Motivated by Hope
Finding the best in people and community
In 1958, a father of five suddenly found himself as a single Dad when his former wife left him for another man. Realizing his children needed a better foundation than he could provide at the time,
he was forced to turn his children over for foster care services.
Carol Carlan was three years old when she went into foster care and experienced six different households before graduating from high school. With little money and less support, she made her way through college by working at a local bookstore, graduating from Pensacola State College. She also completed the Florida School of Banking program out of the University of Florida and has become one of the most impactful and inspiring women in the region.
A 2015 850 Business Magazine Pinnacle recipient, Carlan serves as this year’s keynote speaker, addressing our 11th Pinnacle Awards Luncheon on March 26, 2025, at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Her inspiring life story and many moments of resilience and hope have shaped who she is today.
As the first female president of Wachovia Bank, her career spanned more than 30 years. Carlan is also a prolific philanthropist, having served on over 35 nonprofit organizations, including as an emeritus member of the Pensacola State Foundation, inaugural chair of the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), and is the longest serving trustee of Pensacola State College Board of Trustees. She is also a founding member of The Pace Center of Girls Escambia/Santa Rosa and 125th chair of the Greater Pensacola Chamber.
I was invited back to participate in the Pensacola Chamber’s AlltogethHER event again this year, sponsored by Carol Carlan, where she and eight other women shared their stories. The positive reoccurring message throughout the day was to view life as an opportunity. Carlan does not see herself as a victim of circumstance, but instead, she feels lucky and grateful for the journey she has experienced and strives to impart the same hope she feels in others.
As an entrepreneur, leader, and businessperson in our community, I walked away from this event being motivated to share Carlan’s message of hope through positive actions. There are countless sources of negativity in every part of every day, but I choose to be a light for the people I encounter. When my day feels impossible, I think of the incredible people along my journey, and I find the hope I need to carry me forward. My mission is to be the same for the other people in my life.
As leaders, there are small ways we can give hope to others. We can mentor young professionals or connect them with someone in your network. A simple phone call might create opportunities for someone who is just starting out that might take them years to cultivate on their own. I aim to pay it forward as often as I am able because none of us have gotten to where we are alone. Though connected via Teams calls and social media 24/7, sometimes we are less connected than ever before, and many of us has forgotten that “it takes a village.” Despite our different backgrounds, we are all one community. When one of us is lifted, we are all lifted.
If we can look outside of screens, our problems, and our “self” for long enough, we can make our city, region, and state shine, one person at a time.
That is the message of Carol Carlan, which is evident in her life and her legacy. I walk each day, aiming to following in her footsteps, obliged to share her wisdom and grace with those in my path.
McKenzie Burleigh
mburleigh@palmbeachmedia.com
