Charlie Wright is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Denver in their Nonprofit Leadership master’s degree program, where he has taught an average of two courses per year since 2021.

Wright retired in 2024 after serving as the CFO and treasurer for the Denver Zoo and the Colorado Zoological Trust for nine years. Previously, he 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, restructurings/reorganizations, 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. For the past 20 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. He is also currently serving as the 2024 Sarratt Society Chair for the Owen School.

Wright is a member of the Strategic Planning Standing Board Committee. He previously served as chair of IMA’s Performance Oversight and Audit Standing Board Committee, chair of the Investment Subcommittee, Board liaison to the IMA Committee on Ethics, and on the Governance Standing Board Committee (for three years).

Wright earned his MBA from the Owen School at Vanderbilt University and a bachelor’s degree from Duke University.