Jan. 25, 2016

Charles Thomas has a new gig, and a lot of people will be paying attention to him.

Thomas on Monday was named program officer in Charlotte for the Knight Foundation, succeeding Susan Patterson, who retired.

Thomas will be the Knight Foundation’s lead officer in Charlotte, where the foundation has roots back into the 1950s Charlotte where the Knight brothers owned the city’s morning and then also its evening daily newspaper. The national Foundation donates more tha $100 million annually, focusing on 26 cities where the Knight brothers operated their newspapers.

The announcement from Knight Foundation President Alberto Ibargüen is here. The announcement from Queen City Forward board chair Shay Prosser is here.

Thomas was founding executive director in 2011 of Queen City Forward. He was director of education at the Light Factory Contemporary Museum of Photography and Film in Charlotte from 2003 to 2011. He collaborated with Valaida Fullwood in producing Giving Back, a 2011 book chronicling stories of philanthropy among African Americans.