Charles Wright, CMA, CGMA, CPA
Charlie Wright is currently the CFO and treasurer for the Denver Zoo and the Colorado Zoological Trust. Previously, Wright was senior VP, finance and administration, for two years at Mile High United Way. His prior background includes more than 14 years as a partner with Ernst & Young, where he led teams of professionals on financial advisory assignments, including merger and acquisition engagements, litigation services assignments, and major restructuring projects. He also spent more than 10 years as a C-level executive with a prominent private sports and entertainment company, including serving as general manager and CFO of the Colorado Rapids.
Wright has served as a member of the board of directors of many public companies and not-for-profit organizations. He has been a frequent guest speaker on a variety of topics, including mergers and acquisitions, sports management, business valuation, accounting standards and practices, and organizational management/leadership. He has published numerous articles in professional journals and currently serves on the editorial board for the Colorado Society of CPAs. He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver for their nonprofit leadership master’s degree program since 2021. For the past 19 years, he has been the principal percussionist for the Denver Pops Orchestra and previously served as the Pops’ president. He is also the nominating committee chair for the Duke University Colorado Region Alumni Board and received a Forever Duke Award for volunteer service in 2022.
Wright is the chair of IMA’s Executive Compensation Sub-Committee and serves as the Board Liaison to the IMA Committee on Ethics. He also currently serves on the Governance Committee, having formerly served on that Committee on two separate occasions. He previously served as chair of IMA’s Performance Oversight and Audit Standing Board Committee (PO&AC) and chair of the Investment Subcommittee.
Wright earned his MBA from the Owen School at Vanderbilt University and a bachelor’s degree from Duke University.
Wright has served as a member of the board of directors of many public companies and not-for-profit organizations. He has been a frequent guest speaker on a variety of topics, including mergers and acquisitions, sports management, business valuation, accounting standards and practices, and organizational management/leadership. He has published numerous articles in professional journals and currently serves on the editorial board for the Colorado Society of CPAs. He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver for their nonprofit leadership master’s degree program since 2021. For the past 19 years, he has been the principal percussionist for the Denver Pops Orchestra and previously served as the Pops’ president. He is also the nominating committee chair for the Duke University Colorado Region Alumni Board and received a Forever Duke Award for volunteer service in 2022.
Wright is the chair of IMA’s Executive Compensation Sub-Committee and serves as the Board Liaison to the IMA Committee on Ethics. He also currently serves on the Governance Committee, having formerly served on that Committee on two separate occasions. He previously served as chair of IMA’s Performance Oversight and Audit Standing Board Committee (PO&AC) and chair of the Investment Subcommittee.
Wright earned his MBA from the Owen School at Vanderbilt University and a bachelor’s degree from Duke University.
