ROB ENGEL
Managing Director & Chairman of Banking, Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Bank
Rob and his wife Mary have made Charlotte home since 2005, when Rob joined Wachovia to help lead the M&A business and, later, Wells Fargo’s Investment Bank.
Rob and Mary are blessed to have four children Robert (28) Currie (26) Owen (24) and Hunter (21). Rob grew up in New Jersey, New York and London. He attended St Paul’s School in London and graduated from Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. He thanks his lucky stars that he met Mary, the love of his life, at Princeton University where they were classmates.
Rob has been active in the Charlotte community, serving on the Boards of Charlotte Center City Partners, Opera Carolina, Queens University and The Wells Fargo Championship. He has also channeled his life-long love of playing sports into coaching a host of youth sports — namely lacrosse and ice hockey — in Charlotte. Beyond the Queen City, Rob is also active as a Board member with several organizations that underscore his commitment to inclusion and education including the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, (Washington, DC), Westminster Kennel Club (NYC) Ivy Club (Princeton, NJ) and St Paul’s School (London).
Professionally, Rob has worked for over 35 years in the financial services industry. He is passionate about providing clients, from Fortune 100 companies to family-run enterprises, expert corporate and investment banking advice and execution across mergers & acquisitions, capital structure solutions, debt & equity financings and restructurings. Rob has held senior leadership positions across the Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Bank since 2008 and currently serves as Chairman of Banking. Prior to joining Wachovia/Wells Fargo, Rob helped establish Gleacher Partners, an independent corporate advisory boutique, headquartered in New York, in 1990. He led Gleacher’s mergers & acquisitions business for many years and opened and ran Gleacher’s London office from 2000 to 2003. Before Gleacher, he worked at the merchant bank Morgan Grenfell in both London and New York from 1986 to 1990.
GET TO KNOW ROB
- Dancing Experience: Highly limited other than Bruce Springsteen-inspired dancing in the dark, and in the kitchen with Mary and the kids.
- Fun Fact: I played the part of Oliver Twist — a starving orphan – in a small NJ production of the musical “Oliver’’ when I was a boy.
- Why did you choose to support Charlotte Ballet? Charlotte is an amazing city full of talented and dynamic people. The Arts community is a critical part of that vibrancy, and I have seen first-hand through my Board work — at Charlotte Center City Partners and Opera Carolina – how important it is to support and grow wonderful institutions like the Charlotte Ballet. The Ballet represents one of the many cultural gems in the city and does so much to enhance personal/cultural experiences, attract artists to our community, and make it a joy to live and work here.
NADINE BARTON
Seasons with Charlotte Ballet: 4
Nadine, born in California, received most of her classical ballet training at Artistic Dance Center of Doral in Miami. Other experiences include performing with Miami City Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet as an apprentice, Sarasota Ballet as a trainee, and Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami as a soloist. She then danced with Alabama Ballet for 5 years. Some of her favorite roles were Myrtha in Giselle, Coffee and Demi Flowers in Balanchine’s Nutcracker, and Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty.
In their 2018/19 Season, Nadine was commissioned to create WATTS, a new work which the company premiered in April 2019. She’s been recognized in competitions such as the Youth American Grand Prix, where she earned Gold in 2011 semifinals; the American Dance Competition, where she won the Traditional Excellence Award for the pas de deux of Giselle Act ll; and the Honorary Fernando Bujones Excellence Award. She was also a 2012 finalist of the YoungArts organization. In the summer of 2018, she was one of 60 dancers chosen worldwide to take part in Netherlands Dans Theater’s Summer Intensive in Den Haag.
GET TO KNOW NADINE
- Hometown: Miami, FL
- Dancing since: Age 3
- When did you know you wanted to become a dancer: My very first ballet teacher brought her pointe shoes to class once. I must have been 4 or 5 years old, but I clearly remember my little legs swimming in her shoes with the ribbons wrapped and tied, and just knowing that I wanted to grow into my own pair and become a ballerina.
- What do you like to do when you’re not dancing: I love being outside, being around people I love and who inspire me, as well as continuing my practice in yoga. I also have two beautiful cats, Quinn and Ira who both have giant personalities. Never a dull moment with my fur babies.
ROOF ABOVE
Affordable Housing and homelessness are key issues for the Charlotte to address moving forward. Roof Above is a powerful and effective organization to help Charlotteans work together to improve the lives and welfare of those who have fallen on difficult circumstances and need housing support.
Roof Above is an interfaith, not-for-profit organization whose mission is uniting our community to end homelessness, one life at a time. Its vision is for every person to have the opportunity for safety, stability, and the dignity of home. Roof Above was born out of the merger of Urban Ministry Center and Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, two prominent organizations, long recognized as community leaders in homeless services.
LEADERS AT A GLANCE
Check out the fundraising competition live via the Star Dancer leaderboard. Support your favorite Star Pair and cast your vote today by purchasing tickets or making a donation. All ticket sales and donations received are split 50/50 with Charlotte Ballet and the Star Dancer’s chosen charity. $1=1 Vote! On March 4, the People’s Choice Award will be presented to the Star Pair with the most funds raised. Judges’ Choice Award is presented to the Star Pair the judges determine had the best moves.
Total: $1,441,521
Thank you to our sponsors
- Prima
- Relevé
- Plié
- Pirouette
- Arabesque
