Mac Everett To Serve As Member Of Executive Board

“Mac Everett is one of the most influential and well-respected people in the Charlotte community and we are excited to have him take an expanded role in our organization,” Bobcats Majority Owner Robert L. Johnson said. “As we grow, Mac’s expertise in business and developing strategies for broader, stronger relations with the Charlotte community will be invaluable.’’

Everett has been an advisor for the Bobcats organization and was instrumental in the NBA returning to Charlotte as he was part of a local group that worked with the NBA office in 2002 to secure a team for the Queen City.

“The Charlotte community invited the NBA back and I welcome the opportunity to help engage and connect our community with the Bobcats. I look forward to the progress of the organization into a championship franchise on and off the court,” Everett said. “We have a solid foundation to continue building on and this is a team that will be exciting for the people of the Carolinas to support.”

A long-time Charlottean, Everett will serve on the organization’s newly-formed executive board and will join the Bobcats ownership group. The executive board will provide guidance for the franchise’s business activities and help grow the organization’s presence within the Charlotte community.

Everett was a key constituent in the PGA Tour adding the successful Wachovia Championship to Charlotte in 2003 and he has served as chairman of the annual tournament since its inception. Everett was an executive at Wachovia Corporation for 25 years before retiring in 2004 and served in many capacities, including senior executive vice president for corporate and community affairs and leading the banking operations for the Mid-Atlantic region.

The past chairman of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry, the state’s largest and most influential business organization, Everett has served on numerous community boards, including the Bobcats Charitable Foundation.

Everett met with members of Charlotte's local media following the announcement of his involvement with the Bobcats. The following is the transcript from that meeting:

(On becoming part of the Bobcats) The Charlotte Bobcats are a tremendous resource for this city and an asset to this city, and anything we can do in the community to make it successful is very important to me. (Bobcats Majority Owner) Bob (Johnson) and I have had lots of conversations about how I can support the team, and I think this is one way that maybe I can help. This is a part of what I have wanted to do for a long time -- that is support the Charlotte Bobcats and make the NBA an integral part of this city.

(On if his involvement with the Bobcats stems from a carryover to his ties and interaction with the Charlotte community) I’m not sure if it’s a carryover, but it’s a commitment to this community to help with those resources that we have and making them as good as they can be. And certainly this is not a front office job, this is not a day-to-day job, but it is a position on a board that will allow me to help Bob with things of importance to this franchise.

(On if his involvement will open the doors to the front office) This is a board position, and I will serve as a board member at Bob’s beckon and hopefully be supportive in what he wants to do with this franchise.

(On challenges the team faces in the second season at Charlotte Bobcats Arena) Well, I think we have a wonderful foundation first of all for the future of this team. Certainly the addition of Adam Morrison to the basketball team will help that side, the basketball side, and winning there helps the business side, so there are lots of good things going on that were built on a wonderful foundation for the first three years of this organization.

(On other things in the organization moving along) Well I’m not a spokesman for the organization, I’m a board member, but I think a lot of things are moving in a positive direction, so I look forward to a lot of positive announcements in the future.

(On the board’s interaction with the day-to-day operations of the team) I think that’s yet to be determined, but any board is there to set direction and to be an accountability mechanism for the business itself, but not to get into the day-to-day management of the organization.

(On board’s involvement in selecting a team president) I think that is Bob’s primary decision, and certainly if he asks for help in that, we will give him that type of help.

(On board accountability) I think the board has a number of constituent groups to which it is responsible for -- first of all to the organization, and certainly to the community. I think the board does put a local face out to the community, and that’s the hope -- that we can engage the community more in what the Bobcats are doing.

(On looking back at his conversations with NBA Commissioner David Stern and the expectations there were for a new team in Charlotte three years ago) David Stern has always been very supportive of the NBA in Charlotte, and what we talked about then is how we can best bring the NBA back to Charlotte. And certainly, with Bob Johnson’s involvement, I think we’ve done it in a way that has truly built a great foundation and can move forward in the future.

(On Stern watching from afar) I think the NBA is very interested in the success of Charlotte, because that leads to other opportunities for the league. David has been very supportive of everything that we’ve ever gone through in Charlotte and supportive of this franchise, and I think he will continue to be very supportive of making this a successful franchise.