Greater Winston-Salem Inc. and the Winston Under 40 Young Professionals Program recently named Devon Person, ISE advisory board member, as a 2024 Winston Under 40 Leadership Award recipient. This honor highlights Person’s exceptional leadership, career achievements and dedication to giving back to his community.
This year’s awards recognize young professionals who have made a significant impact in Winston-Salem. Person, currently a Vice President at Foot Locker, has a record of accomplishments that stands out. As the youngest VP at both Hanesbrands and Foot Locker, he was recognized as an ISE Outstanding Young Alumnus and for the College of Textiles in 2023. Reflecting on his ISE education, Person shared, “What I liked about ISE was the variety of skill sets you get exposed to,” adding that these skills helped him “lead large, diverse teams” in his career.
Person’s dedication to community shines through initiatives like the “Pipeline of Success,” a program he led with United Way. This project aims to inspire students in East Winston by connecting them with minority professionals. Person explained, “The goal was to establish consistent career days at the lower performing elementary and middle schools in East Winston by curating a series of minority professionals to come to engage with students on a regular basis so that those students could see a professional person that looked like them living in the same community to show them different paths to be successful.”
Julie Swann, head of NC State’s ISE department, praised Person’s contributions: “Devon and many other board members also demonstrate their leadership in service activities, such as engaging with students or faculty outside of board meetings.” She emphasized that board members serve as “advisors, ambassadors, active volunteers, and participants in our collaborative culture of philanthropy.”
For Person, the Leadership Award is deeply meaningful. “It’s humbling and inspiring to be recognized among so many philanthropic professionals in the city,” he said. Receiving the award motivates him to continue giving back to his community, and his work with young students brings him great pride.