Name: Mike Rizer
Leadership Charlotte (LC) Class: 21
Title/Company: Executive Director, Corporate Citizenship, Ally Financial
Hometown: Springfield, Ohio
Education:
BA (English), University of Dayton; JD, University of Cincinnati
Current personal or leadership goals: To mentor the next generation of Charlotte leaders, emphasizing the importance of integrating social justice and economic mobility into how we address pressing civic issues.
What advice would you give to current Leadership Charlotte participants: Be intentional about getting to know your classmates. So much of your personal success and happiness is dependent on relationships you develop throughout life. Leadership Charlotte could be one of the only times in your that that you’ll be in a room with dozens of diverse people from you across backgrounds and industries, but all focused on Charlotte.
What’s a lesson that you learned through LC that has stuck with you and why? Leadership can be transformational for a family, organization, or city. Had Charlotte lacked innovative leaders who, in the late 20th century, invested in the airport and supported progressive banking laws, as just two examples, we would likely not be the thriving city we are today.
What would you like to see Leadership Charlotte alumni get involved in and why? Support one of the 100’s of nonprofits that are doing great work addressing the many needs of our community. Your expertise, perspective and networks would add great value.
Favorite way to spend a weekend in Charlotte: Golf and bicycling
Favorite nonprofit or community organization in Charlotte and why? Leading on Opportunity, which is a community consultant, catalyst and convener that works collaboratively with stakeholders to identify practices and policies that contribute to economic mobility. Working with both the nonprofit and business communities, it has developed the Opportunity Compass, which will aid organization and individuals in policymaking, fundraising and community organizing.