Poole College announces appointment of 4 new Advisory Board members

The Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University announces the appointment of four business and industry leaders to three-year terms on the Poole College of Management Advisory Board. The appointments fill vacancies created when current members completed their terms on the board.

“Members of the Poole College Advisory Board bring valuable perspective and insight from their respective industries and the business community in general. The college very much appreciates their service,” said Ira R. Weiss, dean of the college and Stephen P. Zelnak, Jr., chair.

Following are the new Poole College Advisory Board members.

RUSS COBB

Russ Cobb, vice president of alliances and channels at SAS, leads the company’s global partner and channel organization, managing a broad partner ecosystem that includes strategic alliance partners, channel re-sellers and third-party and OEM partners. He helps SAS partners expand their businesses with new business models and solve customer business needs with SAS’s leading analytics portfolio. Previous leadership roles at SAS were in the areas of strategy, marketing, strategic partnerships and business development. Cobb has more than 13 years’ experience in the software industry. Prior to joining SAS, he was with Marakon Associates and Accenture for 11 years, in management consulting, specializing in corporate and business unit strategy development for multinational clients in a variety of industries. Cobb has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University. 

CINDY WHITEHEAD

Cindy Whitehead, founder and CEO of The Pink Ceiling, is a serial entrepreneur who has started and sold two Raleigh-based pharmaceutical companies. She was formerly CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals which broke through with Addyi, dubbed “female Viagra,’ the first ever FDA-approved drug for low sexual desire in women.  Following that approval, she sold the company for a $1 Billion plus future payments.  Whitehead previously built and sold Slate Pharmaceuticals. Today, at The Pink Ceiling, Cindy advises and invests in other businesses with breakthrough innovations for women. Of note, she advises Undercover Colors, a startup led by NC State alum with a wearable nail technology that detects date rape drugs in drinks.  Entrepreneur Magazine featured Cindy on the cover of their 2016 “Women to Watch.”

GREG CARR

Greg Carr is senior vice president and regional managing director Wells Fargo’s Triangle East Wealth Management Group. His responsibilities include leading the Private Banking, trust financial planning, investment management, brokerage and insurance businesses across the 51 counties in eastern North Carolina. Carr has been with Wells Fargo for 26 years, serving in various roles in the areas of risk management, market leadership and wholesale banking before joining the Wealth Management group. Previous roles include leading the Commercial Banking Group for South Carolina and market president and senior commercial relationship manager in Raleigh. He is a retired U.S. Navy Reserve lieutenant commander with over 22 years of service. He is also active in his community, serving as a board member of the Triangle YMCA, Wake Med Foundation, N.C. Methodist Home for Children, Millbrook United Methodist Church and Council Chair for the Boy Scouts of America Troop 104.

STACY BETTS

Stacy Betts is senior director for the Nationals Partner Organization at Cisco, where he has held various leadership roles over the past 21 years, working with some of Cisco’s largest business partners in the U.S. He has a proven track record of enabling customer outcomes while leading top performing teams. During his tenure at Cisco, Betts served as executive sponsor of Cisco’s premier leadership development program for Americas Partner Organization, graduating 180 Cisco channel employees over the last 4 years. Betts is an NC State graduate, magna cum laude with a bachelor of art degree in communications and a minor in business management. He was a four-year pitcher for the NC State Wolfpack Baseball team and a member of the 1992 ACC championship team.