Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer Awarded 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman Of The Year
Queens University of Charlotte has proudly revealed its selection of Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, the esteemed president of Central Piedmont Community College, as the distinguished 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year. This accolade, now in its 38th year, stands as a tribute to outstanding female leaders who have left an indelible mark on the Charlotte region through their exceptional leadership and accomplishments.
Dr. Deitemeyer’s leadership role at Central Piedmont is underpinned by a rich tapestry of experience and expertise. With over three decades of involvement in community college administration across North Carolina, Kentucky, and Florida, she has garnered a well-deserved reputation. Her journey led her and her family to Charlotte in 2017, where she assumed the pivotal role of being the fourth president of the college.
In praise of Dr. Deitemeyer, Queens University President Dan Lugo extols, “Kandi is a dynamic leader, educator, businesswoman, and now the senior chief executive of Charlotte’s thriving higher education landscape. Her strategic vision and unwavering commitment to student success have transformed Central Piedmont into a driving force of economic growth for Charlotte while empowering countless students and their families to achieve greater economic mobility. It is a great privilege and honor to recognize her with this year’s Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award.”
As a product of the community college system herself, Dr. Deitemeyer has a profound appreciation for the transformative potential of institutions like Central Piedmont. Her unwavering dedication to ensuring student success and enhancing the student experience shines brightly.
Dr. Deitemeyer expresses her sentiments about the award, saying, “When I consider the women selected before me for this award, and when I reflect on the distinguished members of the selection committee, I am both honored and humbled. To be chosen as the 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year is such a wonderful distinction. I am so pleased and appreciative to join such an auspicious group of women.”
In addition to her pivotal role at Central Piedmont, Dr. Deitemeyer is an active participant in various local, statewide, and national committees. Locally, her involvement includes serving on the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, Leading on Opportunity Council, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Executive Committee, Charlotte Center City Partners Board of Directors, Novant Health Greater Charlotte Board of Trustees (Vice Chair), Charlotte Country Day School Board, and the Charlotte Regional Collaborative for a Global Workforce.
She remains an engaged member of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents and contributes to the future of community college leadership as an advisory board member for the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at North Carolina State University. On a national scale, she is a member of the Roc Solid Foundation Board and has previously served as an executive board member of the American Association of Community Colleges.
The title of Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year has historically been awarded to prominent figures in the Charlotte community, including Diane Morais, president of Consumer and Commercial Banking at Ally Financial Inc; Tanya S. Blackmon, former executive vice president and chief diversity, inclusion and equity officer for Novant Health; Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County Manager; Peggy Brookhouse, former president of Luquire George Andrews (LGA); and Carol Lovin, executive vice president and system chief of staff for Atrium Health.
The Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award is slated for presentation to Dr. Deitemeyer at a Queens luncheon on March 7, 2024.