In an exclusive Q&A, Adam Klein, a driving force behind the building and growth of American Underground, looks forward to a bigger role with Capitol Broadcasting. But he also has many fond memories about his role in the Triangle’s startup ecosystem.

Klein was named to a new role with CBC on Thursday and will more deeply involved in the firm’s American Tobacco Campus as well as its project in Rocky Mount. He will be replaced as head of the AU by Durham entrepreneur Doug Speight.

In five eyars at AU, Klein helped increase the startups and emerging entrepreneurial companies that utilize its spaces in Durham and Raleigh by nearly 10 fold.

Our Q&A:

  • Congratulations, Adam What excites you most about this role?

I’m excited to build on the things I’ve learned at AU and have a new view across multiple divisions and businesses. This broad strategy role will give me a unique vantage point and chance to work with the larger CBC family and team.

I can’t wait!

  • Why did you choose to accept this new role?

This is a unique role with a unique company. When CBC started American Underground in 2010, it was a risky and visionary step.

I’ve continued to be impressed by CBC’s commitment to business and community success—few private companies are able to work on both. My new role will allow me further CBC’s work on both fronts and hopefully lead to a better Durham and Rocky Mount.

  • How will this role differ from building AU?

At AU, I was singularly focused on entrepreneurship. In this new role, I’ll have the chance to take a broader view and have more tools to leverage.

  • What’s your proudest moment as you look back at the building of AU?

This is a hard one to answer.

If I had to pick one, it’d be when Google for Entrepreneurs selected American Underground as one of its tech hub partners in 2013.

From there, we’ve been able to partner with GFE to create impactful programs like Soar Triangle, the Google for Entrepreneurs Exchange: Black Founders edition, and send teams to demo day.

Watching AU teams take the crown at Demo Day was pretty awesome!

  • What message do you want to send to members of the AU community?

Thank you. I’m truly appreciative and inspired by the entrepreneurs and the team at American Underground.

We’ve done more than build a startup hub, we’ve built a true community and I’m grateful for that.

Going forward, there is much more work to be done—and a new playbook necessary to take the region’s entrepreneurial community to the next level. Doug is the person for the job.