Cathy Bessant is stepping down as CEO of the Foundation for the Carolinas, effective Thursday, according to an internal memo shared with foundation staff and obtained by WFAE.
Bessant is a longtime Charlotte banking executive and former Bank of America leader who took over the foundation in 2024. In the memo, foundation officials praised her leadership and said she helped strengthen the organization’s finances during her two years in the position.
Foundation President Laura Yates Clark will assume responsibility for the organization’s day-to-day operations, the memo said.
The Foundation for the Carolinas manages more than $4 billion in charitable assets across the region.
