September 2025 Membership Luncheon

Guest speaker: Leigh-Kathryn Bonner, CEO of Bee Downtown

In The Bee-ginning…

Bee Downtown started when Leigh-Kathryn Bonner, a fourth generation beekeeper, was in college and asked her landlord if she could keep honeybee hives at her apartment. When the answer was “no” she turned to American Tobacco Campus, also the location of the world headquarters of Burt’s Bees, where she was interning. The three hives she placed on the roof of that building attracted local media, and other companies started asking about bringing bees to their campuses as well.  

As more companies started adding hives to their campuses, employees were eager to learn and experience more. From the excitement, Bee Downtown found its sweet spot — creating experiences like hive tours, honey extractions, beekeeping classes & so much more.

The unexpected joy these experiences brought to our partners, as well as the employee goodwill and loyalty they created, forged the foundation for what has now become the Bee Downtown Corporate Hive Program.

Bee Downtown now operates over 500 hives with more than 100 of America’s Leading Corporations through their Corporate Hive Program in Raleigh/Durham, Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond, Washington DC, Tampa, and Orlando.

Leigh-Kathryn is the Founder and CEO of Bee Downtown and brings a wealth of knowledge of bees to the classroom, paired with a dynamic energy through her storytelling expertise and proven ability to build effective teams at such a young age. Leigh-Kathryn graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Carolina State University and is a Journeyman Beekeeper.

Join us for an inspiring presentation from Leigh-Kathryn and taste some local honey!

Registration closes at 3 pm Friday, September 12, 2025, or when capacity is reached.

Cancellations received after the registration deadline will not be refunded due to food and beverage guarantees already submitted. Substitutions may be permitted up to 24 hours before the event.

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