Derick S. Close

Derick Springs Close graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University in 1982, and in 1990, Derick earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Derick is Chairman and CEO of Springs Creative, a diversified private textile and creative service business, with interests in retail, technical, and digital markets. Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Springs Creative’s logistics operations have distribution and quality control activities in the Carolinas, California, and global service offices in Shanghai.

Derick also serves as Chairman of Springsteen Capital and as President of Springsteen Properties and Springsteen Logistics. He serves on the executive board of the Springs Companies, the Carolina Regional Business Authority, the Charlotte Regional YMCA Board, the UNC Global Board, the Palmetto Business Forum, and the Board of Trustees of Johnson and Wales University. He was previously on the Trustee Board at North Carolina State University, and the UNC System Board. He served as Chairman of the South Carolina Business Alliance, and as the Chairman of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Alliance. He is a member of Young Presidents’ Association, Young Presidents’ Association Gold, and Chief Executives Organization.

He is a past partner in the Carolina Panthers and current partner of the Winston Salem Dash, a Minor League Baseball Team.

Derick is a member of the Loyal Order, has been inducted into the Smith and Frampton Province Courts of Honor, and is a 10-year member of the Crimson & Gold Society. He was also a donor to the Kappa Alpha Order Educational Foundation’s “Honoring our Past, Securing our Future” campaign. In 2011, Derick was first elected to the KAOEF board, serving in numerous capacities including Chairman since 2019.

Derick and his wife Sallie reside in Charlotte, North Carolina, and have three adult children: Baxter, Claude, Craddock, and one grandson, Jack.