Table of Experts: Triangle CEO Confidential
As we approach the close of an eventful year, companies and their leaders are already setting strategies to seize new opportunities and prepare for the challenges that may shape the economy in the year ahead.
The landscape of business today can often feel like a shifting kaleidoscope — from market volatility and tax policy to the rise of new technologies and changing global trade dynamics. The pace of change can be daunting, and no single leader has all the answers.
That’s why peer-to-peer dialogue has never been more essential.
Enter CEO Confidential — a quarterly series designed to foster connection and knowledge-sharing among executives across industries. Our mission is to bring both newly appointed and seasoned CEOs together to discuss the most pressing business issues affecting our region, state, and nation.
Beyond the exchange of ideas, CEO Confidential aims to strengthen civic engagement — empowering leaders to help move the economic needle of their communities through active, responsible leadership.
Each quarter, in partnership with Gallagher and Dogwood State Bank, Triangle Business Journal hosts these President’s Dinners — intimate gatherings where leaders can share experiences, gain insights, and build lasting relationships.
As a region, we are fortunate to be home to so many exceptional leaders — individuals who consistently roll up their sleeves to make a difference beyond their organizations. CEO Confidential serves as a launching point for those who wish to deepen their connections and amplify their impact.
Sincerely,
Sougata Mukherjee,
President and Publisher
Krista Covery, president and CEO, First Flight Venture Center
Are you having trouble finding talent to hire? What are you doing to mitigate the problem?
We’ve recently begun to hire for a business development position. So far we have not had any issues.
What is your biggest worry in the next 12 months as it relates to your company and your people?
My biggest worry is maintaining focus and alignment as we grow - ensuring our team stays connected to the mission while balancing new opportunities and increased demands.
What is the best way to build a great team in your opinion?
The best way to build a team starts with creating alignment around a clear mission and vision. When everyone understands why the organization exists and where it is headed, it becomes much easier to attract and retain the right people. From there, focus on defining core values and setting shared goals that connect each person’s role to the broader purpose.
What is the last book you read? Recommend or no?
The last book I read was 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. I actually found myself rereading it because it’s incredibly energizing and inspiring. The concept that aiming for exponential growth can actually be simpler than incremental progress really reshapes how you think about focus, time, and impact. It’s one of those books that leaves you motivated to take bold, meaningful action - I highly recommend it.
Subhash Gumber, president and chief medical officer, ClinTrial Research
What was the biggest surprise (positive or negative) for you in 2025 when it comes to your company’s operations?
That only 3-5% of the physicians do clinical research. Getting naive clinical sites operational is harder than I thought. Personnel costs in this business are significantly higher than in medical practices.
What are your big plans for 2026 that you have included in your budget?
Bringing in top talent for our Business Development team and securing new sites.
In the age of remote and hybrid work, how do you build a solid workplace culture at your shop?
Most of our work force is remote. We get to meet each other at professional meetings, clinical sites, holiday parties, frequent online meetings etc. Team leaders know their teams well but I must admit I have not met many in person and it is a challenge. Making every employee a shareholder in the company has kept turnover close to zero.
What is the last book you read? Recommend or no?
The World - A Brief Introduction by Richard Haas. A brief yet comprehensive history of the world written brilliantly.
Dustin Magaziner, founder and CEO, PayBright
Are you having trouble finding talent to hire? What are you doing to mitigate the problem?
Less so now than a year ago. We changed our recruiting process entirely and built out a very clear rubric of what we are looking for in candidates. This has resulted in faster hiring, and better overall results.
What is your biggest worry in the next 12 months as it relates to your company and your people?
Proper scaling. We’ve grown a lot, and quickly. So it’s difficult to know if we will need to hire 10 new employees, 40, or 75. This makes it hard to plan, and even harder to maintain the small company culture.
What is the best way to build a great team in your opinion?
I think people enjoy working when they enjoy their coworkers. We genuinely try to ensure everyone gets along, and that everyone feels like they are working as hard as their coworkers. I believe building a great team involves having folks who care (put in the effort) and like the folks they interact with all day.
What is the last book you read? Recommend or no?
The Hard Thing about Hard Things. 100% recommend.
Fielding Miller, founder and CEO, CAPTRUST
Are you having trouble finding talent to hire? What are you doing to mitigate the problem?
Not an issue currently. We gain top talent from the companies we acquire - an example being the 32 former CEOs currently working collaboratively.
We have become known as an employer of choice for young Wall Street professionals interested moving back home to the Triangle area - so we get a lot of looks at top talent.
What is your biggest worry in the next 12 months as it relates to your company and your people?
Nothing significant short term. Our focus is on serving clients, fostering our culture and executing on the strategic plans we have in place.
What is the best way to build a great team in your opinion?
Build and nurture a culture that attracts and empowers great talent. A key element of our approach is sharing equity ownership. Everyone at CAPTRUST has a path to equity that is awarded, not purchased. Our view is the more colleagues we have walking the halls, thinking and acting like owners, the more successful we will be. Currently we have over 1,000 colleagues that are shareholders.
What is the last book you read? Recommend or no?
Conn Iggulden’s Emperor series on Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman Empire.
Dev Sangvai, secretary, NC Department of Health and Human Services
Are you having trouble finding talent to hire? What are you doing to mitigate the problem?
Meeting workforce needs is a challenge. To recruit and retain we are looking at financial incentives and other benefits that attract and keep top talent.
What is your biggest worry in the next 12 months as it relates to your company and your people?
Meeting the needs of the people we serve in a setting of resource constraints and increasing demand.
What is the best way to build a great team in your opinion?
The best way to build a great team and esprit re corps is to foster clarity of purpose and make each team member feel valued.
What is the last book you read? Recommend or no?
Don’t Let Her Stay. A good book if you like suspenseful fiction.
