has been a local presenting sponsor for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for the past seven years. 

Active elsewhere in his community, Mr. Keener was appointed to the North Carolina Business and Office Advisory Board and served as chairman for three years. In 2007, he was the City Walk chairman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and he currently serves on the local Hospice board. In 2002, he was awarded the North Carolina Credit Union Mark of Excellence award by the North Carolina Credit Union League. 

Mr. Keener is a graduate of East Carolina University and the College of Financial Planning. He is a Certified Financial Planner and a graduate of the Certified Credit Union Executive Program. 

A Winston-Salem native, he is married to Elaine Keener, and they have one daughter, Amanda. 

President
Kroenke Holdings and Maly Commercial Realty

R. Otto Maly is currently the president and director of Special Projects of Kroenke Holdings.  He also serves as the chairman of Bluebird Network, a company he co-founded that delivers broadband throughout rural communities in Missouri.  

Maly, a Missouri native with nearly 30 years of experience in real estate and business development, is also President of Maly Commercial Realty, a nationwide development and leasing company that was founded in 1993. He founded Maly Commercial Realty after working 10 years at The Kroenke Group, one of the nation’s leading and most-respected real estate development companies.

Mr. Maly served as Vice-President of Development at TKG, which he was responsible for construction, site selection and financing. During his tenure at TKG he was instrumental in spearheading many deals, including a partnership with Riverpark Construction that led to the completion of a 135,000 square foot Sam’s Wholesale Club in 57 days in Dallas, Texas. The project created hundreds of jobs for the community.

Bluebird Network is a provider of broadband infrastructure that has partnered with the State of Missouri through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Through this partnership Bluebird Network is providing broadband access to underserved communities and rural areas throughout Missouri.

Maly Commercial Realty is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage that specializes in retail development, site selection and leasing both locally and across the United States. Maly Commercial Realty has developed more than 30 retail centers. 

Mr. Maly has been active in the Columbia community, where he currently resides with his wife, Stella, and their two children.  He is a former member of his alma mater’s finance advisory board for the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. School of Business at the University of Missouri and currently holds a position on the advisory board of the Jeffrey E. Smith Institute of Real Estate as well as being a member of the school’s Herbert J. Davenport Society.  Additionally, Mr. Maly has been a member of the Columbia Independent School’s Board of Trustees since the school’s inception in 1998, and Mr. Maly was instrumental in the school’s founding.  

First Vice President and Senior Financial Analyst
Merrill Lynch 

Elias H. “Butch” Pegram is a native of Winston-Salem and has worked in financial services since 1983. After completing service in the United States Air Force, he earned an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a MAEd from East Carolina University. 

Prior to entering the financial services field, Mr. Pegram worked at the university in Wilmington and at Cape Fear Technical and Community College. While living in Wilmington, he served as president of the New Hanover County Heart Association for four years. 

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Old Hickory Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In his spare time, he enjoys supporting various athletic programs at Wake Forest University. 

Billy D. Prim is the founder of Primo Water Corporation.  Primo is a leading provider of water direct to consumers.  It also sells water dispensers and purified water thru an exchange and refill service.  Primo operates in 20+ countries including the US, Canada, and most of Europe.  Primo trades on the NYSE under the symbol PRMW.  Mr. Prim serves on the board of directors of the company. 

Prior to Primo, Mr. Prim was founder and chief executive officer of Blue Rhino Corp., the nation's leading provider of branded propane cylinder exchange and complementary propane-fueled appliances.  Mr. Prim sold Blue Rhino to Ferrellgas, New York Stock Exchange FGP.

Prior to founding Blue Rhino, Mr. Prim was chairman and chief executive officer of American Oil & Gas Company, a regional petroleum marketer.

Mr. Prim is chairman of the Dean Prim Foundation.  This foundation provides scholarships for students to attend four-year colleges and universities, as well as the opportunity to participate in a China travel and study program.  The Foundation was created in memory of Mr. Prim's father, who was an active member of the Yadkin County Board of Education.

Mr. Prim is President and Managing Member of the Winston-Salem Dash, a Minor League baseball team and Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Mr. Prim was named a recipient of The Carolinas' Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  This program honors entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, hard work and perseverance have created and sustained successful, growing business ventures.

Mr. Prim is a member of the World Presidents' Organization and serves on the board of directors of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, Wake Forest Schools of Business and the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Mr. Prim and his wife Deborah reside in Winston-Salem, NC and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Chief Investment Officer, Ironsides Asset Advisors, LLC

Mark E. Roberts, CFA serves as the Chief Investment Officer for Ironsides Asset Advisors, LLC, as well as a Managing Director for the Tuscarora Company (a family office). Immediately preceding that, Mr. Roberts was the Director of Global Equities and Hedged Strategies for the North Carolina Retirement Systems where he and his team were responsible for the management of the $33 billion Global Equity and Hedge Fund portfolios for the State of North Carolina. Additionally, Mr. Roberts has served as Chief Investment Officer for families and provided consulting services for endowments and foundations in both asset allocation, manager due diligence and portfolio construction. Earlier in his career, Mr. Roberts served as Director of Risk Management for Centura Bank and had asset – liability management responsibilities. Mr. Roberts received his Master of Science degree in finance from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Calloway School of Business at Wake Forest University. Mr. Roberts serves on the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Philanthropic Advisory Board. Mr. Roberts is the past Chairman of the Board for the NC State Investment Fund and still serves on the fund’s board. He is a member of the North Carolina Society of Financial Analysts and the American Finance Association. Mr. Roberts has served on multiple non-profit boards. 

Mr. Roberts, and his wife Sherry, both graduated from Wake Forest University, and they reside in eastern North Carolina. They have two children that also graduated from the undergraduate and graduate schools at Wake Forest with Masters in Accountancy degrees.

Oz Scott is an accomplished and award-winning television, theatrical and motion picture director. In his three decades plus years of experience, Scott has directed hundreds of television episodes along with dozens of stage productions, made-for-TV movies and motion pictures. 

Mr. Scott is a seasoned entertainment industry veteran and a highly sought after director whose notable work throughout the past decade can be seen on dozens of highly rated series. He began his directing career at the top of New York Theater when he teamed up with Ntozake Shange to help her create the award-winning production For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, which he staged.

After establishing himself as a much sought after theater director he was brought out to Hollywood to direct the renowned comedy smash hit, Bustin’ Loose (1981), starring Richard Pryor and Cicely Tyson.

With success in theater and then in film, Mr. Scott went on to tackle the television medium. At a time when directors typically either did primetime, one-hour dramatic TV or half-hour situation comedies, Mr. Scott broke into both within a week of each other. He directed the acclaimed Hill Street Blues and Norman Lear’s Archie Bunkers Place.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Mr. Scott’s directorial talents enhanced the success of popular programs such as The Cosby Show, Northern Exposure, Chicago Hope, Picket Fences, LA Law, Diagnosis Murder, Hill Street Blues, Fame, Dirty Dancing, The Jeffersons, the pilot for 227, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Gimme A Break and many others.

He directed the first of Disney Channel’s musical franchises, The Cheetah Girls, for which he received a DGA Award Nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. Among his list of television credits are multiple episodes series of SWAT, The Unit, CSI, CSI: NY, Unforgettable, Blue Bloods, Just Legal, Are We There Yet, Reed Between the Lines and Everybody Hates Chris. He was producer/director on the CBS series The District. The list goes on and on.

In 2002, Mr. Scott directed one of VH1’s highest-rated programs, the original motion picture, Play’d – A Hip Hop Story. Directing Play’d added to his list of motion picture credits, which include Tears and Laughter: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story (1994) and Spanish Judges (1999) featuring Vincent D’Onofrio and Matthew Lillard. Mr. Scott is currently executive producer of Black Lightning.

Mr. Scott believes being well rounded is essential to achieving longevity. His versatility has allowed him to maintain his presence in the theater, and he has directed at many of the major regional theaters, from Chicago’s Goodman Theater where he directed “The Ballad of Emmett Till” to The Hartford Stage to the Philadelphia Theater Company. He participated in The Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference for many years. Traveling to Russia with The Old Settler for the O’Neill, Scott directed both an American cast as well as a Russian cast in a Russian translation. 

Recognized for his contributions to the community, Mr. Scott has received an NAACP Image Award, the Drama Desk Award, a Village Voice OBIE Awards, Genesis Award and the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award.

Mr. Scott is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts (M.F.A.).

Owner, Zacks Resolutions, LLC
Mediator and Arbitrator, JAMS

David M. Zacks, Esq. has a distinguished legal career as a trial lawyer and neutral spanning 45 years. He is currently Chair-Elect of the Society of International Business Fellows. He is a former national Chair of American Cancer Society and former co-chair of Wake Forest Law School Board of Visitors. His honors and memberships include the Wake Forest University Distinguished Alumni Award and Georgia Bar Community Service Award. Mr. Zacks' extensive experience as a trial lawyer across various areas of the law, including class actions, health care, insurance and catastrophic injury, has laid the foundation for a successful launch into ADR. Mr. Zacks' legal career included serving as chair of the Health Care and Litigation Team of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. He now serves as a full time neutral with JAMS Mediation, Arbitration and ADR Services.

Mr. Zazworsky is the Founder and serves as the Chief Executive Officer of BlueArc Capital. Since the firm's inception in 2005, Mr. Zazworsky has created the firm's strategy and led the development across its multi-strategy alternative investment offerings. He also currently serves as Chairman of BlueArc Credit Alternatives Fund Management LLC and as Chairman of BlueArc Capital Partners LLC. Prior to founding BlueArc, Mr. Zazworsky began his career in corporate restructurings and turnarounds at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in New York where he focused on international distressed situations. After his tenure at PwC, he executed his first private equity transaction as an investor and co-founder of a web-based software company which was successfully sold to a strategic acquirer. Mr. Zazworsky earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Analytical Finance from Wake Forest University where he graduated with honors, and he is a member of YPO (Southern 7 Chapter).