CORNELIUS, N.C. – Twenty-five years after a day that forever changed America, the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce will host a special Focus Friday: Remembering September 11, 2001 on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, 19900 West Catawba Avenue in Cornelius – Randy Marion Board Room.

This special Lunch & Learn will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, remembering the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives and honoring the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of the first responders and ordinary citizens who answered the call that day.

This will not simply be a historical discussion. Featured speakers Winston Kelley and Pat Jackson will share their personal, firsthand perspectives of September 11, 2001. Both men were directly involved in the events and aftermath of that historic day.

Kelley, now Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Vice President of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, was attending a Chamber of Commerce event in Washington DC on September 11, 2001, when the attacks occurred. Kelley, who served on the Lake Norman Chamber Board of Directors and Executive Committee from 1999 through 2002, will reflect on where he was, what he witnessed and experienced as the events unfolded, and the profound impact that day had on him and the nation.

Joining Kelley will be Pat Jackson, who was a first responder in New York City on September 11, 2001. Jackson will provide the extraordinary perspective of someone who was there as first responders confronted an unimaginable crisis. He will share his memories of that day and reflect on the courage, sacrifice and service demonstrated by firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel and citizens in the face of tragedy.

“September 11 is one of those rare moments in our history when nearly everyone who lived through it remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing,” said Bill Russell, President and CEO of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. “But Winston Kelley and Pat Jackson bring perspectives that go far beyond simply remembering where they were. They were personally involved in the events of that day, and Pat experienced it as a first responder in New York City.”

Russell added, “Twenty-five years later, we have an entire generation of young Americans who were not yet born when the attacks occurred. We believe it is important to hear these stories firsthand, to remember those whose lives were lost, and especially to honor the remarkable courage of the first responders who ran toward danger when others were trying desperately to escape it.”

Before joining the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority in 2006, Kelley spent more than 27 years with Duke Power and Duke Energy in a variety of managerial and executive positions, including Vice President of Government and Community Relations and Vice President of Economic and Business Development. Ten of those years were spent at McGuire Nuclear Station.

Kelley was the first employee hired at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in August 2006 and was part of the leadership team responsible for its design, development, construction and opening in May 2010. A longtime motorsports broadcaster, he also spent more than three decades covering NASCAR, including 18 years as lead pit reporter for the Motor Racing Network.

The September 11 program will provide attendees an opportunity to hear two very personal accounts of an extraordinary moment in American history while reflecting upon the lives lost, the heroism displayed and the remarkable unity Americans demonstrated in the days and weeks following the attacks.

Lunch will be provided courtesy of Jimmy John’s of Lake Norman and Chick-fil-A Lake Norman. The Presenting Sponsor of Focus Friday is Novant Health – Huntersville Medical Center.  Media sponsors include Cornelius Today and WSIC.

Because of the intimate and personal nature of the program, in-person attendance is limited to the first 25 participants. Advance RSVP and registration are required by visiting Focus Friday 9/11.

EVENT DETAILS

Focus Friday: Remembering September 11, 2001 – 25 Years Later

Friday, September 11, 2026
11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce
Randy Marion Board Room
19900 West Catawba Avenue
Cornelius, NC

Featured Speakers:
Winston Kelley – Executive Director, NASCAR Hall of Fame
Pat Jackson – September 11 First Responder

Attendance: Limited to the first 25 registered participants

Lunch: Courtesy of Jimmy John’s of Lake Norman and Chick-fil-A Lake Norman

The Lake Norman Chamber invites members of the business community and community leaders to join this special 25th anniversary remembrance as we honor those who were lost, recognize those who answered the call to serve, and ensure that the lessons and sacrifices of September 11 are never forgotten.

September 11, 2001 — We Will Never Forget.