1. (910) 483-8133 | 1019 Hay Street | Fayetteville, NC 28305 | fayettevillencchamber.org
CENTER FOR EMERGING BUSINESS
Diana Potts - Director
Biography- Diana Potts Director -Center for Emerging Business, a Fayetteville Regional Chamber initiative
An expert in small and diversity businesses as well as environmental and sustainability initiatives within the
government, Ms. Potts works with industry and educational institutions to help develop business opportunities
and provide training. She is considered a leading expert for small/ diversity businesses and served as NC
delegate to the Small Business Advisory Board to the White House in 2010 to 2012.
Ms. Potts has been involved in both an advisory and leadership capacity for numerous organizations. She played
a major role as an advisor with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality during the Hurricane
Katrina and Rita cleanup operations. Ms. Potts was also one of twenty top environmental leaders in the nation
chosen to join a Green Sustainability panel at the Pentagon, where she helped write the Department of
Defense’s Sustainability Plan which serves as the prototype for 36 other agencies. In 2011, Ms. Potts was
chosen as an industry advisor to the newly formed Army Energy Initiatives Task Force.
With over thirty years of experience, Ms. Potts has advised more than five thousand clients, identifying
opportunities and providing assistance in the procurement of government and commercial contracts. She
founded her own company, G and E Advisors (a woman owned, veteran owned small business), to advise small
and diversity businesses and has gained a reputation as one of the foremost experts on environmental issues
especially concerning remediation and disaster response clean up, water issues and renewable energy.
Ms. Potts continues to be in demand as a speaker and consultant. The Government of China invited her to speak
on environmental issues and participate in resolving them prior to the Olympics. She is also a regular lecturer
for the North Carolina Military Business Center, and has guest-lectured at Methodist University Boot Camp for
Entrepreneurs, Fayetteville State University, and the Solar Center at North Carolina State University.
Ms. Potts has delivered custom training, presentations, and webinars for national and regional events. Some of
the associations she has worked with include the General Services Administration, Department of Energy, the
National Air Force Environmental Training Symposium, NCSEA, SBA, SBDTC, PTAC, SCORE, NCDBA,
and NCMBC.
Ms. Potts is a successful business woman and entrepreneur. She was an Honorary Chairperson of the Business
Advisory Council in Washington, DC and has served as Vice President on the Board of Braxton- Bragg AUSA,
the largest chapter in the world. Ms. Potts currently sits on the Board of Sustainable Sandhills (a Fort Bragg
initiative). Ms. Potts has received numerous awards, including the Congressional Medal of Distinction for
Environmental Efforts, the Congressional Order of Merit, and the 2009 National Leadership Award. In 2009,
she was awarded Businesswoman of the Year for North Carolina and was honored at a dinner, with President
George W. Bush making a special guest appearance.