2025 - 158th Annual Meeting

The Wilmington Chamber’s 158th Annual Meeting promises to be the highlight of the year! Join us on Thursday, February 6, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Wilmington Convention Center’s Expo Hall for an evening of celebration, inspiration, and connection.
 
This flagship event brings together over 500 business and community leaders, providing a unique opportunity to celebrate shared achievements and set our sights on the future. Join us as we honor the outstanding leadership of our 2024 Board Chair, Lisa Leath, and warmly welcome Jim Hundley, Jr. as our incoming 2025 Board Chair.

This year, we are excited to celebrate Jay Wileman, the recipient of the Duke Energy Lifetime Achievement in Business Award, and be inspired by an uplifting keynote presentation from U.S. Olympian Johnny Quinn, guaranteed to energize you for the year ahead.
 
The celebration will include heavy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and plenty of opportunities to connect with your fellow Wilmington Chamber members.
 
Save the date—we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

 
TICKETS & SPONSORSHIPS
 
The deadline to purchase tickets is Thursday, January 30, 2025. Tickets are available to chamber members for $95 each and to nonmembers for $105 each. Tables of 10 will be available for $1050 for members and $1150 for nonmembers. Tables do not include additional marketing visibility prior to or during the event.
 
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Megan Mullins at mullins@wilmingtonchamber.org.

 
AGENDA
 
4:30 - 5:30 pm
Chairman's Club VIP Reception (by invitation only)
 
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Doors & Welcome Reception
 
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Program
 
7:30 - 8:00 pm
Networking

NOTE: Johnny Quinn, Speaker & U.S. Olympian
 
An Olympic bobsledder and former pro football player (Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Saskatchewan Roughriders), Johnny is the third person to play in the NFL and compete in the Winter Olympics (Sochi, Russia). Johnny brings a rare blend of resilience, leadership and peak performance strategies to each keynote and workshop, helping leaders tackle tomorrow’s challenges head-on! Johnny’s powerful life story and actionable insights have earned him features on: ABC, BBC, CNN, ESPN, FOX, NBC, TIME, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. His book, “PUSH: Breaking Through The Barriers,” takes readers on a heart-pounding journey from life’s valleys to rocketing down icy mountains at 80+ mph—with no seatbelts. Based in McKinney, Texas, with his wife Amanda and their two children Amelia and Oliver, Johnny is a go-to speaker for organizations of all sizes. Follow him on social media: @JohnnyQuinnUSA
 

DUKE ENERGY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN BUSINESS HONOREE: Jay Wileman, Retired President and CEO of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH)
 
Jay Wileman was named President and CEO of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) in
November 2015. In this role, he is responsible for leading the nuclear business with
3,000 employees and manufacturing, service and sales facilities around the globe. He
is also responsible for managing the joint venture between the General Electric Corp.
(NYSE: GE) and Hitachi Corp.
 
With more than 30 years’ experience, Jay has a wealth of international knowledge,
having led many global teams to success across the energy spectrum. Prior to being
named President and CEO of GEH, he served as Senior Vice President, Nuclear Plant
Projects and Chief Operating Officer, a position he assumed in 2012.
From 2009-2012 Jay served as President of GE Energy Sub-Saharan Africa where he led
a team that provided integrated product and service solutions that met the continent’s
needs in oil, natural gas, power generation, water, renewables and new grid
modernization.
 
Since joining GE in 1994, Jay has held positions in engineering, manufacturing,
industrial services and financial services in the U.S., Japan, Italy, Australia and South
Africa. He served for three years as GE’s Global Mining leader. Before that, Jay was
President and CEO of GE Equipment Services – Rail Services, where he managed and
led the business’ railcar and intermodal services and leasing fleet. He also served for
four years as General Manager for Global Services for Oil and Gas in Florence, Italy
where he led double-digit growth in customized service agreements.
 
Jay started his GE career with the company’s nuclear business where he spent more
than eight years in progressively larger positions in engineering, manufacturing,
business development and services. Jay was a nuclear fuel engineer and commercial
manager for Southern Nuclear before he joined GE.
 
Jay earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from Mississippi State
University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of
Alabama at Birmingham.


 
LOCATION

Wilmington Convention Center, Expo Hall
10 Convention Center Dr. Wilmington, NC 28401 
 

PARKING
 
Your ticket price includes parking for one vehicle at the Wilmington Convention Center parking deck. On-street parking is also available. We highly recommend using a ride-sharing service or carpooling.



ARRIVAL
 
After parking, enter the Wilmington Convention Center and find the main foyer for check-in. Registered attendees will receive a name tag before being directed to the Expo Hall. A coat check will be available near registration.
 

FOOD & BEVERAGE
 
More details to be shared soon.