Queens University names acting president, CEO

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Queens University of Charlotte has named Jesse Cureton as its acting president and CEO following a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees.

Cureton, who served as board chair for the university, assumes the position following the departure of Queens’ 21st president, Daniel G. Lugo, in June.

He will serve as acting president while the university prepares for the next phase of identifying its permanent president.

We are incredibly fortunate that Jesse stepped forward to accept this role. His deep institutional connection and extensive leadership experience will provide critical continuity as we move forward with the national search for our next president. As anyone who has been involved in a leadership search can attest, the process is not entirely predictable. Our work has been even more challenging given the effects of the rapidly changing higher education landscape. We remain fully committed to finding the right long-term leader for Queens University.
Watts Hamrick, Queens trustee and chair of the transition committee

With Cureton’s transition to acting president, he now serves on the board in an ex officio capacity.

Brandon Perry has been named the acting chair of Queens’ Board of Trustees. Perry joined the Queens board in 2017 and has served as chair of the finance and audit committee and, most recently, as board vice chair.

Cureton previously served as chief consumer officer and executive vice president at Novant Health, where he spearheaded the organization’s rebranding initiative to unify the system. His leadership extended to various business areas, including payor contracting, marketing, public relations, community engagement, foundations, and corporate health.

Prior to healthcare, Cureton spent 25 years at Bank of America. He has held leadership roles on numerous boards, including UNC-Chapel Hill, HomeTrust Bancshares, and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.

As acting president, Cureton will lead the university by maintaining momentum on key institutional initiatives; supporting students, faculty, and staff; overseeing financial management; and ensuring operational and academic excellence during the search for a permanent president.

In addition to an MBA from Queens University, Cureton has completed executive programs at Harvard Business School and The Wharton School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from UNC.