North Carolina Community Foundation elects Kack Harrison Hardin as new board chair; William Brody joins board | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH, N.C.     The Board of Directors of the North Carolina Community Foundation has elected Katharine "Kack" Harrison Hardin as its 10th chair. Hardin succeeds Steven W. Wangerin who served as chair since 2021.

    A member of the board since 2014, Hardin previously served as Vice Chair/Treasurer and Finance Chair.

    Hardin, a native of Rocky Mount, N.C., is currently the office administrator for James C. Hardin III, PLLC. Following a career as a congressional staff member and a vice president/secretary of NationsBank (now Bank of America) in the Foundation and Endowment Trust Group, Hardin assisted her husband in establishing his own law firm which specializes in trust and estate planning.

    She currently lives in Rock Hill, S.C., and has been involved as a board member for Saint Mary's School in Raleigh and the YMCA of Upper Palmetto, a member of the Junior Leagues of Washington, D.C., and Charlotte as well as a committed community volunteer. Hardin received her degrees from Saint Mary's Junior College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    "I am grateful for the opportunity to further serve North Carolina and I'm proud to be joined by a group of strong servant leaders," Hardin said. "I'm looking forward to continuing NCCF's forward momentum of growth and providing strong philanthropic support of North Carolina's rural communities."

    Wangerin stepped in as chair after the death of Rodney E. Martin. Wangerin is the executive vice president and chief credit officer for Coastal Bank & Trust in Jacksonville. He has a long history of involvement with NCCF and is a founding member of the Onslow Caring Community Foundation, an affiliate of NCCF.

    "My involvement with NCCF began more than two decades ago and I'm honored to have had the opportunity to lead the board," Wangerin said. "I am proud of the work this organization accomplished during my tenure, including distributing $5.5 million through the North Carolina Healing Communities Fund in support of nonprofits impacted by the pandemic."

    "Steve followed in the footsteps of a strong leader and Kack does the same. She is a steady leader who brings a deep understanding of the needs across our state," says Jennifer Tolle Whiteside, NCCF President & CEO. "As we enter our 35th year, she will provide the stability and support we need to continue to grow as we serve our communities."

    Additionally, William Brody, of Raleigh, joined the board as a member at large. Originally from Greenville, N.C., Brody is the co-founder and CEO of Nooshee Inc., a biotechnology company focused on creating products in the women's and family health space. Nooshee's first product, a novel breast pump, is actively in development.

    Brody earned an undergraduate degree from Duke University in Economics in 2012 and an M.B.A. from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in 2018. Prior to his time at Nooshee, William founded and managed BlueDot Properties, a real estate investment firm focused on value-add opportunities in eastern and central North Carolina.

    He currently serves on the Board of Visitors for the Fuqua School of Business, chairs the Investment Committee for the East Carolina University Medical and Health Sciences Foundation and sits on the Greenville, N.C., regional board for Towne Bank.

    About the North Carolina Community Foundation

    The North Carolina Community Foundation is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and has administered more than $217 million in grants since its inception in 1988. With more than $440 million in assets, NCCF sustains more than 1,200 endowments established to provide long-term support of a broad range of community needs, nonprofit organizations, institutions and scholarships.

    NCCF partners with a network of affiliate foundations to provide local resource allocation and community assistance across the state. An important component of NCCF's mission is to ensure that rural philanthropy has a voice at the local, regional and national levels.

    To learn more, visit nccommunityfoundation.org.


   Contact: Amy Dominello Braun
   Senior Communications & Marketing Officer for the North Carolina Community Foundation
   Email: abraun@nccommunityfoundation.org
   Phone: 919-256-6922