Kristi Coleman is CEO of Tepper Sports & Entertainment and president of the Carolina Panthers. She oversees business operations for the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC and Bank of America Stadium. She helped secure the Charlotte City Council’s vote for a joint $800 million renovation to the stadium. She’s also a mother of two school-aged sons.
Coleman, who grew up at Fair Play, S.C., near Lake Hartwell, Ga., graduated from Clemson with undergraduate and master’s degrees in accounting. She shares insight into how she went from studying spreadsheets to advocating for the overhaul of Bank of America Stadium.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START WITH THE PANTHERS?
I graduated with my master’s from Clemson in December of ‘07, then started at Deloitte in January of ‘08. Most people were already assigned to other jobs. The Panthers needed someone to do their (auditing), so I got assigned to them. I was the envy of the office. It’s really serendipitous. I ended up in the right place at the right time.
HOW DID YOU MAKE THE JUMP FROM DELOITTE TO THE PANTHERS?
I left Deloitte for a brief stint at a manufacturing company in Gastonia. I was newly married and thinking, “I need to spend more time at home.” But I realized all of a sudden, the grass isn’t always greener. Deloitte wasn’t making me work crazy hours; I was working crazy hours. I was happy doing what I was doing. I had a clear trajectory. I liked the people I was with. Within two weeks, I was back on the phone with Deloitte. They took me back. Three months later, the Panthers called.
WHEN DAVID TEPPER BOUGHT THE PANTHERS FROM JERRY RICHARDSON HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE TRANSITION?
Two months after we were told Mr. Richardson was going to sell the team, I found out I was pregnant with my son, Charlie. I thought I was going to lose my job. I thought, “I’m just going to do the best I can.” I met Dave and got to know some of the people on his team through the process. That was helpful because they were the people I ended up working with and still work with now. Dave bought the team in July, and I got to keep my job. It's been great.
HOW DID YOU EARN TEPPER’S TRUST?
I showed up. Whatever questions they had, I answered whenever they asked them. I was available all the time. It wasn’t much more than that.
WAS THERE EVER A TIME YOU HAD A CHILD IN THE TUB AND THE PHONE RANG WITH ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS?
That's great about Dave; it always has been. He could call anytime, but if he heard kids in the background when I was at soccer or baseball fields, he'd say, “What's going on?” I'll say, “I'm at the game,” or “My boys are in the car.” He'll say, “Wait until later and call me back.” He's always respectful of my time with my kids. People don't realize Dave's actually very close with family and his friends. That's important to him. He's got a grandson and a granddaughter now. He's always with them. He and Nicole (his wife) care a lot about family time.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN THE WORK YOU’VE DONE WITH TSE?
The stadium renovation. The city/private partnership with them (TSE), their $650 million, $150 million from us and an additional $421 million over the period of the contract. Getting that done and demonstrating what the stadium means to the community is probably the proudest moment.
WHAT DID IT REQUIRE OF YOU?
A lot of work. It started the day they put me in the role of team president. For whatever reason, there was some distrust. I was a person behind a computer screen in my Excel spreadsheets. No one knew me, and probably not really Dave that well, either. I felt like I had to get out there and make relationships. I've got to get to know people. I've got to figure this out.
HOW DID YOU DO THAT?
Charlotte is such a relationship community. That is so important to what this region really is. What allowed us to get that done was us building relationships and being able to show, “This is what we have been doing, this is what we're doing and this is what we're going to do.” I had a lot of phone calls to make, a lot of lunches.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO THRIVE IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY?
Not to worry about being in a male-dominated industry. I don’t get caught up in male, female, any of that stuff. You just have to do your job and focus on doing a good job.
WHICH IS HARDER: BEING CEO OF TEPPER SPORTS OR A MOM?
I feel very lucky to be able to do both. Both have their demands, and both have their own time. I try to be present where I am, in the moment, but I also try to integrate my family into my work life. My kids and my husband mean the world to me, but I think I've been successful in doing both. They’re not mutually exclusive.
DO YOU BRING YOUR KIDS TO EVENTS?
I brought them to the (Charlotte FC jersey) launch. They come to all the games, both Panthers and Charlotte FC. They love every minute of it. They haven’t been to any concerts yet. It's way past their bedtime.
WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT CHARLOTTE AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES HERE?
What I think makes this region so special is these relationships. I just had a CELC (Charlotte Executive Leadership Council) meeting with all the major companies in Charlotte and their CEOs. That doesn't happen everywhere. You’ve got Bank of America and Ally sitting right next to each other at the table. We have great leaders in this community who want to work together.
WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE TO EAT OR SHOP IN TOWN, WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TOS?
During the week, when my kids have baseball and other things, we like to pop into Providence Road Sundries for dinner. It’s laid back. They can be noisy. We see local folks there. I do like to shop; the NFL has a partnership with Veronica Beard. They’re one of my favorites. I like Kendra Scott. They’re a partner of ours, too. I like David Yurman.
HOW DO YOU DRESS FOR SUCCESS?
I get my hair done. I don't miss nail appointments. And I think it's important to have earrings, a bracelet, a necklace on and rings. I typically wear a blazer. It just makes me feel finished. The look is complete.
WITH THE PANTHERS MAKING THEIR FIRST PLAYOFF RUN SINCE 2018 LAST SEASON, WHAT’S THE ENERGY AROUND THE TEAM RIGHT NOW?
From the week leading up to our home playoff game through the final snap, the support was incredible. That connection between the team and the community made it a special moment for the organization. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and the momentum we’re building.
"I try to be present where I am, but I also try to integrate my family into my work life."