Bank of America executive helped launch museum’s Collections Initiative
Charles Bowman, North Carolina and Charlotte market president for Bank of America, has joined The Mint Museum’s Board of Trustees for a two-year term, effective immediately.
On the board, which holds governance and fiduciary responsibilities, Board Chair Jay Everette, Community Affairs Manager of Wells Fargo’s Social Responsibility Group, welcomes Bowman to a diverse powerhouse roster that also includes executives from Wells Fargo, PNC, Duke Energy, Novant Health, Johnson C. Smith University, Moore and Van Allen, and Belk, as well as many dedicated community leaders. Bowman recently joined the Mint’s President & CEO, Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, to announce the launch of a Collections Initiative to acquire major new works of art for the museum’s collection. Bank of America kicked off the initiative with the donation of a monumental work by Sam Francis from its corporate collection. The painting is a well-known fixture in the atrium of the Mint Museum Uptown.
“Given the critical role that arts and cultural institutions play in our economy, the Mint has always maintained close ties with the city’s business community, and we are thrilled to deepen our longstanding connections with Bank of America and welcome Charles to our board,” said Jameson.
“It’s an honor to join The Mint Museum’s board of trustees to help further its mission of being a world-class institution that offers local programming and cements Charlotte as a cultural destination,” said Bowman. “Not only does the Mint inspire and educate this community, but it drives economic vitality by creating a place where people come to experience the past and imagine the future.”
As state and market president, Bowman is responsible for integrating and delivering the company’s resources to communities and customers. Bowman joined Bank of America in 1996 as associate general counsel in the Legal department. In 1999, he was named Global Compliance executive and in 2007 became the market president. Prior to joining Bank of America, Bowman was a partner in a law firm where his practice focused on corporate and financing transactions. He also previously served as the associate director of the John Motley Morehead Foundation in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
A native of North Carolina, Bowman grew up in Thomasville. He earned his bachelor’s degree with honors in American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated in 1978 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. In 1982, he received both a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina Law School and a master’s degree in Public Policy Analysis from Duke University.
Active in community affairs, Bowman has served on various boards for organizations the United Way, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, Project L.I.F.T., Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation and the Metro YMCA. Bowman and his wife Mary have two sons and reside in Charlotte.
Bank of America played a critical role in the Cultural Facilities Campaign which raised funds for the construction of Mint Museum Uptown as part of the Levine Center for the Arts campus. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation contributed $15 million to the campus. Under the leadership of former CEO Hugh McColl, the bank also donated the former Montaldo’s building on North Tryon Street to the Mint in 1999 to become the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, which later became a part of Mint Museum Uptown at its 2010 opening.
Most recently, Bank of America has joined the museum’s Corporate Leadership Circle at the Chairman level and has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the Inaugural Mint Museum Spring Fundraising Gala, entitled “Celebrating American Classics.” The gala is scheduled for May 10 at Mint Museum Randolph and tickets are on sale at mintmuseum.org/gala.