Wake Forest Baptist Names Belk Executive Chief Human Resources Officer

August 15, 2016

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has named Lilicia Bailey, M.B.A., vice president and chief human resources officer, effective Aug. 29.

Bailey will join the Wake Forest Baptist from the Charlotte-based department store company Belk Inc., where she has served as executive vice president and chief people officer since 2013. In her new position, Bailey will be responsible for human resources across all Medical Center enterprises.

“Lilicia brings great depth and breadth of experience to this position,” said Chad Eckes, M.B.A., Wake Forest Baptist’s executive vice president, corporate services, and chief financial officer. “She is a proven human resources leader in large, multisite, service-oriented organizations with a track record of successful change management, talent acquisition, employee engagement and HR effectiveness.”

Prior to working at Belk, Bailey was senior vice president, business services, and chief people officer at Manheim Auctions, the world's largest wholesale automobile auction company based on trade volume. Before that she served in a variety of positions at the home improvement retailer Home Depot Inc., including director of human resources/customer service operations and director of inclusion and organizational effectiveness compliance officer.

Bailey has been named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Corporate America” by Black Enterprise magazine and among the “Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America” by Savoy Magazine.

Bailey holds a B.A. from Spelman College, an M.A. from the Keller Graduate School of Management and an Executive M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

At Wake Forest Baptist, Bailey will succeed Cheryl E.H. Locke, who is now the Medical Center’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. 

Media Relations

Mac Ingraham: mingraha@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-3487

Joe McCloskey: jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-1273