Good morning! Today is Friday, September 18, 2026. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Good morning! It’s Tony. What happens to star athletes when their playing days are done? This morning, Carroll Walton examines the path of Joel Berry II, the point guard who helped lead the UNC Tar Heels to the national championship in basketball in 2017. He’s leaning on advice from his dad as he forges a career in finance and builds a family in Charlotte. And we’ve got more on the curious contracting decisions by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, with a look at the law firm at the center of the action. (We’ll keep digging on that story — don’t worry!) Plus plans to document Mecklenburg cemeteries, a look at the challenges of building hotels in Charlotte and more!
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Lessons from the former UNC star’s father are shaping his life and financial career after basketball
Joel Berry II , a former UNC point guard who helped lead the Tar Heels to the 2017 national championship, now lives in Charlotte and is a financial advisor for Oppenheimer & Co. (Basketball photo courtesy of Jeffrey A. Camarati, UNC Athletics; Photo on right by Carroll Walton for The Charlotte Ledger.)
by Carroll Walton
Long before Joel Berry II became the star point guard at UNC Chapel Hill and led the Tar Heels to the 2017 national championship, he rode to school with his father in a white Chevy pickup truck.
The passenger door handle was broken, so to get out every morning at the prestigious Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Fla., Berry had to roll down the window manually and open the door from the outside.
“Here I am amongst all those Mercedes-Benz and the Maseratis,” said his father, Joel Berry Sr., who relied on financial aid to send the third of his five children there.
Berry Sr. drove 25 miles from Apopka, Fla. to drop his son off at 6 a.m. on his way downtown for his job as a city inspector. The strength coach volunteered to meet the teenager there early.
Berry II benefited from extra gym time – the three-time “Florida Mr. Basketball” point guard still looks like he could take the court at age 31 – but those early morning conversations with his dad mattered more.
“That's when he instilled a lot of principles that have made me who I am,” Berry II said. “Riding in that white pickup truck.”
Now he’s instilling them in young athletes. Last month, Berry took a position as a financial advisor with Oppenheimer & Co. He’s based in Charlotte but commutes weekly to Winston-Salem as a part of its Robinson Private Client Group, engaging college and high school athletes navigating Name, Image, and Likeness.
Carroll Walton is a longtime journalist and freelance writer who now authors The Ledger’s weekly Fútbol Friday newsletter on Charlotte FC. Reach her at [email protected].
Despite what it might look like, the law firm at the center of CMS contractor payments, Poyner Spruill, is actually legit, local lawyers say
The news that emerged from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools this week — that a Raleigh law firm hired by the school board was paying an associate of the school board chair $30K a month and billing CMS for the cost – had some Ledger readers wondering: What’s the deal with this law firm?
Related Ledger article:
“Crystal Hill memo details CMS turmoil” (Sept. 17)
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Quotable: School board member pushes back on Hill memo
CMS school board vice chair Dee Rankin, quoted by WSOC responding to this week’s memo from Crystal Hill that suggested board chair Stephanie Sneed pushed for contracts without the board’s or Hill’s approval:
I’m not for sure what she is referring to, but that is not behavior that this board has participated in. So, she can have her feelings, but as of right now that’s not what we participate in as a board. … We did our job. We did our due diligence. We brought Dr. Hill back after we had our findings. You will hear about those findings later on this month. But at the same time, you saw that memo. Some of those things are her perspective. That doesn’t make it true.
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➡️ What questions do you have about the CMS law firm and contractor payments, Stephanie Sneed and Crystal Hill? We’ll try to get them answered. Email us.
🪦 Grave concerns: New committee digs into Charlotte’s forgotten cemeteries
The Historic Landmarks Commission plans to document the county’s burial grounds, especially small family cemeteries. (Photo: Lawrence Toppman for The Charlotte Ledger)
Some of Mecklenburg County’s oldest burial grounds are at risk of being forgotten amid Charlotte’s development boom — or even erased. Now, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission is working to find and document them before they disappear.
REAL ESTATE WHISPERS
Real Estate Whispers is our weekly look at commercial real estate development, debates and debacles — with plenty of scoops and information you won’t find anywhere else.
400 South Tryon in uptown will include a W Hotel (Rendering courtesy of Spandrel Development Group)
🏨 Why, despite corporate jobs boom and population growth, hotel development has been slow to come back post-Covid.
💼 Catching up with CBRE’s new market leader, Denise Dexter, and Brett Gray, whom she succeeds
⛏ Demolition order filed for 99-year-old uptown building
🤑 One of Forbes’ wealthiest Americans has roots in Charlotte CRE
🏫 Two developers will soon pitch plans for historic Huntersville site
🏡 A buyer is interested in antebellum farmhouse property
📝 A wrap-up of land deals and real estate news from us and other sources
Charlotte nets more tennis
Some of the world’s top women’s tennis players — like Coco Gauff (above) — are headed to Charlotte starting in 2027, when the WTA Finals will begin a three-year run at Spectrum Center, aided by a $14.4M state grant. The WTA also plans to move its headquarters to Charlotte, adding another major sports organization to the city. Read the full story online. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Know a 20- or 30-something who could use a little more confidence with money? Send them our way.
The Charlotte Ledger is hosting “Facing Your Financial Fears: Smart Money Across Generations,” a free four-part October series at The Mint Museum. The first two sessions are geared toward Gen Z and millennials, tackling real-world questions about budgeting, 401(k)s, saving for a house, insurance and more.
Local experts will offer practical advice and answer questions — and we’re making it social, with drinks and heavy snacks included. The sessions are free, but registration is requested.
The series is presented by Dyer and Company, with Huntington National Bank as banking sponsor and support from The Mint Museum and Caregiving Corner.
Parents: Forward this to your adult kids. And Gen Xers and Boomers, don’t worry — we have sessions for you, too!
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
SEPTEMBER 22: “‘Once Upon a Time in Harlem’ - Movie and Talkback,” 7:30-9:30 p.m., at Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St. A decade after his death, genre-defying filmmaker William Greaves has one last trick up his sleeve with what he considered the most important event he captured on film: a 1972 party he engineered with the living luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance. $15/ticket.
SEPTEMBER 22: “Coffee with the Chamber,” 8:30-9:30 a.m., at Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas, 1701 N. Graham St., Suite 100. Join the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce for an invigorating morning event that brings together coffee lovers and business professionals from across the Charlotte area. Whether you're a startup founder, a seasoned executive or just a morning person, this event is the perfect opportunity to brew new connections and spark innovative conversations. Registration required. Free for members. $5 for non-members.
SEPTEMBER 26: “ISF 5K for Kids with Cancer,” 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Rea Farms, 9930 Sandy Rock Place. The Isabella Santos Foundation 5K for Kids Cancer, presented by Uwharrie Bank, returns September 26 at Rea Farms. Featuring a timed 5K, one-mile fun run, Kids Zone, foam party, music, vendors and family activities, there's something for everyone. Proceeds support local families receiving care at Levine Children's Hospital and Novant Hemby Children's Hospital. $15-$25.
SEPTEMBER 29: “Regional Transportation Summit 2026,” 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., at TPC Piper Glen, 4300 Piper Glen Drive. Join South Charlotte Partners and top leaders for a pivotal discussion on the future of transportation and mobility in South Charlotte! As the region continues to evolve, South Charlotte Partners is excited to convene an impactful discussion with key state and local leaders to explore the current landscape and future vision for transportation in the area. $108.55/ticket.
In brief
UNC football resignation: UNC football’s defensive coordinator, Steve Belichick, is resigning after the university concluded an investigation into the football program’s culture and conduct, finding isolated actions that disregarded university standards but not a systemic failure. (Yahoo News)
Lobbyists cut deal with prosecutors: Wake County prosecutors will dismiss charges against three lobbyists in a public-corruption investigation involving allegations that gambling and liquor interests helped fund lavish trips and other benefits for N.C. lawmakers as the state considered legalizing sports betting. The lobbyists must complete ethics training and pay $1,000 each, while a fourth lobbyist remains under investigation. (WRAL)
Trump rallies for Whatley in Gastonia: President Donald Trump campaigned Wednesday evening for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, using the rally to criticize Democratic nominee Roy Cooper on crime and other issues. (WFAE)
Charlotte marks 10 years since 2016 uprising: A decade after Keith Lamont Scott’s fatal police shooting sparked days of protest, Charlotte leaders and activists are reflecting on how the unrest reshaped individual lives and local politics. The anniversary also revives questions about how much the city itself has changed on policing, race and civic activism. (Observer)
UNC schools may seek another tuition hike: UNC System campuses can again propose in-state undergraduate tuition increases of up to 3% for students entering in 2027-28. Supporters cite inflation and rising operating costs, while some Board of Governors members worry repeated hikes could undermine the system’s affordability goals. (News & Observer)