Vicky Janowski
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economic development, hospitality, commercial real estate, small business, health, real estate, retail, technology news, banks and banking, film
Editor of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and WILMA magazine/Co-director of WILMA's Women to Watch leadership program
Articles by Vicky Janowski
C-Suite Convo: A Return To Lead
Jhaniqua Palmer, CEO YWCA Lower Cape Fear Assuming the role of CEO of the YWCA Lower Cape Fear is a full-circle moment for Jhaniqua Palmer, who joined the organization in 2019 as coordinator of its Grandparent Support Network. Now, nearly eight years after first walking through the doors of the Wilmington organization, Palmer has returned to lead it into its next chapter. “The YWCA’s mission has always resonated deeply with me because it reflects both my personal and professional journey.
Editor's Letter: The Job Creators
A recent report placed Wilmington among the top cities nationally when it comes to job growth over the past decade. The city ranked fifth among the 150 largest metro areas in the U.S. for percentage growth of total employment (29.6%) between 2015 and 2025, according to a September report from Economic Leadership, a Shallotte-based research group. And that bump wasn’t just in the early part of the decade. Wilmington continued to see 16.4% employment growth since 2019.
C-suite Convo: Bundles Of Energy
When Hurricane Fran hit the Wilmington area in 1996, Paul Dent lost power at his home. The event started the path to eventually work with Stephen Burnett and others at Koolbridge Energy on an energy management system for homes to better switch between power sources on both good and bad weather days. “The Smart Load Center (SLC) is a very intelligent residential energy management system,” Burnett, chairman of locally based Koolbridge Energy, said about the company’s product.
Meet The 2026 CEA Winners
Who would you invest $1 million in? That’s one of the pieces of advice we give our Coastal Entrepreneur Award judges each year when they’re faced with the task of making their picks. Who shows high-growth potential? Who is making a name for themselves and cutting through the noise? Who, out of these stacks and stacks of nominations, do you see as entrepreneurial? Our panel of outside judges deliberated and picked the 11 category winners in this year’s CEA process.
Biz Bites: Heads Up In New Cape Fear Museum
As part of Cape Fear Museum of History & Science’s move to Project Grace, workers recently installed the seats and equipment for a new digital dome theater. Wilmington-based nCino pledged $160,000 over 10 years for the theater, one portion of the $77 million, 95,000-square-foot new museum, which is slated to open this summer. Similar to a planetarium, the 60- seat theater’s content will expand beyond celestial objects to also project shows on history and science, museum officials said.
Editor's note: 100 people to know about town
Welcome to our seventh annual WimingtonBiz 100 issue. The list, which we launched in 2019, recognizes “the top 100 Power Players, Influencers, Innovators, Connectors and Rising Stars impacting Southeastern North Carolina’s business landscape.” There’s a reason why we don’t just recognize just the top heavy hitters, those with the largest reach or representing the biggest companies.
Editor's note: 100 people to know about town
Welcome to our seventh annual WilmingtonBiz 100 issue. The list, which we launched in 2019, recognizes “the top 100 Power Players, Influencers, Innovators, Connectors and Rising Stars impacting Southeastern North Carolina’s business landscape.” There’s a reason why we don’t just recognize just the top heavy hitters, those with the largest reach or representing the biggest companies.
Announcing Health Care Heroes Awards winners
Winners and finalists in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s Health Care Heroes awards were recognized at an event Saturday at UNCW's Burney Center.
Novant, UNC collaborative fund 2 more clinical research projects
A third round of $1 million funding from a medical collaborative will go toward clinical research focusing on liver disease and shoulder injuries, officials announced Friday. A collaborative made up of Novant Health, UNC Health and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine awarded the two grants, which are $500,000 each, according to a news release. The money will be used by Wilmington-based Novant Health physicians partnering with peer physicians and researchers at UNC.
Editor's Note: A Tale of Two Bridges
It was last month I found out I’ve got just a touch of gephyrophobia (fear of bridges) mixed in with a smidge of acrophobia (fear of heights). But Savannah’s Talmadge Memorial Bridge is one tall bridge. And driving over the apex, 185 feet above the Savannah River with treetops and roofs below, was enough to activate some white-knuckled, 10-and-2 driving. And my next trip into the Georgia city might be even closer to the clouds.
Hawke moves into city manager role
Becky Hawke started as Wilmington’s city manager this summer. Hawke, who was hired after a national search for the position, began June 30, following the retirement of longtime city manager Tony Caudle. She comes to Wilmington from Matthews, where she served as town manager and, previously, as assistant town manager since 2016.
Icon Award Winner
Judy Girard’s trailblazing path Throughout her career and in “retirement,” JUDY GIRARD’s default setting has been to break molds. In her various television executive roles, Girard redefined several formats that influenced programming – as well as pop culture – at the lifestyle networks where she worked. In 2008, she retired from television, packed up her newly earned Lifetime Achievement Emmy along with the rest of her belongings, and moved to Wilmington.
C-Suite Convo: Connectivity focus
Bryce Dill started as manager of the Wilmington plant for the New York-based company, taking the role over from Russ Lopatka, who is now serving as Corning’s North America manufacturing manager for optical fiber. About 1,000 people now work at the Wilmington facility, which opened in 1966. The Wilmington facility, originally an electrical resistors facility in the 1960s, was converted over time into an optical fiber plant and continues to be a staple facility for Corning.
Editor's Note: Meeting growing needs
The Wilmington region remains in growth mode. It’s evident when driving around town, shopping for housing or scheduling a doctor’s appointment. On the plus side, more people attract additional retail options – case in point, read about Mayfaire’s growing mix here. The growing population also is fueling the need for expanding medical services and facilities. In this year’s Pulse section, we check in some of those expansions from the major medical providers in the area.
Trends to Watch: Health Industry
The region is seeing an expansion of medical facilities and services (for more details on specific projects, click here). Meanwhile, medical education, clinical trials and partnerships on health care models are other areas where local health officials are investing resources. A local investor acquired a medical office in Hampstead for more than $2.5 million in May.
Adaptation Application
Letter from the editor Quick, what’s your favorite animal, and what do you think that says about you? Mine, since you asked, is the lemur – has been for years. But why? I dig their funny bugged-out eyes, chic strips on the ring-tailed ones, and generally cool demeanor. If you see them at the zoo or the Duke Lemur Center in Durham, they might run and play, but I’ve never caught one mugging to the camera (ahem, penguins.) But a fun fact about lemurs is they evolved in the wild on their own schedule.
Meet the 2025 CEA Winners
That’s one of the pieces of advice we give our Coastal Entrepreneur Award judges each year when they’re faced with the task of making their picks. Who shows high-growth potential? Who is making a name for themselves and cutting through the noise? Who, out of these stacks and stacks of nominations, do you see as entrepreneurial? Our panel of outside judges deliberated and picked the 11 category winners in this year’s CEA process.
Editor's note: Picking up the threads
My six degrees of Kevin Bacon? Glad you asked (at least for the purposes of this letter). Kevin Bacon directed and starred in Loverboy, which starred Sandra Bullock, who was the main character in 28 Days that filmed in Black Mountain with my buddy working on set in lighting. Boom – Bacon’s Law in three steps. To be fair, if it wasn’t for our close family friend who has worked with the film industry for decades, my Kevin Bacon success rate would be much worse.
Cutting a path through downtown
Work on the Riverwalk along the Cape Fear River started more than 40 years ago. Initially a project to help rebrand downtown Wilmington, over the years the wooden pathway spread out from its nucleus at the foot of Market Street. Now spanning 1.75 miles, it runs between Nun Street and almost to the Isabel Holmes Bridge – the river flowing along one side, a ribbon of commerce along much of the other.
Q&A with nCino's new CEO, Sean Desmond
In February, Sean Desmond was appointed president, CEO and board member of Wilmington-based fintech company nCino. Desmond, who was previously nCino’s chief product officer in a role in which he oversaw about two-thirds of the company's employees, succeeded Pierre Naudé, who remained on as the board’s executive chairman. Desmond shared more details with the Business Journal about his new role and plans for the cloud-based banking software company. What drew you to take this new role?
MrBeast video becomes first to use Dark Horse's new stages
Dark Horse Stages' newest soundstages didn’t stay empty for long after opening for business in November. Days after the two, 20,000-square-foot stages opened, YouTube juggernaut MrBeast set up shop to film, Dark Horse CEO Kirk Englebright said Friday. The Wilmington production facility announced Friday that Greenville’s Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast who runs the most-subscribed YouTube channel worldwide, had filmed at Dark Horse, becoming the first major production to utilize new soundstages.
Fine Print - WILMA magazine
DAISY FAITH doesn’t paint things photo-realistically. Instead, the Wilmington artist, who also has a background in acting and improvisation, focuses on “color, bold brushwork, mark making, and creating energy in my compositions.” “I approach each painting with a sense of improvisation by making painterly strokes and listening to where the painting wants to go next,” she says.
Crowd Surfing - WILMA magazine
You’ve all heard the cliché “Work smarter, not harder?” Sometimes “Work broader, not harder” is better. A lot of times when we think of networking we think of our circles and how they share their wisdom and connections for work. But as a person just as busy as you are out there, I say crowdsource whenever you can. Other people know more about what you don’t know and have lived through experiences that you haven’t yet. And be sure to reciprocate.
Shining a spotlight | WilmingtonBiz
This year, the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s Health Care Heroes Awards returns front and center at Cape Fear Community College’s Wilson Center. Finalists for this year’s awards will be honored at the awards event on Nov. 1. Winners will be announced, and a special lifetime achievement honor will be bestowed. They are this year’s Health Care Heroes, nominated by patients, peers, co-workers and families.
Shining a spotlight | WilmingtonBiz
This year, the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s Health Care Heroes Awards returns front and center at Cape Fear Community College’s Wilson Center. Finalists for this year’s awards will be honored at the awards event on Nov. 1. Winners will be announced, and a special lifetime achievement honor will be bestowed. They are this year’s Health Care Heroes, nominated by patients, peers, co-workers and families.
Making of MADE Awards
Each year, the MADE Awards brings to light a variety of products and businesses that in some cases might otherwise have flown under the radar, from aviation parts to soil amendments for professional landscapers. The purpose of the awards is to draw attention to manufacturers and makers in the Cape Fear region, revealing that the area is home to more made-in-Wilmington products than residents and even business leaders might realize.
Trends to watch | WilmingtonBiz
Infused with significant funding from the New Hanover Community Endowment, a project intended to help train more health care workers and involving several large area institutions got off the ground. The Health Care Talent Collaboration is slated to receive $22.3 million over the next several years from the endowment.
Taking a shot: Vaccine research gets new funding source
A vaccine research project out of the University of North Carolina Wilmington was approved for grant funding in NCInnovation’s inaugural cycle in May. The award was part of $5.2 million that NCInnovation (NCI) approved for eight research projects at seven of the state’s public universities in the UNC System. The round came four months after the General Assembly included $500 million to create the funding organization in the state budget.
Bubbling up: A Q&A with FedUp Foods' CEO
In May, one of the largest private fermented beverage manufacturers in North America, FedUp Foods, announced it was expanding into Wilmington. Sarah Mullins and Jeannine Buscher founded FedUp Foods in Asheville after making kombucha together for their children. Now, FedUp Foods manufactures kombucha, pre- and probiotic sodas, Tepache and functional cold brew coffee. Company officials did not say whether they purchased the building at 715 Greenfield St., formerly occupied by Tru Colors Brewing.
Google Me This - WILMA magazine
Letter from the editor Most of the time, we’re all steps or clicks away from an answer. Between Google, YouTube, Alexa – and now add Meta AI to the mix – nearly any question can be asked digitally if you figure out the right words to type into the search bar.
Letter from the Editor: Of Notable Interest
As this year’s real estate issue goes to press, a lot of eyes are watching Fed Reserve officials closely. On March 20, U.S. stock indexes hit record highs after the Federal Reserve did nothing that day. Earlier in the day, the Fed held interest rates unchanged, again keeping the target range of 5.25% to 5.5%. Maintaining comes after raising rates 11 times between March 2022 and July 2023 to combat inflation.
Better Together - WILMA magazine
In 2013, Diana Nyad swam for more than fifty hours through shark- and venomous jellyfish-infested waters between Cuba and Florida. It wasn’t her first time attempting the 110-mile swim, but at the age of sixty-four, Nyad became the third swimmer to cross the Florida Straits.
Wilmington Health expands ACO activity
Wilmington Health has expanded its footprint in the area of accountable care organizations, or ACOs. After switching to a different ACO model offered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), it’s now on track to be the second-largest group of its type by joining up with other provider groups on the project.
Déjà Vu Redux - WILMA magazine
As we close out our twentieth year of WILMA magazine, I’m a little nostalgic, remembering the past several years and our tenth year in particular. For that anniversary issue, then-co-editor Nina Bays and I combed through a decade of WILMA covers and photos on hard copies and CDs to pull together retrospectives and cover collages. This year hasn’t been so different.
Novant Health cuts 160 jobs statewide
Novant Health is cutting 160 jobs across the health system, including some local positions. The reduction is occurring at its facilities statewide and represents less than 0.5% of Novant’s 36,000 positions across its system, a Novant spokesperson said. Novant did not say how many of those cuts are coming from its coastal market, which includes Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, Novant Health Pender Medical Center and physician offices.
Editor's Note: 'Shall we play a game?'
In the name of social experiment (and delegation), I have turned over the opening paragraph of this latest editor’s letter to those in my immediate vicinity. Here’s what they came up with. “It was a dark and stormy night.” -husband, go-to storytime start “Editing is confusing.” -daughter, 10, wise beyond her years “As the seasons change and the world continues to evolve, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable tapestry of stories that shape our lives.
C-Suite Convo: Down the line at Summit Logistics
Wilmington-based Summit Logistics was established in 2016 as an asset-based, third-party logistics firm. “We originally started out shipping kegs for our sister company Edward Teach (Brewery),” said Daniel Fountain, Summit’s director of logistics. “Shortly after was the focus of expanding our services here on the East Coast and then eventually all across the U.S.” The company, which was included on this year’s Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., has about 50 employees.
And the Award Goes To…
It’s that time of year again. WILMA’s Women to Watch Awards is around the corner, and on September 8, we’ll honor this year’s thirty-five finalists and announce seven category winners. Maggi Apel, who serves as co-director of WILMA’s Women to Watch Leadership Initiative, and I (shown left from the 2018 awards) will be on the stage for the program, but there’s a full team at WILMA working on nomination forms to magazine pages to the party itself.
Food for Thought
Expanding the scope of Wilmington's food bank BETH GAGLIONE has been at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina in Wilmington for over eight years, serving as the Wilmington branch director. Before moving to Wilmington fourteen years ago, she worked with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in Ohio.
Food for Thought
Expanding the scope of Wilmington's food bank BETH GAGLIONE has been at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina in Wilmington for over eight years, serving as the Wilmington branch director. Before moving to Wilmington fourteen years ago, she worked with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in Ohio.
Editor's note: Getting schooled
Want a lesson in organizational management or industrial psychology? Go find Sharon. Sharon, the women’s bathroom attendant at Live Oak Bank Pavilion, is one concert at a time becoming a local legend for a simple reason: The women’s bathroom line is always shorter than the men’s line. So that rarely happens, especially not in large-crowd situations like concerts. Surprised and bemused looks passed down the line outside. I wasn’t the only person who noticed. The why and how unfolds inside.
Health care trends to watch
From expanding spaces to training more workers, the local health care industry continues to grow and adopt new technology aimed at better patient care. Meanwhile, challenges remain, particularly in meeting the demand for care in the growing region. Northern New Hanover At the end of May, Novant Health officials held a campus groundbreaking event for a long-discussed hospital in the northern part of New Hanover County.
C-Suite Convo: Food Bank's expanded mission
Beth Gaglione has been at the food bank in Wilmington for over eight years, serving as the Wilmington branch director. Before moving to Wilmington 14 years ago, she worked with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in Ohio. “My father was diagnosed with diabetes when I was very young, and since that time, I think that I knew that I wanted to do something that would support people having access to better and more food,” she said.
Providers turn to AI to improve scans
With deep-learning algorithms and AI, health providers are starting to use a newer technology with their MRI scans on patients. Wilmington Health Radiology has begun using a tool intended to help radiologists get sharper images. The practice’s MRI scanner now is using AIR Recon DL software to improve image resolution and clarity without increasing scan time.
Here's to Showing Up
Letter from the editor No one can accuse me of being a quitter. In fact, I can admit to the opposite: dogged determination to the point of diminishing returns. Take volleyball, for example – more on that in a minute. The summer issue of WILMA includes a special section on health and wellness, and in the pages ahead, you’ll read about women who are pushing boundaries in that space.
Meet the 2023 CEA Winners
That’s one of the pieces of advice we give our Coastal Entrepreneur Award judges each year when they’re faced with the task of making their picks. Who shows high-growth potential? Who is making a name for themselves and cutting through the noise? Who, out of these stacks and stacks of nominations, do you see as entrepreneurial? Our panel of outside judges deliberated and picked the 11 category winners in this year’s CEA process.
Divided median | WilmingtonBiz
Forget what can $1 million buy you. How about what can $432,000 buy you? That’s how much a (median) single-family house will cost you here, as of February, the latest figures available from Cape Fear Realtors. Median means the midpoint. So some of you have scooped up homes above the $432,000 price tag, and others have found more affordable houses in the region. But that’s the middle of the bell curve for New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties.
Novant cuts innovation lab project, including at NHRMC
Novant Health’s decision to cut a systemwide project focusing on health care innovation also means the end for a Wilmington project. Novant launched a Health Innovation Lab in Charlotte last year headed by Paula Kranz.
Editor's Note: A laundry list of impact
We launched the WilmingtonBiz 100 list in 2019. That’s 100 Power Players, Influencers, Connectors, Innovators and Rising Stars to highlight each year. The closer we get to deadline, the more we ask, “WilmingtonBiz 25?
C-Suite Convo: New Port Neighbor
Port City Logistics this summer announced its plans to build a transload facility in Wilmington. The $16 million project is expected to bring warehouse storage space to help streamline trucking solutions at the port. The third-party logistics company committed to creating 75 jobs in Wilmington as part of receiving up to $337,000 in state and local incentives. It also has leased office space in downtown Wilmington for transportation and administrative support.
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