Greater by Contemporary Media

The magazine of the Greater Memphis Chamber V O L U M E

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CONTENTS

The magazine of the Greater Memphis Chamber V O L U M E

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Entrepreneurship 7 L E T TCouncil E R F Council ROM THE PRESIDENT Agribusiness

The Chamber has achieved many goals, with big plans ahead. GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER GREATER CHAMBER ■ B Y T E D TMEMPHIS OWNSEND

Government11Affairs Committee BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Corporate HQ Council

GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

13 G R E A TMEMPHIS E R S T A FCHAMBER F GREATER

16 C H A I R M A N ’ S C I R C L E Music Council Food & Beverage Council

Chairman’s Circle Marks First Decade

GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

The operative word CHAMBER is growth. ■ B Y F R A N K M U R TA U G H GREATER MEMPHIS

16 P A S T , P R E S E N T , A N D F U T U R E Small Business Council Healthcare &Back, Medical Innovation Looking Looking Forward Council

What began as aCHAMBER riverbluff trading post has grown into one of GREATER MEMPHIS GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

America’s great cities. Here’s how it happened, and what’s ahead.

Women's Business 30 EChain C O N OLogistics MICS Supply Council

Economic Development and the Greater Memphis Chamber GREATER GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

The Chamber is uniquely positioned to make this city an attraction for businesses around the world. ■ B Y J O N W. S P A R K S

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S M A L L B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S ■ B Y S A M U E L X . C I C C I

GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

Sandra Bailey – Women Financial Power A little networking goes a long way for Sandra Bailey’s business prospects. Young Professionals Council Chuck Strong – Piano’s Flowers and Gifts GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER At Piano’s Flowers and Gifts, every arrangement is one to remember. Robert Farmer – Care One Medical Solutions If there’s a GREATER problem, Farmer and Care One Medical Solutions will MEMPHIS ECONOMIC know how to fix it. GROUP RESEARCH GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER SusanMEMPHIS Mealer – Answering Advantage GREATER CHAMBER A local answering service focuses on the phones so entrepreneurs can keep their eyes the prize. Mid-South Quality & on Productivity Center

Advanced Manufacturing Council GMERG

Memphis Moves

GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER GREATER 44 MEMPHIS CHAMBER MEMB ERSHIP DIRECTORY

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Since 2012, our events have been bringing people, brands, and businesses together on their most important occasions—here in Memphis, and anywhere beyond. LEOevents.com

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MASTHEAD

PRESIDENT & CEO ted townsend

The magazine of the Greater Memphis Chamber

CHAMBER CONTRIBUTORS amy daniels, natalie mitchell, ryan poe, diamond young

EDITOR anna traverse EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS samuel x. cicci, michael finger, frank murtaugh, jon w. sparks

CREATIVE DIRECTOR brian groppe ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR christopher myers PHOTOGRAPHERS justin fox burks, houston cofield, karen pulfer focht,

brian groppe, don newman

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE sloane patteson taylor ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES kelli dewitt, chip googe

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FACILITY DESIGN

Architecture Structural Engineering Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering Plumbing/Piping Design Fire Protection Engineering Renovations Facility Condition Evaluation

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SURVEYING

Drone Surveying ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys Boundary Surveys Route Surveys Topographical Surveys/Mapping Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

TRANSPORTATION

Traffic Studies Roadway Design Bridge Design Airfield Design Railroad Design Signal Design Construction Engineering & Inspection (CEI)

NATURAL/WATER RESOURCES

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Uncontrolled Site Assessments Indoor Air Quality Assessments Noise Studies Brownfields Planning Wetlands Delineation & Permitting Wastewater/Water Supply & Treatment Major Source Permitting & Compliance

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11/20/2023 7:24:16 AM

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Dear Chamber Members,

ounded in 1838, the Greater Memphis Chamber is one of the region’s oldest continuously existing organizations. We’ve weathered good times and bad. Ups and downs. And through it all, the Chamber has been an unrelenting voice for business and the growth of Memphis. From recruiting FedEx to expanding St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Chamber’s fingerprints are on just about every major economic milestone for our region. Today, we are more focused than ever on our core mission. We are the tip of the spear for economic development, workforce development, and advocacy for our region’s business community. We have more work to do, but we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished in the past year. ◗ We have landed 11 economic development projects representing more than $1 billion in capital investment and 1,632 new jobs paying an average annual wage of $84,000. ◗ The Chamber is playing a greater role in the region’s workforce development than ever before and continues to move forward with plans to launch the state’s first one-stop accelerated skills training and job center, which will help quickly upskill adults for high-demand careers. ◗ The Chamber and Memphis in May International Festival (MIM) announced in August that the Chamber would lead international, economic development, and diplomatic activities for MIM. The Chamber quickly announced France as the 2024 MIM honored country. ◗ Also in August, the Chamber celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of the Lamar Avenue widening and improvement project — the culmination of years of work by the Chamber and its Transportation Committee. The multi-year project expands capacity and reduces travel times on one of Memphis’ most important commercial corridors. ◗ The Chamber received the largest grant in its history in June: $447,000 from the Delta Regional Authority for workforce development for the fast-growing advanced manufacturing industry. ◗ We won five Excellence in Economic Development awards in September from the International Economic Development Council, including a gold award in the Regionalism and Cross-Border Category for its work on Ford and SK Innovation’s BlueOval City electric vehicle/battery campus. ◗ This year, we will cut 100+ ribbons – more than any other year in our 185-year history. ◗ Our Ambassadors Program has now grown to more than 150 ambassadors. This work wouldn’t be possible without our Chairman’s Circle, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. Back in 2013, the Chairman’s Circle launched with a goal of getting 100 business leaders to give $25,000 to raise the $250,000 needed to stop accepting government funding and become the independent voice for business. We’re proud to say that we now have more than 170 diverse leaders. Thank you for joining us in this movement to build a greater Memphis for all. You make us GREATER. Best,

Ted Townsend PRESIDENT & CEO

Greater Memphis Chamber

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11/13/23 12:38 PM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Greg Duckett Named Chairman of GMC Board of Directors

he Board of Directors of the Greater Memphis Chamber named Greg Duckett as the 2024 Chairman of the Board. Duckett is the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Oﬃcer of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation. Named one of the “50 African American Leaders in Healthcare to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review, Duckett has been with Baptist for more than 30 years. He currently oversees a number of critical shared services departments, including Risk Management, Corporate Compliance, and Privacy and Security. In his role as Executive Vice President, he also serves as secretary to Baptist’s Board of Directors. Prior to joining Baptist, Duckett became the first Black Chief Administration Oﬃcer of the City of Memphis in 1991. Then 31, he was also the youngest CAO in the city’s history. Before that, he served as the city’s Director of Housing and Community Development from 1988 to 1990. “The Chamber is honored to have a nationally respected leader like Greg Duckett helm our board at this exciting stage in our region’s growth,” said Ted Townsend, President and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber. “On behalf of our business community, we look forward to leveraging Chairman Duckett’s experience and passion for Memphis to bring greater opportunities and prosperity throughout our region.”

CHAIRMAN

Greg Duckett

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER

Baptist Memorial Health Care VICE CHAIRMAN

Duncan Williams

OFFICERS

Ben C. Adams, Jr. CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC Willie Gregory DIRECTOR, GLOBAL COMMUNITY IMPACT

Nike Tammy LoCascio

SEVP & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

First Horizon David May

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Regions Bank Tom Newbern

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

AutoZone Richard Smith

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AIRLINE AND INTERNATIONAL

FedEx

DIRECTORS

Jason Little

Regional One Health Terry Blue

Baptist Memorial Health Care Neely Mallory

CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER

PRESIDENT & CEO

PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT/CEO

PRESIDENT

VP & GENERAL MANAGER

PRESIDENT

FOUNDER & CEO

PRESIDENT

DIVISION PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT & CEO

CHIEF GOVERNMENT & EXTERNAL RELATIONS OFFICER

VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER FOR TRAUMA AND EXTREMITIES

CEO

Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority Jozelle Booker Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum Eric Brown Valero Energy Corporation Tyrone Burroughs First Choice Sales & Marketing Group Michael Cristal

SouthState|DuncanWilliams

Jason Yarbro

Dunavant Enterprises, Inc. Craig Gaffin

SECRETARY/GENERAL COUNSEL PARTNER

Butler Snow LLP

FINANCE CHAIR/TREASURER

Russell Nenon

VICE PRESIDENT - PORTFOLIO MANAGER

Truist

CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Michael Scarbrough PRESIDENT & CEO

POGA Companies

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Douglas Browne PRESIDENT

Peabody Hotel & Resorts

—GREG DUCKETT

Imad Abdullah

Kroger Bill Dunavant, III

PRESIDENT

“I’m honored to serve as Chairman of the Board for one of the busiest and most effective chambers in the country. Memphis is already one of the fastest-growing job markets in the nation and a global logistics leader, and I look forward to supporting the Chamber as it accelerates our momentum by developing our growing economy, diverse workforce, and future-ready infrastructure.”

Smith+Nephew Jason Gillum PRESIDENT & CEO

Millennium Search Kevin Kane PRESIDENT

Memphis Tourism Daphne Large CEO

Data Facts, Inc.

Mallory Alexander International Logistics Stacy McCall ServiceMaster by Stratos Doug McGowen MLGW Blair Taylor Memphis Tomorrow Jessica Taveau Epicenter Chuck Thomas

SWTCC Michael Ugwueke

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare David Waddell PRESIDENT

Waddell & Associates, LLC John Webb

MARKET PRESIDENT, WEST TN/AR/MS

CIGNA Spence Wilson Jr.

PRINCIPAL

Kemmons Wilson Companies, LLC Kera Wright CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

ALSAC

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S TA F F

Ted Townsend President & CEO Courtney Blanchard Chief of Staff Terri Bosby Project Manager, Stakeholder Relations Leland Burress Senior Membership Account Executive Nancy Coffee Senior Vice President, Chairman’s Circle Amber Covington Director of Workforce Development Amy Daniels Chief Communications Officer Ted Ferris Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Gwyn Fisher Chief Economic Development Officer Donn Fisher, Ph.D. Executive Director, Academy of Innovation for Memphis (AIM) Lydia Holmes Director of Public Policy & Advocacy Sondra Howell Vice President, Talent Innovation

Jeanette Jones Manufacturing Industry Council Director, Existing Business Kendra Kea Staff Accountant & Grant Administrator Abby Latture Economic Development Research Analyst Tunga Lee Director of Events Lisa Lovell-Ayres Director of Chairman’s Circle Engagement Susan Hadley Maynor Vice President, Economic Development Patricia McKinney Project Manager, Member Programing Natalie Mitchell Receptionist Jessica Mosley Director of Community Development Tecora Murray Executive Director, Greater Memphis Economic Research Group (GMERG) Troy Parkes Director of Business Development Blake Payne Membership Sales Manager

Ryan Poe Director of Communications Rob Recker President of Chamber Benefits, Inc. MacKenzie Stonis Economic Research Analyst, Greater Memphis Economic Research Group (GMERG) Erik Stevenson Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Amity Schuyler Chief Innovation Officer & SVP of Workforce Development DeQuanda Smith Senior Director of Sponsorship Sales Shelby Spurgeon Director of Business Development Chris Stewart VP of Finance & Administration

Vera Terrell

Membership Account Executive

Bobby White Chief Government Relations Officer Donnell Word Director of Economic Development Diamond Young Director of Market Strategy

STAFF FROM LEFT TO RIGHT : Amy Daniels, Troy Parkes, Lisa Lovell, Jessica Mosley, Susan Maynor, Sondra Howell, Patricia McKinney, Tecora Murray, Shelby Spurgeon, Abby Latture, Ted Ferris, Amber Covington, DeQuanda Smith, Chris Stewart, Ted Townsend, Amity Schuyler, Natalie Mitchell, Ryan Poe, Courtney Blanchard, Kendra Kea, Erik Stevenson, Gwyn Fisher, Nancy Coffee, Blake Payne, Tunga Lee, Donn Fisher, Leland Burress, Vera Terrell, Jeanette Jones. PHOTOGRAPH BY HOUSTON COFIELD

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Ever yone in the 901 deserves a decent place to live

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis helps local families build or improve places they can call home through affordable home mortgages, rehabilitation projects, and repairs to help older homeowners live in their homes longer.

OUR P ROG RAM S Homeownership / Affordable Mortgages Memphis Habitat offers affordable mortgages to qualified applicants with a need for affordable housing who earn below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Homebuyers are required to attend a multi-week homebuyer education program and complete 350 hours of “sweat equity,” working alongside volunteers to build their homes and the homes of other future Habitat homebuyers. They also must save earnest money for an emergency fund before

cum

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Aging In Place Habitat provides repairs and modifications to qualified homeowners age 60 and older who earn below 60% AMI and have a need for accessibility modifications and/or critical home repairs.

new homes and affordable mortgages

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of every dollar raised helps build / improve local homes

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ann

ove

CREATES TAXPAYERS

ion

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SAVES TAXPAYER FUNDS by keeping seniors in their homes longer — an estimated cumulative savings of $19.6M in less than 5 years.

REDUCES FORECLOSURES by providing homebuyer education, resulting in a foreclosure rate of less than 1% for Memphis Habitat.

ants

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IMPROVES HOME VALUES by a minimum of $9M for AIP clients.

REDUCES UTILITY BILLS by improving their homes — estimated savings of $1.5M in a 5-year period.

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11/13/23 12:42 PM

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Chairman’s Circle Marks First Decade The operative word is growth. BY F R A N K M U R TAU G H

f the Greater Memphis Chamber exists to develop, promote, and expand regional business, the Chairman’s Circle — for a full decade now — serves as the collective voice for Memphis industry, and what the future may become. Comprised today of more than 170 leaders, each representing businesses that fuel the Memphis economy, the Chairman’s Circle is a collaborative investment for the Mid-South region, one yielding immeasurable dividends. “This is a group of executives that care deeply about our community’s well-being,” says Nancy Coﬀee, Senior Vice President and, for four years now, the GMC’s lead coordinator and recruiter for the Chairman’s Circle. “It’s far more than the contributions their individual businesses make to our economy. They care about our mission of the relentless pursuit of prosperity for all.” Primary among Coﬀee’s tasks is making sure Chairman’s Circle investors are engaged in ways that are meaningful to them in service of that mission. She also invites new companies into the Chairman’s Circle. The original goal for the Chairman’s Circle, 16 | G R E A T E R

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according to Coffee, was to create an independent voice of business free from government funding, and empower a diverse group of business leaders to work together to grow the economy. The initial goal was 100 companies to invest $25,000. Says Coffee, “Our investors over the last ten years have embedded in this work of recruiting new businesses to the market, and helping longtime Memphis business to grow, staying squarely focused on quality jobs. Since its inception, the Chairman’s Circle has helped generate over 33,000 new jobs for our citizens and helped to retain more than 33,000 existing jobs that we were at risk of losing.” Essential to the mission, Coffee stresses, is making sure workers in a nine-county region are prepared for and have access to those jobs. As vice-chairman of the GMC board, Duncan Williams has occupied a front-row seat for the Chairman’s Circle’s evolution. He’s marveled at the collaborative energy among business leaders with perhaps disparate interests in their corporate lives, but an all-in view for what can and will lead the Memphis region toward a brighter future. “The biggest

thing I see,” reflects Williams, “is that we’re working as one. We have such a collaborative thinking process now, whereas a decade ago, to be honest, we worked in our own little silos. Everybody involved with the Chairman’s Circle was supportive of this community in one way or another. But maybe we weren’t doing it as a team, and now we have one voice, and it’s a really strong voice. It’s given everybody a different perspective. Obviously everybody doesn’t think the same, doesn’t vote the same. We have a broader lead on the city from a lot of different views, and that’s hugely important.” The Chairman’s Circle includes three core task forces: Economic Development, Workforce and Talent, and Business Climate. “The Workforce task force,” explains Coffee, “focuses on students in the middle school-to-high school pipeline, in addition to the adult workforce. How are students aware of and interested in jobs that may have been long ignored? “The Business Climate task force focuses on policy at the local, state, and federal levels. And we’re very attentive to public safety,

PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS: THE GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

11/20/23 5:03 PM

NANCY C

MBER

with a subcommittee focused ing decisions. “We want to be on accountability in that area, sure they’re thinking broadly creating a safe environment for about the incredible jobs in our all of our citizens.” Adds Williams, market,” says Coffee. “We’re learning a lot of things that we didn’t Williams is co-chair of the Economic know [about public safety], and things that Development task force, and shares an imwere misunderstood. We can share that in- portant detail about that particular area of formation, and all try to growth: “We reach out to companies outside Memhelp each other.” “Our investors over the last ten phis, and try to recruit Among the unique proyears have embedded in this work them to Memphis, but we grams is a teacher “externship,” where local educators of helping existing businesses also want to make sure that can spend two weeks with to grow, recruiting new busicompanies stay here. That’s a business, learning about nesses, staying squarely focused just as important.” skill sets needed in today’s on quality jobs. At this point, the Ten years in, which iniworkforce. They return Chairman’s Circle can claim more tiatives of the Chairman’s to their classrooms, share Circle stand out? Coffee is than 60,000 jobs that we’ve either what they gained from the quick to mention Epicenter. “It was conceived by experience, and engage retained or recruited.” students with career possi- — N A N C Y C O F F E E investors who understood SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE bilities those students may the power of a robust startCHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE not have known existed. up ecosystem to move the Coffee also notes the impact economy forward,” says of career fairs for 8th graders, a chance to Coffee. “It’s a stand-alone organization now. illuminate young minds when the notion of More than 2,800 entrepreneurs have been becoming part of the workforce begins shap- engaged by Epicenter since it was founded

NANCY COFFEE PHOTOGRAPH BY HOUSTON COFIELD

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CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

in 2015. It’s in our DNA, a city liams. “Then continuing to purwilling to take risks, scrappy, sue it. It wouldn’t have evolved if with grit and determination. the Chairman’s Circle didn’t make It’s great work.” a diﬀerence, if nothing had happened For Williams, the job-training efforts [after leaders joined]. We have proven that woven into the Chairman’s Circle’s mission are this is a group serious about economic decritical. “There will be a lot of advancement velopment, serious about being involved. Not w it h ma nu fac t u rin g in a judgmental way, but jobs,” notes Williams. “We have proven that this is a group how can the business com“Businesses such as mine, serious about economic developmunity help? You get 170 that may not be who ment, serious about being involved. business leaders in a room we’re employing. But we Not in a judgmental way, but how can together with elected ofknow how important it is the business community help? You ficials, law enforcement, judicial [professionals]: that we have this.” get 170 business leaders in a room “All the work the ChairHow can we help you?” man’s Circle does,” empha- together with elected officials, law The first and likely most sizes Coffee, “is under- enforcement, judicial [professionals]: important skill in collabogirded by an incredible How can we help you?” ration — particularly on Chamber staff. Funda- — D U N C A N W I L L I A M S the scale of the Chairman’s mentally, our Chairman’s Circle — is one too often VICE CHAIRMAN OF GMC BOARD neglected. “Listening is Circle investors are generously volunteering their time and their hugely important,” stresses Williams. “I’m not insight in a symbiotic relationship with our going to tell Chief [C.J.] Davis how to run a poexperienced Chamber leadership.” lice department. I don’t know that. But we’re Williams has come to relish that symbiosis, trying to ask the questions our constituents a large group of leaders rowing that meta- would ask, our employees, and we want to phorical boat in synchronicity with the GMC’s provide the correct answers. We recognize larger mission. “It evolved from a few people the problems and we want to act together.” believing we can make this happen,” says WilWhat’s ahead for the Chairman’s Circle 18 | G R E A T E R

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as it enters a second decade of impact? “We have several very aggressive goals for 2030,” notes Coﬀee, “one of which is 50,000 new quality jobs. Another is that our market produces 20,000 STEM graduates each year, starting in 2030. Most of our braintrust meetings align with those goals.” There are thousands of unfilled jobs in Tennessee, each an economic booster in its own right. Connecting the right people with the right positions — always with growth in mind — remains the guiding principle for the Chairman’s Circle. Says Coﬀee, “We don’t want to miss the opportunity for our citizens to be part of the upward swing in our regional economy.” In looking toward the next decade, Williams emphasizes action. “The sheer number of members doesn’t matter,” he says. “Not if those members aren’t active and participating and feel they have value. What I’d love to see is that we not only have Memphis and Shelby County [involved], but we have companies in West Memphis, in Arkansas, in North Mississippi. I’d love to see a tri-state impact, for the Chairman’s Circle to continue to spread the gospel, to bring in other leaders. Make sure we’re including our entire region. That would be an awesome thing.”

PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS: THE GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER AND DUNCAN WILLIAMS

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CHAIRMAN Michael Scarbrough Optum at Home VICE CHAIRMAN Bill Dunavant III Dunavant Enterprises IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN David May Regions Bank CO-CHAIRS Andy Davis Turner Construction Mike Keeney Orgill Carlos Manning The J.M. Smucker Company Jim McMahon American Residential Services Paulo Teixeira The Juice Plus+ Company Monica Wharton Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE MEMBERS ABB Ralph Donati Adams Keegan, Inc. Jay Keegan Alco Management Berkeley Burbank Allen & Hoshall Harry Pratt Allworld Project Management Michael Hooks, Jr. ALSAC Richard C. Shadyac, Jr. Amazon Memphis Jessica Breaux American Residential Services LLC Jim McMahon American Snuff Thomas Davis Answering Advantage Susan Mealer AutoZone, Inc. David McKinney Baker Donelson Ben Adams Bank of America Trevia Chatman Baptist Memorial Health Care Jason Little Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Frank Smith Barr Brands International Joe Lyons Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC Gil Uhlhorn BDO Marc Davenport Belz Enterprises/The Peabody Memphis Ron Belz Blue Suede Networks Charles Elliott Boyle Investment Company Matt Hayden Bryce Corporation Richard Williamson Buckman International Junai A. Maharaj Butler Snow Jason Yarbro Campbell Clinic Daniel Shumate Cargill Cotton Matt Dunbar Carlisle Corporation Chance Carlisle CBIZ MHM, LLC Eustis Corrigan CBRE-Memphis Frank Quinn Charles River Laboratories Will Isom Chris Woods Construction Chris Woods Christian Brothers University David Archer Cigna Healthcare John Webb City Enterprises David Andrews Classic American Hardwoods Bill Courtney Colliers Tim Mashburn Congruex Paul Sulisz Cummins Patricia Covington

Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors Greg Spillyards Data Facts Daphne Large Deloitte Jonathan Pennington Dillard Companies Chris Bird Diversified Trust Robin Smithwick, III Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC John Dobbs Dobbs Management Services, LLC Edward Dobbs Draslovka Jason Painter Drexel Chemical Company Leigh Shockey Dunavant Enterprises Bill Dunavant, III EDGE Joann Massey Elos Medtech Jodie Gilmore Elvis Presley Enterprises Jack Soden EnSafe, Inc. Don Bradford Evans Petree PC Joe Getz Evolve Bank & Trust Scott Stafford Farris Bobango, PLC John Bobango FedEx Richard Smith First Choice Sales & Marketing Group Tyrone Burroughs First Horizon National Corporation Bryan Jordan Flintco, LLC Tim Weatherford Ford TEVC at BlueOval City Kel Kearns FORVIS Kim Sheley Gerber Taylor Charles Gerber Glankler Brown Bill Bradley Hope Federal Credit Union Bill Bynum Hyde Family Foundation J.R. "Pitt" Hyde, III Hyosung HICO, Ltd. Jason Neal IMC Companies Mark George Independent Bank Susan Stephenson International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc. Robert Mooshegian International Paper Christa Allen KBG Technologies Kathy Buckman Gibson Kemmons Wilson Companies Spence Wilson, Jr. KQ Communications Renee Malone Kroger Micheal Cristal Kudzukian Larry Robinson G R E A T E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 19

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CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

... CONTINUED

Landers Auto Group Kent Ritchey Leadership Memphis Reggie Crenshaw LeMoyne-Owen College Christopher Davis Linkous Construction Co., Inc. Rusty Linkous Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance Johnny Pitts Louis Dreyfus Company Joe Nicosia LRK Frank Ricks Lubin Enterprises, Inc. Nathan Lubin Mallory Alexander International Logistics Neely Mallory, III Manufacturers Industrial Group Andre Gist Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, P.C. Clay Purdom McVean Trading & Investments, LLC Dow McVean Medtronic Eric Epperson Memphis Area Association of Realtors Katie Shotts Memphis Area Transit Authority Gary Rosenfeld Memphis Grizzlies Jason Wexler Memphis Light, Gas & Water Doug McGowen Memphis Shelby County Schools Toni Williams Memphis Tomorrow Blair Taylor Memphis Tourism Kevin Kane Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Scott Brockman Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Michael Ugwueke MicroPort Orthopedics Todd Smith Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (MAA) Eric Bolton Mid-South Drug Testing Kelly Dobbins Millennium Search Jason Gillum Mimeo Oliver Doughtie Monogram Food Solutions Karl Schledwitz Moore Tech Skip Redmond MoSH Kevin Thompson Mueller Industries Greg Christopher National Guard Products Lewie Smith NexAir, LLC Bill Proctor Nickson General Contractors Octavius Nickson 20 | G R E A T E R

Nike Willie Gregory Nucor Steel Eric Nystrom Olymbec, USA, LLC Jason Berger Optum at Home Michael Scarbrough Orgill, Inc. Mike Keeney Orion Federal Credit Union Ashley McDurmon OrthoSouth Thomas Giel, III Oteka Technologies Alandas Dobbins Pandrol, USA Sandro Silva Patriot Bank John F. Smith PennAKem Sameer Rupani Phillip Ashley Chocolates Phillip Rix Pickering Firm, Inc. Mike Pohlman Pinnacle Financial Partners Phillip May Power & Telephone Supply Company Jennifer Pentecost Sims ProTech Systems Group, Inc. Dan Weddle Radians Mike Tutor Raymond James Ryan Ehrhart Reaves Law Firm Henry Reaves Regional One Health Reginald Coopwood Regions Bank David May Renasant Bank Shawn Clayton Ring Container Technologies Brian Smith Riviana Tim Gyovai Royal Furniture Michael Faber Running Pony Jonathan Epstein Saint Francis Healthcare Scott Smith Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. Jason Landrum Seeding Success Mark Sturgis Self + Tucker Juan Self Semmes Murphey Clinic John Lewis ServiceMaster by Stratos Stacy McCall ServiceMaster Facilities Maintenance Troy Watson Silver Tree Residential James Carmichael Simmons Bank Brandon Cooper Smith & Nephew, Inc. Craig Gaffin Southeastern Asset Management Justin Miller SouthState|DuncanWilliams Securities Corp. Duncan Williams

SouthWorth Capital Management Jeff Presley St. Jude Children's Research Hospital James Downing Stratas Foods Jack Straton Strategic Resource Management Brad Downs Stryker Patrick Fisher Supreme Staffing Eduardo Sanchez Sylvamo Tom Cleves Systems Technologies Jeremy Simpson TAG Truck Center Gary Dodson Tate Computer Systems Sylvester Tate Tennessee Carriers Candy DeBord Tennessee Valley Authority Chuck Marquis Terminix The J.M. Smucker Company Carlos Manning The Juice Plus+ Company Paulo Teixeira The P3 Group Dee Brown Tri-State Truck Center Inc. Jim Maddox TruckPro Chuck Broadus TRUIST Ted Miller Trust Marketing Howard Robertson Turner Construction Andy Davis UnitedHealthcare Robert Horton University of Memphis Bill Hardgrave Urban Child Institute Gary Shorb USFL Mike Humes UTHSC Peter Buckley Vaco Justin Farmer Valero Energy-Memphis Refinery Eric Brown Varsity Spirit Bill Seely W & T Contracting Corporation Terrell & Wiley Richards Waddell & Associates David Waddell Worlds Away Robert Berry Worldwide Business Group Anthony Norris Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP Lee Harkavy YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South Jerry Martin Youth Villages Patrick Lawler

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Looking Back, Looking Forward

What began as a riverbluff trading post has grown into one of America’s great cities. Here’s how it happened, and what’s ahead.

Trezevant vice president. The newspaper reported that the Chamber “led the way in securing for Memphis its first telegraph line … and the first message was sent May 13, 1843.” No record survives of that initial message, but city leaders knew that “this fast contact with the outside world was essential, for Memphis was growing in importance as a world cotton market.” During this crucial growth period, the Chamber organized meetings with planters and traders in Tennessee and Mississippi to set tariﬀs and other costs associated with the burgeoning cotton industry. They also established regulations to protect buyers against fraud when purchasing cotton, corn, and wheat.

emphis wasn’t even 20 years old when residents demanded the formation of a Chamber of Commerce. A resolution published in the March 22, 1838, Memphis Enquirer noted, “The most casual observer must have discovered the absolute necessity of some such society, in order to carry on the diversified business of our growing town with harmony and good feeling to all. … The facilities for transacting business would be greatly increased, and the best interests of the City promoted, by the organization of a Chamber of Commerce.” This declaration is especially remarkable when one considers that Memphis lacked safe drinking water, had no sanitation system, every street was dirt, sidewalks were but wobbly planks, most buildings were wood, and the town had no public school or hospital. But citizens realized business would never prosper without a guiding force. Three Nashville investors — Judge John Overton, General James Winchester, and General Andrew Jackson — had established the city in 1819. “The plan and local situation of Memphis,” wrote Overton, “are such as to

authorize the expectation that it is to become a large and populous city.” Even so, the town grew more slowly than the founders hoped. Despite its prominent location, Memphis was considered on the frontier, with the river separating Eastern civilization from the wide-open West. Becoming “America’s Distribution Center” was in the distant future. Riverboats could reach it, but overland transportation consisted of a few stagecoach routes. More than 20 years passed before railroads showed any interest, beginning with the Memphis & LaGrange Railroad in 1842. When the Chamber of Commerce was established in 1838, Memphis was essentially a trading post serving riverboat crews and local residents. The adult population was less than 1,700 and a report that year listed only 209 men with occupations, mostly merchants, planters, builders, and clerks. Memphis was home to just four physicians, three lawyers, two druggists, and two teachers. The Chamber of Commerce set up oﬃces at Main and Court, with Colonel Nathaniel Anderson elected president and Lewis

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espite inauspicious beginnings, the population steadily increased, surpassing 6,000 by 1850. The 1855 Rainey City Directory observed, “This is the four- and five-story era.” In its early days, Memphis had rows of “wooden buildings, with clapboard roofs and stick chimneys.” Over the years, homes and businesses became more substantial,

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T BY DREAMSTIME;

and the town showed “many evidences of an advanced state of civilization,” with gas lighting and a trolley system along Main Street. What’s more, “the increased value of real estate is startling. Property which could have been purchased five years ago for one or two hundred dollars an acre, now commands as many thousands. Buildings spring up as if by magic.” In April 1860, the Chamber moved into “fine rooms on the second story of a new building on Court Square,” with the Daily Appeal newspaper noting, “The committee on arbitration and appeals is now ready for business, and the prospects of the Chamber are most encouraging.” One year later, the paper reported, “The Chamber is flourishing; 31 members have lately been added, and we are glad to see our merchants and businessmen so alive to the utility of this association.” The Civil War halted all progress. The Chamber struggled to persuade businesses to come to a Union-occupied city, but they helped an Ohio banker relocate here in 1864. Frank Davis established First National Bank, which later became First Tennessee, now

known as First Horizon. What’s more, Chamber oﬃcials realized the war couldn’t last much longer, so they wrote directly to President Abraham Lincoln. After complaining that “the state of insurrection had brought restrictions on our trade and commerce,” they urged the president to consider Memphis as “justly entitled to all the rights, privileges, and advantages of any loyal city.” Lincoln’s response is not on record. When the war ended, however, the local newspaper reported, “Near the end of martial law — to be exact, June 18, 1865 — Col. W.M. Farrington successfully brought about the reorganization of the Chamber of Commerce.” As a result, members elected him the new president.

fter the war, the Chamber focused on getting the city on sound financial footing and continued working to attract more railroads. “Memphis in 1871 was feeling jubilant over the laying of the last bar of iron on the track of the Memphis & Little Rock Railroad,” reported the Daily Appeal. “The old road had suﬀered all but complete extinction

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during the Civil War.” During this period, the Chamber also moved into the Peabody Hotel. “Col. R.A. Pinson was its president, and perhaps never in its history did it boast a membership of more distinguished men,” which included “all the railroad presidents whose lines ran out of Memphis, bankers, and capitalists who were actively engaged in promoting the interests of Memphis.” In short, “The organization was engaged in undertakings which even in 1930 would be considered Herculean.” In his first speech to members, Pinson told them, “A new business decade is just commencing and promises a rich reward to enterprising businessmen of Memphis. I could suggest no surer instrument for the proper management of our trade than the wise counsel to be secured by consultation with your committee, and by the activities of the entire Chamber.” During this period, Chamber members played key roles in laying the riverfront cobblestones, spanning the Mississippi with the Frisco Bridge (North America’s longest bridge when it opened in 1892), and opening

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PA S T, P R E S E N T, & F U T U R E

the Central Railroad Depot. Memphis had become the fastest-growing city in the South, competing with New Orleans and Atlanta, when tragedy struck with the 1878 yellow fever epidemic. Doctors knew neither cause nor cure of this disease, which killed thousands in a few months. So many people fled the city that the state government revoked the city charter, turning Memphis into a taxing district. It would remain in this precarious financial position until regaining its charter in 1891, with the first $1,000 municipal bond purchased by businessman

ABOVE : Judge John Overton (inset), James

Winchester, and Andrew Jackson founded Memphis in 1819. An illustration from Harper’s Weekly shows how dramatically the town had grown by the mid-1800s.

Robert R. Church, the South’s first AfricanAmerican millionaire. By 1900, the population here reached 100,000, but other events limited the city’s growth. World War One drew many ablebodied men and women away; many never returned. The Spanish flu swept over the region — just as the yellow fever before it — taking many lives. Once again the city shut down, with businesses closed, public gatherings banned, and the new Central High School converted into a hospital. Then came 24 | G R E A T E R

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massive floods in 1927 (and again in 1937) that ruined farmland, destroyed homes, and displaced thousands.

uring these challenging times, the Chamber remained active. Promoting Memphis nationally as “The Wonder City of the South,” hard-working members lured major industries to Memphis, which would remain here for decades and employ thousands at good wages. Among them were the Virginia and Carolina Chemical Company, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, the Fisher Body

Division of General Motors, and Armour & Company. Other businesses were more “home-grown,” founded by Memphians, such as the Humko Company and Plough (later Schering-Plough). Airplanes hadn’t yet shown practical benefits in the early 1900s, but Chamber oﬃcials understood their significance. They supported Park Field north of the city, a small airfield which would add aviation to the city’s river and rail transportation network. The Chamber even brought Col. Charles Lindbergh to speak in Court Square after his daring solo flight across the Atlantic. With the development of Memphis Municipal Airport, the Chamber helped Memphis enter the Air Age. The Chamber formed other organizations to help with its myriad duties. Among them were the Cotton Exchange, the Merchants

Exchange, and the Business Men’s Club. The Merchants Exchange reported, “The City of Memphis now has 55 miles of paved streets and 130 miles of sewers, the latter built since 1878. Between 25,000 and 30,000 souls are sustained through the wage outlay of industrial enterprises of the city.” The Business Men’s Club strove to promote Memphis as the “Convention City of the South.” Members led a ten-year effort to build the Memphis Auditorium (later known as Ellis Auditorium and now home to the Renascent Convention Center). One of the BMC members gained national fame by inventing the first self-service grocery. Piggly Wiggly made Clarence Saunders a millionaire, and his former home has survived as the Pink Palace, part of the Museum of Science and History (MoSH) complex. In the early 1900s, Chamber organizations encouraged plans to open the West Tennessee State Normal School (known today as the University of Memphis), along with medical and dental schools that would later merge into the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Memphis weathered the Great Depression, aided by an aggressive “Program of Progress” campaign. In its 1932 annual report, Chamber officials were blunt: “These are times when men and their businesses are sorely tried and sternly tested. Everywhere the urge is strong to cut expenses to the bone. And maybe even throw the bone away.” Even so, the Chamber announced dramatic progress. In the past year, its members had helped bring to Memphis “nine new factories, investing $265,000, occupying 139,000 square feet of factory space, with 1933 payrolls totaling $312,000. In other words, more than ONE-HALF MILLION DOLLARS in new money.” The report pointed out that “these new factories will employ Memphis labor, spend money for supplies, rentals, and raw materials in Memphis — at no cost whatever to you but the sum spent on industrial progress through your Chamber of Commerce.” Even during the Depression, businesses held conventions here. In 1932, more than 31,000 people visited, adding more than $2 million to the local economy. The Chamber’s convention staff would later form its own organization, the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, known today as Memphis Tourism. Other economic development groups that branched off from the Chamber included the Center City Commission (now the Downtown Memphis Commission), the Mid-South Minority Business Council, the Riverfront Development Council (now Memphis River Parks

IMAGE CREDITS: MEMPHIS PUBLIC LIBRARIES; TENNESSEE STATE ARCHIVE

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Partnership), and the Memphis in May International Festival. In fact, Chamber oﬃcials now select MIM’s honored country; for 2024, Memphis will salute the nation of France. orld War Two had a major impact on our city, as it did the entire world. In 1941, the Chamber produced fullpage New York Times advertisements selling Memphis to the nation. Members of the Chamber played key roles in the development of the Defense Depot on Airways, Kennedy General Hospital on Getwell, and the Chickasaw Ordnance gunpowder factory near Millington. The Fisher Body Works plant in North Mem-

Other expansions changed the face of the city. In 1962, entertainer Danny Thomas chose Memphis as the site of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a worldwide leader in medicine. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Methodist Hospital, and Baptist Memorial Hospital greatly expanded their operations in the Medical Center and opened locations in other areas of town. By this time, the federal interstate highway system had connected Memphis to the east, west, north, and south. Another development would tie Memphis to cities around the globe. On April 17, 1973, Federal Express began operations, using 14 small cargo aircraft and

expansion by FedEx, Memphis International Airport was consistently ranked the world’s busiest air cargo airport. National businesses and organizations moved to town over the years, including Williams-Sonoma, Ducks Unlimited, Thomas & Betts, Birmingham Steel, and Ingram Micro. As a direct result of so much commercial expansion, Memphis earned well-deserved accolades from a wide variety of sources. American Heritage named this city “The Great American Place.” Inc. magazine ranked Memphis the seventh “Best City in America for Starting and Growing a Business.” Partners for Liveable Communities selected Memphis and

phis began producing bombers instead of car bodies. After the war, the city enjoyed a boom time, with 41 new industries. International Harvester opened a $20 million plant in Frayser. DuPont began construction of a multimilliondollar chemical factory on Highway 51 North. Kellogg constructed new facilities here, and Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the nation’s largest tissue manufacturer, moved into the old Fisher Body plant. In 1948, the Jack Carley Causeway linked Presidents Island to Memphis. The oncebarren area quickly became the city’s largest industrial complex, a 7,500-acre home to heavy industries whose products could be shipped on barges to ports up and down the Mississippi River.

delivering just 186 packages. Today, FedEx operates a fleet of more than 650 jets, delivering more than 10 million packages every night. In 1969 the Chamber launched the $4 million Greater Memphis Program, which expanded its operations across the community, taking a leading role in eﬀorts to heal race relations. A few years later, the Downtown Council would bring new energy to the Central Business District. As part of that eﬀort, the organization moved into modern new headquarters on Beale Street. During the 1980s, the Chamber touted Memphis as “America’s Distribution Center” to entice companies who appreciated the city’s central location and easy access to river, rail, and air. In fact, thanks to a $500 million

ABOVE : Sunflowers bring flashes of color to

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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areas around Memphis, with the I-40 Bridge and Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid in the distance. Elvis may have left the building, but his impact on the city is everlasting. Shelby County “one of America’s best places to live, work, and play.” And the Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked Memphis the fifth most generous community for charitable giving.

ll of this momentum only brings us up to the twenty-first century. The past 20-plus years have arguably seen greater progress than any other era. Consider the transformation of a desolate Sears warehouse into Midtown’s Crosstown Concourse, complete with retail, com-

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ABOVE : New owners hope to bring life back

to the Sterick Building, once hailed as “The Queen of Memphis.” INSET : Chamber President & CEO Ted Townsend. mercial, and residential spaces. A similar project is underway Downtown, as new owners of the neglected 29-story Sterick Building hope to bring new life to the former “Queen of Memphis.” Important developments have — or will soon — aﬀect patrons of the arts. In Overton Park, Memphis College of Art closed, but the Metal Museum plans to move into the complex. Meanwhile, its park neighbor, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, broke ground in September on a brand-new riverbluﬀ facility, with a new name — the Memphis Museum of Art. Another park landmark, the Overton Park Shell, has been refurbished and has even developed a mobile component, “Shell on Wheels,” to bring productions to other parts of the city. The city’s three major dance companies — New Ballet Ensemble, Collage Dance, and Ballet Memphis — recently moved into new facilities, and the latter’s modern headquarters helped jumpstart the rejuvenation of Overton Square. The Germantown Performing Arts Center, Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, and The Orpheum, with its contemporary Halloran Center, bring a full slate of stage productions to the Memphis area. Music has always played a major role in Memphis’ history. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, in conjunction with the Stax Music Academy, has introduced new generations of music lovers to the hits produced here. Elvis Presley’s enduring legacy draws thousands of fans worldwide to Graceland, which recently added the Heartbreak Hotel and a new museum complex. For outdoor enthusiasts, Shelby Farms 26 | G R E A T E R

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Park has seen major improvements, includ- intelligence.” Filling these jobs will require a ing a modern new visitors center, but the big- workforce that has the necessary high-tech gest change to our cityscape is the reju- skills, “so that means we have to produce venated Tom Lee Park. Our city’s 20,000 STEM [science, technology, engineerfront porch reopened to much ing, and math] graduates per year.” fanfare in October, a $60 milTownsend is confident that goal is within lion project of the Memphis reach. “We will be in a diﬀerent Memphis by River Parks Partnership. 2030,” he says. “I hope we will represent a comA few blocks north, The munity that has the highest median income Pyramid now houses Bass for African Americans in the United States.” Pro Shops’ retail operations, That’s not something in the distant fucomplete with observation ture; in some sectors it’s already happendeck and hotel. Big River Cross- ing. Townsend notes BlueOval, which will ing invites bikers and pedestri- provide 15,000 jobs, “and Ford had to buy in ans to cross the river on a walk- and understand the promise of Memphis. way attached to the 1914 Harahan Bridge, So what we’ve seen is an economy that is not formerly a railroad span. Every night, that recovering, and it is not emerging. It is in bridge’s spectacular light show competes high-growth mode right now.” In August 2023, the national organization with the “Mighty Lights” display on the HerGusto, which tracks employment trends, renando DeSoto Bridge upriver. Sports fans have enjoyed new opportuni- ported a 2.1 percent growth rate for Memphis. ties. Redbirds enthusiasts flock to AutoZone That places this city at the number-one spot Park, while just a few of the fastest-growing blocks away, Grizzlies “PROSPER MEMPHIS 2030” cities in the United States, followed by fans watch the city’s “When we are celebrating New Year’s Eve that Cincinnati, Buffalo, NBA team compete in Detroit, and RiverFedExForum. Across year,” he says, “I want us to look back and say tow n at Audubon that the Chamber was leading the way in the side, California. Park, tennis players creation of 50,000 new high-quality jobs in “Our focus at the take advantage of our region, and also say that 50 percent of Chamber is to radiate the narrative of the new Tennis Mem- those jobs were filled by minorities within Memphis globally,” phis facility with 36 our community.” says Townsend, “so courts inside and out, and in German- — T E D T O W N S E N D when businesses conPRESIDENT & CEO OF THE GREATER town, TopGolf lets sider where to invest, MEMPHIS CHAMBER players track their where to create jobs, game by computer. where to expand their In the world of busioperations, the anness, Ford Motor Company is constructing swer is: Memphis.” a $6 billion industrial complex called BlueThe Chamber currently has more than Oval City, to manufacture its electric F-150 50 viable projects “in the pipeline,” and and the truck’s batteries. The project will Townsend notes that for the past three years employ thousands and inject millions into Business Facilities magazine has ranked Memthe local economy. phis first in supply-chain logistics. “If you’re a company that makes anything, you need raw n 2023, Ted Townsend is already plan- material to come in, you need a world-class ning for 2030. The President and CEO of workforce, and you need to get your prodthe Greater Memphis Chamber and his team uct to the end-user — the client or customer. are working on the “Prosper Memphis 2030” Well, who’s better than Memphis, where you strategic plan. have all four modes of transportation — river, “When we are celebrating New Year’s Eve rail, roadway, and air? And the geography that year,” he says, “I want us to look back and speaks for itself.” say that the Chamber was leading the way in “America’s Distribution Center” is an the creation of 50,000 new high-quality jobs accurate description, with 95 percent of in our region, and also say that 50 percent of the world’s products only 72 hours away, those jobs were filled by minorities within thanks to FedEx, five class-one railroads, our community.” and the fifth largest inland port in the U.S. By high-quality jobs, he means “advanced (Presidents Island). Years ago, Memphis was a manufacturing industry operations — companies that represent automation, robotics, machine learning, center, but then industries like Firestone and research and development, and yes, artificial International Harvester shut down. That’s

PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS: STERICK BUILDING BY JUSTIN FOX BURKS; GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

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PA S T, P R E S E N T, & F U T U R E

all in the past, according to native Memphian, Paul Young knows Townsend. “The prospect that Memphis has faced — of bringing those back is incredibly exciting,” he says, and overcome — its share of challenges, from yellow fever “because now they will be successful in getting their products epidemics to floods, and now in and out. They will have a skilled finds himself in a unique position workforce. Memphis is one of the most to confront them. The President and affordable cities in the U.S. so your income CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission will go farther here than anywhere else.” was elected Mayor of Memphis in October; he There are other factors to consider. “We takes office on January 1, 2024. lead the nation in the percentage of African During the Civil War, Memphis actually Americans in manufacturing,” he says. “We fared better than other Southern cities like lead the nation in the percentage of females New Orleans, which had its port shut down, in manufacturing. So if diversity, equity, and or Atlanta, with its railroad terminals and inclusion are a primary focus for these new businesses burned to the ground by the companies, Memphis will help them accom- Union forces. plish their goals.” But look at Atlanta now, Young says. “It has Not many Memphians are fully aware a completely different image because they of the business power already centered in were steadfast in creating a strong economy our city. Five Fortune 1000 companies have and providing more opportunities for its headquarters here — FedEx, International citizens. In fact, it’s often cited as a mecca Paper, AutoZone, First Horiof opportunity for African zon, and Mueller Industries “One of the statistics that Americans, in particular. — with many name-brand came out of a Chamber study is We can do the same here.” publicly traded companies that Memphis has more Black The next mayor thinks located here as well, in- and female technical talent Atlanta can serve as a modcluding Terminix, Varsity el for the Bluff City. “Memper capita than any city in the Spirit, Hilton, and others. phis was recently named The world’s leading medi- country, and what we’ve always the largest city for African cal device firms, such as said at the Downtown Memphis Americans per capita in Medtronic, Smith & Neph- Commission is that diversity is the country,” he says. “My ew, and Stryker, have manu- our superpower.” goal is to ensure that we facturing operations here. embrace that designation — —PAUL YOUNG Back in 1819, when those turn it into one that invokes MAYOR-ELECT OF MEMPHIS three gentlemen from Nashpride, and thoughts of Black ville decided to build a new city overlooking wealth, entrepreneurship, and culture. “And that’s what we are going to do in the the Mississippi River, could they possibly have envisioned the metropolis that stands new administration,” he continues. “We are today on the Fourth Chickasaw Bluff? Almost going to change the perception of how Memfrom the very beginning, members of the phians feel about our city, and that is going Greater Memphis Chamber have been a part to change the perception of how visitors and of that journey. “Other groups have recently the rest of the world view our city.” called Memphis one of the hottest cities in A major emphasis of his new administrathe country for companies to look at,” says tion, he notes, is that “we still have a ways Townsend. “Our future is growth-minded, to go to help the Black business owners and and I think will be surprising to the people entrepreneurs here. Despite a 65 percent who live here.” Black population, they still haven’t seen the 28 | G R E A T E R

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ABOVE : Members of the Chamber’s Young

Professionals Council met with Kel Kearns, Plant Manager at Ford’s BlueOval City, to learn more about the impact of Ford in West Tennessee. LEFT : Paul Young, Mayor-Elect of Memphis.

business receipts that their white counterparts are seeing.” One goal is to grow women- and minorityowned businesses in our city. “We know that African-American firms are more likely to hire African Americans,” he says, “and we need to employ more African Americans.” But he is quite emphatic about articulating this message: “When we build other businesses, we are not trying to take a piece of the pie away from another person,” he says. “It’s not about taking away, it’s about adding — growing the whole pie for everybody.” This city’s diversity is our strength. Young asks, “Where else in America can you go that oﬀers this level of diversity? One of the statistics that came out of a Chamber study is that Memphis has more Black and female technical talent per capita than any city in the country, and what we’ve always said at the Downtown Memphis Commission is that diversity is our superpower. That’s something my administration is going to use moving forward as we recruit even more business to our city.” Memphians have to “lean into that diversity,” he says. “That way, we will bring more people to the table, and the more dialogue we have, the more conversations we have about Memphis, the more we will accomplish.” Paul Young will serve as mayor of a city with a rich history. “I do believe people across the world recognize Memphis for our culture, our music, our civil rights eﬀorts,” he says. “But I also want them to know that Memphis is not just about its history. It’s about its now, and the current opportunities that exist that will allow them to thrive here.” PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS: GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

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ECONOMICS

Economic Development and the Greater Memphis Chamber

The Chamber is uniquely positioned to make this city an attraction for businesses around the world. BY JON W. SPARKS

long with running the Greater Memphis Chamber, President and CEO Ted Townsend has a dream that has nothing to do with sleeping. “I wake up every day and ask myself a question,” he says. “Have we made Memphis greater? Greater is in our name. And with that comes a responsibility to always strive and expect Memphis to be in a position to win.” There is nothing modest in his ambition. Townsend has long been aware of the potential of what can be done in the region, and it’s more than simply having a businessfriendly atmosphere, though that’s certainly the beginning. “From the lens of economic development, winning looks like continuing to grow with the businesses that we have here who call Memphis home,” he says. “We have amazing brands that call Memphis home, some incredible publicly traded companies who either are headquartered here or who have significant operations here.” Townsend and his team at the Chamber 30 | G R E A T E R

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strive to help those existing companies invest, grow jobs, and succeed. But dynamic growth requires attracting more businesses, and that takes more than just good public relations. In fact, Townsend says, business attraction is more than getting companies to relocate from other parts of the country. “We’ll continue to do that,” he acknowledges, “but for me, we have an opportunity to internationalize our business attraction. Memphis and our geography are strategic and relevant to businesses that are entering the U.S. for the first time or are expanding their operations in the U.S., and now they’re looking at where to go next.” Townsend is making sure that Memphis is at the table for those conversations. “We’re seeing that within our project pipeline, there’s a diversity of operations,” he says. “The majority of these are advanced manufacturers, but the diversity comes in the industry sectors that they represent. And it’s a unique time and place for us where we are gaining momentum.”

IT’S ABOUT THE DATA

efore becoming the Chamber’s top executive, Townsend was its Chief Economic Development Officer. When he moved up, Gwyn Fisher took over that position, bringing experience from working with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development as well as other organizations. She is keenly aware of the changes in how economic development works locally and globally. “One of the biggest changes we’ve seen is the role of data in economic development,” she says. “Many moons ago, a community would make statements about itself, and folks just took their word for it. But now we have so many credible sources of data that a lot of site selection consultants are doing research on their own ahead of time.” That means Memphis is likely to have been evaluated by potential businesses long before the Chamber knows the city is under consideration. Realizing this, the Chamber created the Greater Memphis EcoPHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN FOX BURKS

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nomic Research Group (GMERG) to more now manufacturing is coming back into the fully understand the data that drives the United States thanks to various factors, such as the China Plus One strategy, the Inflation region’s economy. “Economic development is in many ways Reduction Act, and the CHIPS Act. Policies about selling our city,” Fisher says. “Some- and investments are incentivizing companies times we’re selling to ourselves, to our ex- to manufacture in the U.S., which provides reisting businesses, helping siliency, protection from them expand, but a lot of disruptions in supply times we’re selling to the chain, and security when geopolitical issues arise. rest of the world as we work to recruit new businesses. “Memphis is well posiAnd anyone who’s ever sold tioned,” Townsend says. a product knows you have “We have our Four Rs: commerce on the river, to know your product inthe expansion of rail side and out, and you have to know your market and across the U.S., the interyour competition. That’s state system of roads, and what GMERG does for us, finally the runway. All of generating industry rethose are interconnected and the multimodal ports that allow us to more “Economic development is in many advantages are unprecfully understand what is ways about selling our city. Someedented, aﬀecting busidriving our regional econ- times we’re selling to ourselves, but omy so that when we do a lot of times we’re selling to the rest ness and commerce, and take actions in the market- of the world as we work to recruit the movement of people, place, whether to recruit products, and services.” new businesses.” new businesses or to enT he C ha mb er c a n gage at neighborhood-level — G W Y N F I S H E R speak confidently to poCHIEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, activations, those actions tential businesses about GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER are always data-driven.” harnessing the region’s streng ths in supply Fisher says another significant change is the faster pace of decisions chains and logistics, and pointing out that and movement, and she cites BlueOval City a company that has raw materials coming in as an example. In the past, the decision to can have a smooth production that ultimately create a plant that size might have taken two delivers virtually anywhere worldwide. or three years. “Now, our economy simply moves faster. Our entire world moves faster. PROSPER MEMPHIS 2030 So that site selection process was less than a t’s a power pitch if ever there was year, tip to tail, and then we’re going to be 36 one. And Townsend is looking ahead to months from announcement to production. how he wants it to play out. He points to the That’s almost unheard of. It’s a really exciting Chamber’s strategic growth plan, Prosper field to be in.” Memphis 2030, which shows how he expects In a more data-driven and faster paced his dreams — in great detail — to come true. world, the Chamber is aiming high. Townsend “On December 31st, 2030, we’ll look back cites a technology company that the Chamber on the span of time that the Greater Memphis has been talking with. Chamber has focused on economic develop“It’s very advanced and they could place ment,” he says. “We can say we brought in 700 this investment anywhere, but we’re striv- new advanced industry firms and those coming to secure this win now,” he says. “We’ve panies created 50,000 high quality careers got major global brands, we’ve got the advent that provided family-sustainable wages. And of electric vehicle manufacturing, and the 50 percent of those 50,000 jobs are held by vast supply chain that goes into support- minorities, population demographics that ing that subset of the automotive industry. reflect our community as the largest black It’s all starting to cluster and concentrate metro in the nation.” on this region.” Those numbers are impressive, but it’s Those distinctly favorable trends are spur- more than stats. He continues: “We have full ring the Chamber to seek as many ways as pos- participation and access to these incredible sible to get the attention of companies looking jobs with our citizenry, the beautiful tapesfor competitive edges. And what’s happening try that Memphis represents when we walk here is leverage in the global marketplace. into these manufacturing facilities where “We have the legacy and heritage of com- you see automation and robots, but you also merce that has thrived here. There’s the see Memphis. You see Memphis reflected in innovation we’ve introduced to the world the faces of those whose lives have changed, that has been revolutionary in supply chain whose families had faced generational povand logistics.” erty, who now have promise that poverty is Memphis has long had an edge there, but replaced by promise.”

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A FUTURE-READY WORKFORCE

ownsend, then, is determined to end the year 2030 by dealing a blow to poverty and raising the threshold of dignity in the community. “Finally, we’ll have an ecosystem that’s building a world-class, future-ready workforce that has the possession of skills that are on pace with the state of the art,” he says. “And then we have a business environment, a climate that is inviting, that is open to partnership, that has created an environment where $750 million is invested in high-speed internet via fiber to every home and business in our community, every Census tract that once had persistent poverty, and are now on a trajectory of growth and emergence. To us, that is what economic development represents.” He admits that the ambition of this plan involves great responsibility and accountability. But, he says, that’s to be expected when an organization aims to manifest the full potential of a city. “We know we can win,” Townsend says. “We know the companies long before they reach the headlines. That’s where we are. It is a battle that is waged every day, mostly silently, mostly behind the scenes, until the fanfare reaches the public consciousness.” Amity Schuyler is Chief Innovation Oﬃcer and SVP of Workforce Development at the Chamber. Prior to joining in 2021, she was Chief of Strategy and Innovation for Shelby County Schools, and before that was Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Education for the State of Tennessee. She characterizes the mission of her team as creating a “speed of need” workforce for existing and potential businesses. “Our labor force participation is higher than the national average and the state of Tennessee,” she says. “We average anywhere between 10,000 and 13,000 open unfilled jobs on any given day, depending on when you’re looking at the data.” She notes that the World Economic Forum has said that 54 percent of the entire globe needs to be “up-skilled” in the next five years. Schuyler says the Chamber is focusing on providing opportunities to re-skill existing employees to keep up, and also on addressing the rest of the population that has never had additional training beyond high school so they can stay relevant and competitive in the job market.

FROM GLOBAL CORPORATIONS TO MOM-AND-POP STORES

omewhere between the adoption of a plan and the celebration that follows its achievement is the long slog of tending to the details. Townsend is perfectly aware that the Chamber’s focus is not just on reeling in the big fish and hitting those numeric goals. It’s also about doing the day-to-day work at all levels, right down to the mom-and-pop shop.

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ABOVE : Construction is underway on the

BlueOval City electric-vehicle production facility just minutes away from Downtown. INSET : Plant Manager Kel Kearns. As Townsend puts it, “It’s a high-speed freeway of intersections where we navigate, and we do so not without disruption, but with a dogged tenacity to stay focused on the end game. And that’s Memphis winning. We are a Chamber for all businesses. It is not exclusive to just the larger operations, iconic brands. Yes, we serve them, but we also understand that the majority of job growth in the nation — and it’s also reflected here in Memphis — comes from small businesses. So, we craft our resources, we marshal our eﬀorts toward that very important driver of our economy, and that’s the small businesses. Whether that is the Chamber’s Small Business Council or our Women’s Business Council or our Young Professionals Council, we have the interface with all of those constituencies that is based on substance.”

BEING THE BEST SUPPORTER

isher says the Chamber stays attuned to where existing businesses are in their journeys of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence. “We want to help them more fully and more quickly embrace some of the technological changes we’re seeing,” she says. “And that goes back to what I tell a lot of folks, particularly folks who have let’s say elementary-aged children or middleschool-aged children — more than half the jobs those children will do as adults have not even been invented.” She says that the way the world is making 32 | G R E A T E R

and moving things is changing rapidly and the Chamber is essential to helping businesses navigate it all. “That’s everything from making sure that the small mom-and-pop manufacturer in any area of town has the right technology and connectivity to respond to customer orders quickly, all the way out to the thousands and thousands of robots that are going to be at BlueOval City. This is not a thing of the future — it is here. Our companies are embracing it and we’re excited to be their partners on that path.” Townsend was a small business owner and appreciates what is required to start a company, create jobs, meet a payroll, and grow the enterprise. And, he points out, many on the Chamber’s team have done the same thing. “We can balance the calls of action from a FedEx or an International Paper or AutoZone with smaller firms.” The Chamber recently held a workshop in Orange Mound aimed at encouraging the community to reach its potential and participate in the larger economy. “BlueOval City certainly unlocks a lot of that potential,” he says. “Every business that invests here provides that multiplier effect, whether it’s indirect or direct jobs, indirect or direct revenue that’s generated. We know that every one of these projects that we announce, one of these businesses that we support and serve has that impact on our overall economy. If you consider our GRP, our gross regional product, it feels the ripple of that effort, which emanates from the Greater Memphis Chamber.” For a real-life example of how the Chamber works, look at Dextrous Robotics, with its tagline of “building nimble robots for logistics.” On its website, Dextrous proclaims, “Our lab is HQ’d in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s no coincidence that it’s also the largest shipping hub in the country. Dextrous Robotics is working to fundamentally change how logistics companies operate, so we decided to go where the action is.” Dextrous began its journey as a startup and the Chamber assisted in helping it scale and expand its manufacturing and lab works. An expansion project and business attraction project has been with Richardson International, a Canada-based agribusiness firm. It purchased the Wesson Oil brand and with that came all of the facilities in the U.S. that produced Wesson Oil. Townsend says, “Memphis actually has one of those, in South Memphis. It’s a very old facility and was actually slated to be decommissioned. It employs 100 people, so we worked with Richardson to set the value proposition on keeping its location in Memphis and the advantages that that would afford it. Fortunately, the company saw

the strategic plan and said it would do that. It will demolish that plant, but also invest $230 million to create a state-of-the-art Wesson Oil refinery.” All this preserves those 100 jobs in South Memphis and Richardson will add jobs there, too. “I can’t recall a time where you had $230 million of private sector capital investing in a state-of-the-art facility in South Memphis,” Townsend says. “That’s the work that we do, and that’s going to continue. I think people will be amazed and remark at the kinds of businesses that are looking to invest here, and the technologies that they’re bringing here.”

BLUEOVAL CITY

f ever there was an elephant in the room, it’s BlueOval City. Ford’s electric truck and battery manufacturing campus is locating on the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County, a relatively short distance from the city. The Megasite began in 2009 but the decision to locate BlueOval City there changed everything. “The moment that I became involved in what was known as Project Aurora in February of 2021, the state obviously was leading that project and were positioning the Megasite for consideration,” Townsend says. “But they understood early on and they relied on us to tell that Memphis story. They knew for this to win and become successful, they had to convince — which we didn’t know at the time — the joint venture partnership, meaning Ford and SK Innovation, that this would be successful.” It was largely about emphasizing the site’s proximity to Memphis: The international airport, the five Class One railroads, the river to ship raw materials, and the proximity to FedEx. “We were aggressive in providing them labor statistics and partnering with our regional partners to set that tone,” Townsend says. “This was one of the fastest economic development projects that I’ve ever worked, much less the scope and scale as we began to learn more and more about what this could represent, 6,000 jobs and $6 billion in capital expenditures. Then we’d mature that project to a point where they’re here on the ground and we’re able to meet with them and show them why Memphis is so special.” One crucial aspect was made clear when Townsend rode a bus with the executives that departed the lobby of the Hyatt Centric after a presentation. “We drove from Downtown to the Megasite, and I set a timer on my phone. It took us 40 minutes to get from the river to the site. From the Shelby County line, it was only 12 minutes. It helped them realize that Memphis would play an integral role in shaping, forming, and designing what would become BlueOval City.” And it was just months later that they

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said they’d be making the announcement at the U.S., so we have to provide shared prosShelby Farms. “They could have made this an- perity. Economic mobility to us means that nouncement at the Megasite, but they didn’t,” the Census tracts that we talked about earlier Townsend says. “They chose Memphis.” that have experienced persistent poverty It wasn’t just that Memphis provided the have access and availability to the world-class announcement venue. It was all about the jobs that we’re bringing here.” The average wage of jobs in the Chamber’s city. “It’s why the Stax Academy performers were on that stage,” he says.“And it’s why Bev- pipeline tops $61,000 per year, largely due to erly Robertson was a part of the program, employers being advanced industry manuwelcoming Ford home after their absence facturers. Their facilities use robotics and in this market for over 50 years. It is what automation that require higher skills, and allowed the public to understand that all of breaking those cycles of generational povour efforts that went into this made for the erty means providing those abilities. largest economic development project in the “We have to meet them where they are,” state of Tennessee’s history to occur in our Townsend says. “We have to get into the region. And so it was a catalytic moment. It is neighborhoods and give them access and a generational project and an opportunity for awareness of what it takes to go work at us, as we say, to change family trees forever.” BlueOval City or Richardson International And now that construction is underway or many of the other existing businesses.” The goal, he says, is transformational. The and moving at top speed to realization in 2025, Townsend looks ahead. Chamber wants individuAnd the Chamber won’t be als, households, and famiresting on its laurels. lies to earn livings that are “It’s going to be the not just about getting by, most state-of-the-art, allbut getting ahead. That results in discretionary electric vehicle assembly income that can be inplant and battery plant in the nation,” he says. “For vested back into families, us, we’re seeing the effects homes, and neighborof that in our project pipehoods. “When all of that line. We’ve got their supis interconnected to us,” pliers that are considering Townsend says, “that is a us, and it’s not a matter of “We’ve mapped the absolute necespathway to helping these if, but when. The first, and sary skills for our major industries, households escape povso far only, tier-one auto- so that we can recalibrate those erty and pursue prospermotive supplier is Magna curriculums and get them more ity and promise.” who’s going to provide Schuyler, the Chamber’s efficient and get graduates into the the seeding for the allworkforce chief, explains new electric trucks that job more quickly.” how that pathway is being they produce. Mind you, — T E D T O W N S E N D constructed. “One of the CHAMBER PRESIDENT & CEO they will produce one evbiggest efforts underway ery 52 seconds.” is to connect employers Magna’s presence is creating over a thou- with our inner-city neighborhoods,” she says. sand jobs and nearly $1 billion in capital ex- “So 68 percent of the city’s population lives inpenditures. With more such companies com- side persistent poverty tracts. That is where ing to the region, it’s what Townsend calls “the the majority of our human capital is. But that pinnacle of economic development.” He says, human capital is by and large disconnected to “We had our best days in that project cycle job opportunities or even the awareness of and I was proud to work with our regional job opportunities because they’re not accuspartners in the state and TVA to bring this tomed to tapping into traditional networks significant win.” to understand or be exposed to job postings.” And as game-changing as BlueOval is, was That means, she says, that much of the the best year for economic development in Chamber’s work is place-based with commuthe region even without the Ford investment. nity members as well as at the corporate level with investors to help them rethink their THE BATTLE AGAINST POVERTY strategy to drill down into neighborhoods for f there’s one issue that impacts Mem- talent development. “The other push is to supphis in nearly every area — the economy, port our employers in making their talent deeducation, law enforcement, culture — it is velopment pipelines younger,” Schuyler says. poverty. The Chamber has targeted that as “We would like to see every student exposed one of the enemies of economic development. to a workplace opportunity by 11th grade or “We hate poverty,” Townsend says. “We no later than the end of their junior year.” want to eliminate it. We want Memphis to be Training is, of course, a crucial aspect a community. We have the largest African- of workforce development. Schuyler says American population of any major metro in that the Chamber is involved in refining

“MUSIC-M” ILLUSTRATION BY RED DELUXE

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current opportunities to make them even more relevant. “We have plenty of institutions providing training,” she says. “We’re providing a lot of data-based pressure so that they understand the need to produce more eﬃciently and more quickly. Some of our programs, particularly in the trades, are far too long — they’ve been filled with coursework that most employers would argue is unnecessary. We’ve mapped the absolute necessary skills for our major industries, particularly manufacturing, so that we can recalibrate those curriculums and get them more eﬃcient and get graduates into the job more quickly.” As much as the Chamber is doing to boost the workforce and battle poverty, they’re not alone in attacking the issues. Partnerships, Townsend says, are essential to bring about good results. “When you look at the philanthropy that exists here, the foundations and nonprofit organizations that exist with the sole purpose of eradicating poverty in our community, we are excited to play a role and a part of that and it’s going to take all of us,” he says. “It’s a heavy lift, but we have ample opportunity. We have a sense of urgency every day because it exists every day. And we will be tireless and relentless until some of those organizations that are solely dedicated to eradicating poverty find it hard to be in business themselves because we’ve accomplished the mission.”

PERCEPTIONS OF MEMPHIS

he Chamber knows as well as anyone how Memphis is perceived — rightly or wrongly — outside of the city. And it has answers at the ready. For potential businesses, the conversation will soon come around to the availability of workforce and whether Memphis has enough population — and if so, if there’s enough skilled population. “What we have to do — and are excited to do — is to unveil layer by layer who we really are,” Townsend says. “We love showing how we have over 44,000 people working in the manufacturing sector every day. And not just that population, but it also represents the highest concentration of African Americans and women in manufacturing in the U.S.” Fisher points out that the Chamber’s eﬀectiveness is greatly enhanced by its attention to data. “Until we really dove into data about our economy, we did not know that we have the nation’s highest concentration of minority tech talent. That’s huge — a game changer. That diversity is our superpower. We have the nation’s highest concentration of minority advanced manufacturing talent. We have the highest concentration of women working in the tech sector, working in advanced manufacturing, leading our boardrooms and corporations.”

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ABOVE : The newly revamped Tom Lee Park.

She notes that companies can’t simply hire their way to achieving goals in equity, social justice and diversity. “You’ve got to come to where that minority talent is, and that talent is here. And it’s highly sophisticated and ready to work.” Townsend cites a recent conversation with a prospect and brought those points home, telling him, “If diversity, equity and inclusion matters to you, then there is no better place for you to place this investment and to create these jobs.” That’s a high priority for many businesses and the Chamber team — buttressed by its knowledge of data — is quick to oﬀer help in helping implement a company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) plan and strategy. “It’s a conversation like that over a dinner table in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, that I believe builds confidence,” Townsend says. “It reveals something that they didn’t know or perhaps even they perceived to be diﬀerent. And now they approach this with more information, and we help them navigate that decision tree because ultimately these are multi-decade, highly complex financial transactions. We understand the gravity of that, and we understand what that represents and the expected return on investment. When we can talk from skills taxonomy to EBITDA and we’ve checked all the boxes, then we ad34 | G R E A T E R

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vance to the next level and the next phase of their discernment.” Fisher says that companies have always asked if Memphis has the workers, but now more than ever the conversation is about well-trained workers. In making site selections, they know that a diverse team is a more successful team. “This is an inherent competitive advantage that we have now and really need to continue to invest in for the future,” she says. “I like to joke that getting to number one is not the hard part — it’s staying there. That’s really where we are. It’s about making the world more aware of everything that the entire Memphis region and the Digital Delta has to oﬀer. That’s a big part of what my team does and what the whole Chamber does: telling that story to the world.”

FACING THE CHALLENGES

t’s not all about numbers and balance sheets. Every city has issues, and the Chamber is ready to talk about what challenges Memphis faces. “Public safety is a concern everywhere,” Townsend says, “and we also navigate that. We never shy away from issues — we give them the real facts. And while statistics are what they are, they don’t define a community and we tell them what we are doing to face this challenge. We let them know that this is

temporary. We’ve had waves and we’ve had valleys and peaks just like any other community, but Memphis is resilient. We show them how active the business community is with respect to public safety. I have a sheet of facts and action points that we then share where they understand that this is a well-organized community of businesses that have set this as a priority. You want to know that, at the end of the day, you’re joining that community of businesses.” Fisher points out that she and her economic development team are always tuned in to how to grow the regional economy for everyone. “That means that we are looking at neighborhood level activations. That’s everything from how we get a small business into a storefront that has been shuttered for years to how we can continue to support some of the larger brands that call our area home as they expand and navigate changes within their own industries.” It’s all that while looking to recruit new investment. Fisher says that bringing in new companies is something like the difference between buying new living room furniture and adding on a whole new master suite. “When you bring in a new company, those are new dollars into our economy,” she says. “That’s where we really grow the pie for everyone. And then we’ve also got to really get better at our ability to grow techbased companies, startups, spinoﬀs, where can we do better at R-and-D, commercialization, and really driving the tech portion of our tech economy.”

MAKING MEMPHIS GREATER

ith all the Chamber is doing, from courting large corporations to helping small businesses, from analyzing urban trends to developing regional partnerships, Townsend says it all still comes down to the one question: Are we making Memphis greater? “I am more confident than ever,” he says. “If we all approach it that way, if every Memphian becomes an economic developer and we are dedicated in our own way to building our economy, to building our communities, and we answer aﬃrmatively, and that collection of yeses is consistent day after day, then we will wake up and realize that we are in a diﬀerent place. We’re still our authentic selves, but we can point to the strategies, the initiatives, the systems that have been intentional, that have been inclusive and feel really great that we were a part of it.” It’s all part of the culture of the Greater Memphis Chamber that establishes and drives those expectations. He says, “We are at a special place in time. We just have to look up and appreciate the abundance that we have, not the threats. I like to be vocal and passionate about making sure that there’s a

PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS: TOM LEE PARK BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT; “LOGISTICS-M” ILLUSTRATION BY RED DELUXE

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consciousness of how we are greater. I like doing that, and I like adding to it. We have to always be forcing adaptation, disruption, and strategy, and always looking to challenge ourselves and do things in new ways that yield even greater results. And we do so

unapologetically, whether that’s supporting $750 million in fiber investment in our community, to the private sector transactions that we’re pursuing, we’re going to always fiercely compete and defend the brand of Memphis because it deserves it.

The MEMPHIS sign on Mud Island is a magnet for special events and photographs, with the Memphis skyline as a backdrop.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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Sandra Bailey – Women Financial Power

A little networking goes a long way for Sandra Bailey’s business prospects. BY SAMUEL X. CICCI

any business owners point to lot of unknowns, and we want to make sure their successes as entrepreneurs. But they can be as financially secure as possible Sandra Bailey always comes back to one of when taking the next steps in their lives.” her first professional failures as the cataWomen Financial Power oﬃcially launched lyst for her career. “When I was getting into in 2013, and Bailey set about connecting with insurance, I failed a typing test at one of my partners and potential clients. But her coninterviews,” recalls Bainections with Memphis as a ley. “But the interviewer “The [Greater Memphis] Chamber whole had been entrenched liked my personality and I always has good things going on, long before she struck out ended up getting a job as a and that was a large part of my on her own. “When I was coding clerk.” networking efforts. Getting to meet in the insurance industry, Several decades on, havother business owners, both before I went to so many meetings ing tackled myriad roles and events that people in the insurance industry, and after I had opened my own, was started calling me ‘the netBailey founded Women really eye-opening. It’s a really sup- working queen,’” she says. Financial Power. The firm is portive environment in Memphis.” “If there was an event for focused on helping women — S A N D R A B A I L E Y entrepreneurs and business owners, I was there, navigate the unique chalWOMEN FINANCIAL POWER lenges facing them as they and I still go. The [Greater navigate retirement living, with Bailey and Memphis] Chamber always has good things her team assisting clients with retirement, es- going on, and that was a large part of my tate, life insurance, and long-term care plan- networking eﬀorts. Getting to meet other ning. “I really came to realize that I liked help- business owners, both before and after I had ing people,” says Bailey. “I’m really passionate opened my own, was really eye-opening. It’s about this, and I just can’t see myself retiring. a really supportive environment in Memphis. This is a field where people will encounter a I was fortunate in that I didn’t encounter a lot

PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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of obstacles on my journey, but I had a firm belief that I could do it, thanks in part to the network I’d built up.” Such was the frequency of Bailey’s attendance at networking events that other organizations began to invite her to speak. Institutions such as Memphis Theological Seminary and Memphis-area schools all reached out to draw on her expertise, usually in the fields of insurance or financial literacy. “I remember doing a financial literacy class at Douglass Middle School, and also for several years I led a financial leadership and ministry class for the Seminary.” While all the extracurricular activities mean that Bailey’s schedule is usually fully booked, she wouldn’t change a single aspect of it. Helping people, after all, is the crux of why she does what she does. “We don’t sell anything at Women Financial Power,” she says. “Our goal is to plan and educate. And when people are aware of all their options, then they can choose to pursue whichever path forward. We’ve found people like to be educated rather than be sold a product, so that’s what our business is about.”

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MEMBER SINCE JANUARY 1980

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE

Chuck Strong – Piano’s Flowers and Gifts

At Piano’s Flowers and Gifts, every arrangement is one to remember. BY SAMUEL X. CICCI

or Chuck Strong, there’s more than wife had hers, while my son, our lead designjust general floral expertise at Piano’s er, brought in his.” Flowers and Gifts. The local business is backed Staying connected with the community, up by several generations’ worth of family says Strong, continues to be a strong emphaknowledge, giving that extra special touch sis of their business. “It’s important to have to each flower arrangement designed at the access to the resources that can help you grow. I’m heavily involved company’s Whitehaven headquarters. And 40 years on, it “It’s important to have access with organizations like the continues to be a family affair. to the resources that can help Chamber and attend as many “My mother-in-law had been events as I can. If I got paid to you grow. I’m heavily involved in the industry for about 20 go to events, I could retire! years before I got involved,” with organizations like the But accumulating knowledge says Strong. “My wife Bar- Chamber and attend as many and connections has allowed bara did arrangements events as I can. If I got paid to us to continually grow our delivery capabilities, our part time, and then one day go to events, I could retire!” they called and said they’d design capabilities, and the —CHUCK STRONG bought a little shop. I quit my selection we can offer. It’s a PIANO’S FLOWERS AND GIFTS job to join them, and we’ve huge boon to us and others.” grown our little office from A big part of Piano’s suc1,100-square-feet to 5,400.” cess is the company’s flexibility when it According to Strong, Memphis used to be comes to designing arrangements for events. home to more than 300 independent florists, Strong says that they don’t take anything but says that number has dwindled to around off the table, whether it’s a birthday party 30. He credits Piano’s following to the gen- or a funeral. “We work around lots of other erational following built up by his relatives. organizations and venues, and it’s a good “A lot of folks did it more as a hobby, but my example of separate businesses uplifting mother-in-law had her endurance, then my each other,” he says.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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And when it comes to serving clients, he and the rest of the Piano’s team are there to help guide them to the best arrangements for their specific needs. “We have to listen to our customers,” says Strong. “You find out what their need or their concern is, and you provide the answers that they’re seeking and make sure they know what’s available and what their options are. People don’t always know what they’re looking for, so we start out with simple questions like ‘what’s your mother’s favorite color,’ to get all the right information. You just can’t imagine the excitement that you get when you see the faces of the people that we deliver to for birthdays, anniversaries, or even just as thank-you gifts. We strive to create something beautiful and personalized, and I think that’s what we excel at.” Strong doesn’t plan on stepping away from the flower pot anytime soon, either. “My wife and I are 80, but we really love what we do,” he says. “Working in this kind of creative environment keeps us going. But when we do decide to call it quits, we know the next generation is ready to keep Piano’s going.”

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JULIETTE MIDDLETON MIDDLETONMOORE

REALTOR AS A RESIDENTIAL SPECIALIST with a deep understanding of what makes the Mid-South unique, I have acquired extensive knowledge of our local real estate market, neighborhoods, and pricing trends. I pride myself on providing personalized guidance to clients while helping them navigate the selling process with ease. With a focus on delivering exceptional customer service, I strive to ensure sellers achieve their desired outcomes in a timely manner. Licensed in Tennessee and Mississippi.

901-854-5050 Juliette@MooreDeals4U.com www.MooreDeals4U.com

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MEMBER SINCE JANUARY 2023

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE

Robert Farmer – Care One Medical Solutions

If there’s a problem, Farmer and Care One Medical Solutions will know how to fix it. BY SAMUEL X. CICCI

t might seem like Robert Farmer, Farmer and team continued to expand a co-founder of Care One Medical Solu- their services, oﬀering support to skilled tions, simply isn’t fazed by challenges. Such nursing facilities by setting up tracheostomy has been his adaptability in almost 20 years and self-ventilating units. During his time in of business, it’s almost as if the entrepre- those facilities, Farmer noticed that transporneur and medical profestation was a huge concern for “I think for all business owners, some of the patients. Another sional has a preternatural sense of what adjustments new ones especially, learnpivot soon arrived, with Care Care One has had to make to ing about and utilizing the One currently focusing most stay successful. of its efforts around nonresources at your disposal, like “We’ve worn a lot of hats the Chamber, is crucial for gain- emergency medical transsince Care One started in port for patients with mobiling a foothold. You meet others 2005,” says Farmer. “We ity issues. “There are a lot of started out very small, pro- who can help you along the way small transportation compaviding medical education and share advice, and we’ve nies, but their services are to families that decided to really benefited from that.” centered around people who provide in-house care for — R O B E R T can walk, or move with some loved ones instead of keep- F A R M E R assistance,” says Farmer. ing them at a nursing home, The journey to transporCARE ONE MEDICAL SOLUTIONS but we’ve built ourselves up tation is a full-circle one for a lot since then.” One of the first hurdles they Farmer. He recalls how as a child, his pediaencountered came when clients began to ask trician operated out of St. Jude Children’s Farmer to teach them CPR. “We weren’t certi- Research Hospital. But getting there from fied instructors, so we thought, ‘hey, let’s get his housing project was a frequent challenge. certified,’ and we started teaching classes to “We didn’t always have a way to get there, but families and other healthcare workers that I remember a man named Mr. John would needed certification.” come to pick us up and drive us to our ap-

PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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pointments,” he says. “I was fortunate enough to benefit from someone doing good, and I think helping patients in this way is how I can give back to the Memphis community.” Looking ahead, Farmer sees further opportunities to grow in the DME (durable medical equipment) and telehealth fields. And thanks to the connections he’s made during his time as a business owner, he’s confident that Care One can continue to flourish. “We’ve grown a lot with grassroots eﬀorts,” says Farmer. “We didn’t even have a website until 2017, so wordof-mouth has been huge. And then when we connected with the Greater Memphis Chamber, the networking opportunities, and just learning what other businesses are out there and having the opportunity to tell people what we’re all about, has been immense. “I think for all business owners, new ones especially, learning about and utilizing the resources at your disposal, like the Chamber, is crucial for gaining a foothold. You meet others who can help you along the way and share advice, and we’ve really benefited from that. It can be tough when starting out, but even if you’re moving slowly, taking baby steps forward, that’s still progress.”

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MEMBER SINCE AUGUST 2006

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE

Susan Mealer – Answering Advantage

A local answering service focuses on the phones so entrepreneurs can keep their eyes on the prize. BY SAMUEL X. CICCI

usan Mealer’s idea for Answering to use a paperless platform, meaning mesAdvantage began with a phone call. sages could be recorded, rather than having Or, rather, a frustrating series of them that to be written down. “I remember friends who continued to wake her and her husband up used answering services, they had conveyor around 3 in the morning. belts with banks of phones on each end,” says “I was working as director of business Mealer, “and index cards with messages and development for HealthSouth [now Encom- numbers on them to pass back and forth. Havpass] and my husband worked in the durable ing a paperless platform from the get-go gave medical equipment field,” says Mealer. “His us a huge advantage, and allowed us to be business used an answering more eﬃcient.” service, and we kept getting “There are so many resources That extra efficiency allowed Answering Advanwoken up early in the mornavailable in Memphis to help ing when the service wanted tage to stand out from simito pass on a message to him, anybody who’s thinking about lar businesses. Mealer says whether he was the right starting a business. The Greater that her company is more contact or not. It’s hard get- Memphis Chamber is a great than 90 percent “live voice,” ting back to sleep after that, place for that.” which means there is usually so we thought ‘there has to going to be a human on the — SUSAN MEALER be a better way to do this.” line, a rarity when considerANSWERING ADVANTAGE With her background ing a convoluted series of auin healthcare marketing, tomated systems that many Mealer asked local healthcare professionals companies use today. “We customize based if they used answering services, and what on the needs of our client,” says Mealer, “but they would want out of an ideal service. our clients here and across the country don’t Ready to take a bold step outside her comfort want automation.” zone, she founded Answering Advantage in Pre-covid, many of Mealer’s employees op1997. “We took our first call that year,” re- erated out of Answering Advantage’s headcalls Mealer, “and we’ve been going strong quarters at 3181 Poplar Ave, Suite 224. But for 26 years now.” Answering Advantage was considered an Mealer credits “serendipity” for her start, essential service during the pandemic since becoming one of the first answering services many of its clients included doctors oﬃces PHOTOGRAPH BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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and other healthcare facilities, so Mealer and her leadership team quickly pivoted to remote work, something that the company mostly continues to practice today. “We do site checks at our agent’s houses,” she says, “to make sure they’re set up with a room that allows for privacy and security when handling calls. Our platform technology allows us to monitor calls for quality assurance, things like measuring response time, lengths of calls; by those metrics, our agents are thriving with work-from-home.” Looking ahead, Mealer is focused on continuing to create a good environment for her employees and making sure their technology remains cutting edge. And after 26 years of business, she doesn’t regret a second of it. “I came to Memphis from Oxford, Mississippi, and here is what I call a ‘small big city.’ It’s big enough to have lots of great art, culture, restaurants, but small enough to meet people and make connections. “There are so many resources available in Memphis to help anybody who’s thinking about starting a business. The Greater Memphis Chamber is a great place for that, to make connections and learn skills along the way. For aspiring business owners: utilize the resources available in our city. It’s having the faith and belief in yourself that you can do it.”

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

Music Council Government Affairs Committee GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER Women's Business Advanced Manufacturing Council Memphis Mo Small Business Cou Entrepreneurship Council Young Professionals Council GREATER MEMPHIS CHAMBER

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4D Marketing & Business Solutions Firm Roxie Nunnally 901 Aesthetics Lauren McCann 901 Vascular Kendall Hooper 911 Restoration Memphis Metro Marva Bell 93 Octane, LLC Tamara Brown A New Daylight DeWayne Hendrix A Tour of Possibilities Carolyn Michael-Banks A-One Staffing, LLC Yolanda Rubio A-Z Office Resources/Yuletide Chris Miller A1 Electrical Willie Frazier A2H - Engineers / Architects / Planners Logan Meeks AARP TN Caprice Morgan AB Mauri Daphane Freeman ABB Ralph Donati ABC Behavior Therapy Reanne Woods ABS Consumer Products, LLC Ylorie Taylor Accident Fund Insurance Company Ron Spiker Ace Hardware Cordova Chelsea Ingram Ace Pumps Andy Randle 44 | G R E A T E R

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Action Chemical, Inc. Dina Wright-Brown Acuff & Associates, Inc. Samantha McBride Adam & Eve Memphis Jerry Ward Adams Keegan, Inc. Jay Keegan Adaptec Solutions Shayna Nenni ADP - HCM Business Services Alexis Hine Advance Auto Parts - N. Germantown Parkway Joffanie Ramey Aerotek Inc. Keith Moffitt Africa In April Cultural Awareness Festival, Inc. David Acey After Life Mortuary Services Madeline Lyles Agape Child and Family Services David Jordan Agilix Solutions Darrell Smith AgLaunch Rajah Brown Agricenter International John Butler Aja’s INC Jerrilyn Freeman Alchemist Accelerator Ido Sarig Alco Management, Inc. Frank Jemison Aleva Chemical Sonnet Booth Alexander Contractors LLC April Alexander Allen & Hoshall Harry Pratt

Alliance Healthcare Services Lisa Reed Allworld Project Management Michael Hooks Ally Cook Representing American National Allyson Cook Alpha Omega Veterans Services, Inc. Vicki Azlin ALSAC / St. Jude Richard Shadyac Alzheimer’s Association - TN Chapter Greta Brown Amazon Memphis Sam Bales Amera Safe Drive Gloria Kimble American Cancer Society Jackie Greene American Commercial Barge Line Stacey Thomas American Freight Furniture & Mattress Debra Evans American Paper & Twine Company Brad Walker American Red Cross of the Mid-South Sarah Grai American Residential Services, LLC Jim McMahon American Snuff Company, LLC Steve Norman PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC LATTWEIN / DREAMSTIME

11/20/23 5:04 PM

Supply Chain Logistics Council

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Amerigo Italian Restaurant Allison Williams Ami Austin Interior Design Ami Austin Ampro Industries, Inc Jack Sammons ANF Architects Scott Dicus Angie & Ike Photography Isaac Singleton Another Roadside Attraction Karen Carrier Answering Advantage LLC Susan Mealer Apartment Association of Greater Memphis Robin Riggins APG Office Furnishings Gayla Hobbs Archer/Malmo Russ Williams archimania Barry Yoakum ARCO Design/ Build Joel Olson Ark Roofing Pam Lurie Arkansas Capital Corporation Sam Walls ARTSmemphis Bryce Goodloe Arvato Supply Chain Solutions Mollie Burkes Ascendion Inc Maleeka Catron ASG Staffing Kimberly Pegues Ashaun, LLC Anthony Tate Asia Sourcing Paul Freudenberg

Assisi Foundation of Memphis, Inc. Jan Young Aston Carter Britan Crow AT&T Chuck Thomas ATA CPA Group Mark Puckett Athens Distributing Company of Memphis John Aaron Aussie Pet Mobile Mathis Young AutoZone David McKinney AutoZone Liberty Bowl Harold Graeter Avenir Partners, Inc. dba Lexus of Memphis Bryan Smith AVI-SPL, LLC Buster Vance Avionics Specialist, Inc. Laurie Vaughn AZO, Inc. Charles Kerwin Backrs Andy Bobowski Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC Mark Glover Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. Carrie Canon Bank of America Trevia Chatman Bank of Bartlett Harold Byrd Bank3 William Chase

Banks, Finley, White & Co. of TN, P.C. Sharon Lewis BankTennessee Michelle McLaughlin Baptist Memorial Health Care Jason Little Barge Design Solutions Trevor Cropp Barnhart Crane & Rigging Company Frank Smith Barr Brands International Joe Lyons Barrett Distribution Center Constance Armstrong Barry Wehmiller Design Group Jim Burkhead Bartlett Chamber of Commerce John Threadgill Bass, Berry & Sims PLC Richard Spore BDO USA, LLP Marc Davenport Beckway Group, LLC Jacob Watson Behind the Scenes Dusky Norsworthy Bellevue Baptist Church Chip Freeman Belltower Coffeehouse and Studio Christopher Galbreath Belz Enterprises Ron Belz Benchmark Wealth Management Sarah Beach G R E A T E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 45

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

... CONTINUED

Beneva Mayweather Foods/Visions Enterprise, LLC Daniel Watson Best Western Plus Galleria Inn & Suites Radha Patel Best-Wade Petroleum, Inc. John Wade BGC Advantage Christianne Brunini Big Cypress Lodge/the Lookout Restaurant Nail Task Big League Movers Steven Reed Big River Distilling Calvin Capers Big River Engineering and Manufacturing Thomas Roehm Big River Market Beth Wilson Bioventus LLC Jasmin Nuhic Birdie’s Bryan Duffel Black Business Association of Memphis Ernest Strickland Black Flag Security LLC Courtney Simpson BLDG Memphis Deveney Perry Blight Authority of Memphis Michael Harris Blue Bell Creameries, L.P. David Luiken Blue Line Security Inc. Frank Torres Blue Oval SK, LLC Neva Burke Blue Sky Couriers Rick Hechinger Blues City Brewery, LLC TJ East Blues City Tours and Transportation Monica Holley Bluff City Sports Brent Barrett Bluff City Vending Yusuf Sharif BNSF Railway Company Michael Garriga Bobbi Gillis Bobbi Gillis Bobo Marketing Solutions Jerry Bobo Boyle Investment Company Matt Hayden Braden, Braden and Braden LLC Curtis Braden BRG3S Architects Susan Golden Briarcrest Christian School Beth Rooks Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mimi Fondren Brighter Days and Nites, Inc. Dorothy Sinclair Brightmore of East Memphis Megen Smith Brooks & Mazzola Construction Company, Inc. Catherine Maness Bryce Corporation Richard Williamson

46 | G R E A T E R

BSC Service Flooring Corporation Baldemar Salgado Buckman Lela Gerald Buckman International Junai Maharaj Burch, Porter & Johnson Nathan Bicks Buster’s Liquors & Wines Josh Hammond Butler Snow LLP Jason Yarbro Butron Media Corp Ivette Butron Byrd On The Roof LLC Dakota Byrd C & P Beauty Supply Tom Pae C-1, INC. Gerald Neely C. Foster Construction Co. Inc Carlo Foster Cadence Bank Randy Henry Caesar’s Entertainment, Inc. Kristi Miller Cafe Eclectic Cathy Boulden Cafe Noir Jasmine Settles Caissa Public Strategy, LLC Paige Walkup Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics Daniel Shumate Campfire Collective Shannon Briggs Cannon & Cannon, Inc. Wain Gaskins CanopyNation Cheryl Saum Captain & Company Real Estate LLC Fara Captain Caravan Supply Company Cindy Selden Care One Medical Solutions, LLC Robert Farmer Cargill Cotton Matt Dunbar Cargill, Inc. Sergio Plaza Carlisle Corporation Chance Carlisle Carpenter Primary HealthCare, PLLC Ken Carpenter Carpenters Local Union No. 345 Jeremy Tallent Cartridge World Memphis Michael Willis Castle Retail Group, LLC Rick James CAT Global Memphis Chris Fay CBIZ MHM, LLC Eustis Corrigan CBRE, Inc. Frank Quinn CC Club Holdings - Legacy Countrywood James Russell CE-Bio LLC Jeff Smith Center for Employment Opportunities Adrena Jackson Center for Oral and Facial Surgery of Memphis, PLLC Ronald Staples

Central BBQ Brittany Higginbotham Chaliff & Associates, CPAs Skip Gronauer Char Restaurant Allison Williams Charles River Laboratories Will Isom ChemStation MidSouth Roy Brown Children’s Museum of Memphis Sarah Zambroni Chism Hardy Investments, LLC (Industrial Sales) Carolyn Hardy Choate’s Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing Carlos Suarez Chris Woods Construction Company Grant Mills Christ Community Health Services Shantelle Leatherwood Christian Brothers Automotive Kim Hannaford Christian Brothers High School Nancy Lanigan Christian Brothers University David Archer Chuck Hutton Chevrolet Tom Hutton Church Health Alison Futris Church’s Chicken Luisa Donis-Porter Cigna Healthcare John Webb City Enterprises, LLC David Andrews City Leadership John Carroll City of Lakeland Carlin Stuart Clarion Security Larry Heathcott Clark & Clark Nick Clark Classic American Hardwoods, Inc. Bill Courtney Clay & Land Insurance, Inc. Todd Dyson Clear Me Jarry Davis Clear Strategies Calvin Anderson CN Railroad Stacey Lyons CodeCrew Meka Egwuekwe Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury Angie Ware Collage Dance Shalishah Franklin Collier Insurance Dabney Collier Colliers International Tim Mashburn COMCAST - Memphis Evangeline Parker-Guest Comfort Inn Downtown Michael Krupp Commercial Bank and Trust Allison Prescott Committed to Recovery Corey Clark

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GLOBAL MUSCLE. LOCAL HUSTLE. SUPPORTING CLIENTS AND RELOCATING EMPLOYEES TO MEMPHIS FOR 36 YEARS.

The real estate partner of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Owners: Sean Blankenship (901) 259-8500 Angie Ware (901) 598-0447

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collins-maury.com Collierville 968 Civic Center Drive, Suite 103 Collierville, TN 38017 (901) 259-8500

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Each office is independently owned and operated.

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

Communiride Ayile’ Arnett Communities In Schools of Memphis Teshanda Middleton Community Attributes Inc. Chris Mefford Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Sutton Mora Compass Intervention Center Tonya Ginn Complete Lighting & Sign Service, Inc. Angie Jennings Comprehensive Staffing Solutions Charlotte Boyce Concern Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Melissa Wilkes Donahue Concord Academy Robby Lear Concorde Career College K’Bren Adkins Conference Technologies, Inc. John Holland Confidential Business Intermediaries Memphis Kendrick Steele Connect Healthcare Collaboration Sally Pace

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Consilience Group, LLC Traci Sampson Contemporary Media Anna Traverse Fogle Continental Construction Company, Inc. Curt McMillin Continental Traffic Service, Inc. (CTSIGlobal) Ken Hazen Convergint Technologies Randall Dennis CORPRO CPR, LLC Rick Black Cotton Forwarding International Morgan Cooley Courtyard Downtown At Court Square James Barton Craft Axe Throwing Marcus Jackson Creative Home Academy and Preschool, LLC Constance Sholar Cherry Cruise Planners Trey Moore Crye-Leike / Judy & Mickey McLellan Judy McLellan CTD Staffing, LLC Beverly Mullikin Cummins Inc. Patricia Covington Cupcake Cutie Etc. Robert Clayton

HealthCare is Better Together.

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Care in the Mid-South From life-saving procedures with our roboticassisted technology to life-changing solutions like our weight loss center and bariatric program, Saint Francis Healthcare is proud to be our community’s partner in care.

Scan the QR code to learn more. SaintFrancisHosp.com

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GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND EXPECTATIONS That’s Law Elevated

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AL | CO | D.C. | FL | GA | LA | MA | MS | NC | NM | NY | PA | SC | TN | TX | VA | UK | SG

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

There is always an occasion when you can let someone know that you are thinking about them: A Birthday, Anniversary, Thank You, Forgive Me, Appreciation, Just Becasue, I Love You, or A Passing. Give us a call, and we can suggest several options to make them feel special. Call 901.345.7670.

FLOWERS & GIFTS, Inc. 4532 ELVIS PRESLEY MEMPHIS, TN 38116 (901) 345-7670 1 (800) 388-0629

www.pianosﬂowers.net pianosﬂowers@att.net 50 | G R E A T E R

... CONTINUED

Delta Dental Plan of Tennessee Emily Pearson Delta Materials Handling Gregory Costa Delta Metals Company Darren Aghabeg Delta Specialty Hospital Stephanie Reese Designed for Success Jana Cardona Destination Education JaColbie Hardy Dextrous Robotics Suzanne Drumwright DHL Global Forwarding Syrena Simpson Digby’s Protection Group, LLC Sharon Rhodes Digital Now Cindy Warren Dillard Companies Chris Bird Dinstuhl’s Fine Candy Company, Inc. Rebecca Dinstuhl directFX Mailing Solutions Kushal Shah Discount Uniforms Screen Print Embroidery Shirley McGee-Shack DittyTV Amy Wright DivergeIT Marc Merk Diversified Trust Co. Robin Smithwick Dixon Gallery and Gardens Kevin Sharp DMH Consulting, LLC - Human Resources Diane Heyman Dobbs Equity Partners, LLC John Dobbs Dobbs Management Service, LLC Edward Dobbs Donelson’s Catering Wendell Donelson Doxicom, Inc. Sidney Wilson Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks Job Corps Center Brooke Ford Draslovka Jason Painter Dress for Success Memphis Rhonda Treadwell Drexel Chemical Co. Leigh Shockey DSV Air & Sea Inc. Emanuel Knecht Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Adam Putnam Duke Ventures LLC Amina James Dunavant Enterprises Bill Dunavant Duncan Williams Asset Management Duncan Williams Duncan Williams Asset Management David Scully Eagle Distributing of Memphis Bob Winkel Eagles Nest Services Gwendolyn Gavin-Macklin

Eat At Eric’s Grill And Catering (A Food Truck) Eric Meyers eBiz Solutions Sridhar Sunkara Eclectic Eye Lindy Faulkner Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) Joann Massey Economic Opportunities, LLC - Ec Op Keusi Donald Edelbrock Group Chris Douglas Elite Performance Staffing Sheree Coleman Elite Screening and Wellness Denise Peeples Elite Supply Chain Services Paul Johnson Ellie Mental Health Ronak Desai Elos Medtech Jodie Gilmore Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. Jack Soden EM Printing, LLC Ken Quick Empire Distribution of TN - Memphis William Lucchesi Encompass Health Rehab - Austin Peay Adam Yoe Enfinity Supply Laurita Jackson EnSafe Inc. Don Bradford Enterprize Container Corporation Clint Cowley Envoy Source, LLC Justin Bishop Epic Pivot Harvey Kay Epicenter Jessica Taveau Epilepsy Foundation West TN Joy Fields Equus Workforce Solutions Keva Duckett ER2 - Electronic Responsible Recyclers Martha Jackson Eskins, King & Marney, P.C. Bradley Eskins Etairos HVAC Teddy Gorman Evangelical Christian School Rachel Twiford Evans Petree PC Dan Robinson Evolve Bank & Trust Thomas Holmes Evonik Active Oxygens, LLC Gary Clancy Executive Coaches, LLC Kevin Hill Executive Force Security, LLC Christy Taylor Expedient Rob Ward Expeditors International Of WA, Inc. Marcia King Farnsworth Holdings Michael Mullis Farrell Calhoun, Inc. Julie Fleming

| DECEMBER 2023

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Farris Bobango PLC John Bobango Fast Freight Intermodal Company Derrick Whitsy Fastest Labs of North Memphis Latanyua Robinson Fat Tuesday Edricus Drains Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Douglas Scarboro FedEx Richard Smith Felsenthal Financial Services David Deaderick Fetch! Pet Care of East Memphis Jacob Farmer Fibrenew Greater Memphis Chip Cox Fidelity Employment Staffing; Development and Retention Inc. James Harvey Fifer Logic LLC Scott Fifer Financial Federal Bank Kent Wunderlich Finard Properties Rick Smith First Choice Sales & Marketing Group Tyrone Burroughs

First Horizon Bryan Jordan First South Financial Credit Union Teresa Griffith FirstKey Homes Jennifer O’Brien Fisher Arnold Steve Jones Fisher Phillips David Jones Flash Staffing Maria Mendez Fleming Architects Scott Fleming Flex Steven Wallace Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar Sharla Holloway Flintco, LLC Tim Weatherford Floats & Fuel Cells Fred Tavoleti Flying Coyote Aerial Photography Lesley Schlesinger Focus Relocation, Inc. Rachel Frenette Fogelman Properties Rick Fogelman Folk’s Folly Prime Steakhouse Diane Kauker Food For Thought Specialized Catering Katina Johnson

Ford Motor Company Laurie Ball Forever Ready Productions, LLC Lauren Ready Forvis Kim Sheley Four Points by Sheraton Memphis East Scott Burchett Fowler Insurance & Employee Benefits, Inc. Teresa Steele Franklin Sports, Inc. Wayne Morton Fresh Start Facility Services, Inc. Johnny Fayne FT Air Jason Mitchell Full Flava Foods, LLC dba The Wing Guru Whitehaven Kimberli Ware Fullen Dock & Warehouse, LLC Lanny Chalk G & W Diesel Services, Inc. Mandy Wharotn McCain Gant Systems, LLC Nick Gant Garland Company Real Estate Kathryn Garland Gaskill Strategies LLC Linda McNeill

G R E A T E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 51

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

... CONTINUED

General Heating & Cooling, Inc. Loretta Flaherty Genesis Diamonds Memphis LLC Devir Vanunu Genesis Technology Lab, Inc. Yolonda Fisher Georgia Ports Authority Brian Bellan Geotechnology, LLC Pat Donovan Gerber Taylor Matt Robbins Germantown Athletic Club - City of Germantown Amy LaRusso Gill Properties Janet Ferrell GIP Financials Sonja Jones Girls Inc. of Memphis Lisa Moore Girls on the Run Memphis Joanna Lipman Glankler Brown, PLLC Bill Bradley Glidewell Dental - Bruxzir Express Mark Cain Global Logistic Solutions, LLC Mary Fryman Global Mobile Care Tiffany Glover Gold’s Gym Tennessee Allison Oran Good Advertising, Inc. Ellen Cox Good Fruit Electric Joe Howard Goodwill Excel Center MidSouth, Inc. Chuck Molinski Goodwill Industries Tony Martini Gould’s Salon & Spa Melissa Williams GP Cellulose Kachanda Smith Grace Medical Michael Crook Grace St. Luke’s Episcopal School Brenda Berry Green Dot Public Schools Jocquell Rodgers Gregory Construction Hayden Peel Greystone Servicing Corporation, Inc. Pam Treadway Grifols Bio Supplies Inc - Cleveland Stephanie Sanders Grind City Kicks Chima Onwuka Grinder, Taber & Grinder, Inc. Fred Grinder Group Benefits, LLC Timothy Finnell Guaranty Bank Hunt Campbell Guardian Relocation-Atlas Van Lines Kriston Boswell H & M Company, Inc. Roger Cook Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis, Inc. Jessica Hord 52 | G R E A T E R

Hampton Inn & Suites @ Beale Street Brooke Atkins Hanz Oil, Inc. Haitham Alwousef HarborChase of Cordova Cristy Browning Harper-Avery Insurance, LLC Dba Geico Insurance Blake Sims Harris & Harris Realty Group LLC Crystell Harris Harris, Shelton, Hanover, Walsh, PLLC Kim McLaughlin Harvest Creative Daniel Brown Hatfield and Associates Jack Hatfield Hawkins, Inc. J.R. Eledge HBG Design Dana Ramsey HDR Inc. Mark Grey HEAL901 K Durell Cowan HealthLink International Sebastiaan de Kok Healthy Kids & Teens / Camp Get Fit Jessica Simmons Heavenly Sunshine Property Services Sandi Eley Helen of Troy Tiffany Granderson Hemline | Tailored Brand Strategies Cynthia Saatkamp Henry Turley Company Henry Turley HHM CPA Memphis Richard Swope Hi-Speed Industrial Service Benjamin Buffington Higginbotham Family Dental (Harbor Town) Cortne Young High Point Climbing & Fitness Will Collins HigherVisibility Ericka Milford Hill Services, Inc. Tandra Inmon Hillwood Sarah Dickey Hilton Memphis Tom Goodwin Hog Wild-Real Memphis Barbeque LLC Ernie Mellor Holiday Inn & Suites Wolfchase Galleria Jonathan Williams Holiday Inn Express Midtown Jeff Emmett Holiday Inn - The University of Memphis Diedra Anderson Hollywood Feed, LLC. Kate Lancaster Home Outlet John Simpson Homelift Inc. Lori Senn Honest Monument Company Earnest Hillman

Hope Credit Union Bill Bynum HopeWorks Amy Braden Hot Graphics Printing, Inc. Lynn Blurton Hotel Indigo Scott Burchett HOTWORX - Memphis (Edge District) Carmella Rogers HOTWORX - Poplar Abby Eisenmenger Howell Consulting, LLC Frank Howell HRO Partners Austin Baker Hudspeth Benefits Group Chuck Hudspeth Huey’s Restaurants Monique Stitts Hulsey PC Bill Hulsey Hutchison School Tracey Zerwig Ford Hyde Family Foundations Teresa Sloyan Hyosung HICO Ltd. Jason Neal I Love Boxabl LLC Jabari Williams Ideal Chemical & Supply Company Sam Block Idexx Laboratories Jonathan Thomas IDI Logistics Timothy Moore Ignite M.O.B. Dominique Anderson iHeart Media DeJuan Hendricks IKEA Michael Matteson ImageWorks Commercial Interiors Kevin Yates IMC Mark George Immerse Health & Wellness Jawanner Davis ImmunoTek Bio Centers, LLC Melissa Lee Inclusive Excellence Consulting, LLC Mary McConner Independent Bank Susan Stephenson Independent Presbyterian Church Bob Hicks Indigo Ag Chris Goode Industrial Sales Company Jennifer Richardson inferno Daniel O’Brien InnerActive Consulting Group Robin Graham Innova Memphis Ken Woody Innovate Memphis Jessica Lotz Insight Risk Management, LLC Patrick Siano InSouth Bank Candy Sims

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uthsc.edu Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities.

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

... CONTINUED

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Inspire Counseling & Support Center Bethany Hanczor Insurance Consulting Group, Inc. Steve Rodgers International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. Robert Mooshegian International Paper Christa Allen Intertrade, LTD. Michael Goode Intrepid Investments Blair Bass Inventory Locator Service John Herrman IPS Packaging and Automation Rob Aguam Itta Bena Katherine Corvelli J. Strickland & Company Marcus Mobley Jack Morris Auto Glass Karen Sears Jack Pirtle, Inc. Tawanda Pirtle JAdams Financial Services PLLC Joyce Adams Jakes Dumpsters LLC Jake Pinckley Jamerson Strategic Consulting LLC Jiljuana Coleman James Pest Management, Inc. W. Lanier James JAN-PRO Development of Memphis and the Mid-South Trudi Pierami JAS Forwarding Chris Shelton JeffBow Enterprises, LLC Michael Jefferson Jeffrey Jacobs Photography, Inc. Jeffrey Jacobs JEL Developments James Little Jerry Christian Aircraft Sales, Inc Jerry Christian Jewelers’ Choice, Inc. Bill Ferrell JIGSAW Beecher Frasier JIM Promotions & Uniforms Brenda Curland Jim Robbins & Associates, Inc. Walker Robbins Jimmy Whittington Lumber Company Jim Whittington JK International Inc. James Kim JLL Jack Wohrman Joe’s Crab Shack Ronnie Cannon JP Morgan Chase Bank Tom Simpson JSSI Process Server, Inc. Othneil Penn Judy Bell Consulting Judy Bell

| DECEMBER 2023

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Untitled-8 1

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

... CONTINUED

Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, Inc. Leigh Mansberg Junior League of Memphis Pat Pope Junkluggers of Memphis Tammie Stansberry K&B’s Smooth Nutrition LLC Sondra King KBG Technologies, LLC Kathy Buckman Gibson KC Hospitality James Kelly Keeler Iron Works, Inc. Clay Keeler Kele Inc Danny Lyons Kelman-Lazarov, Inc. Marty Kelman Kemmons Wilson Companies, LLC Spence Wilson Jr. Kemmons Wilson Insurance Group Cindy Klatt Kensington Manor Apartments Markenna Edgeston Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. James Collins Kindred Place Pam Meiners Kitchens Unlimited Joe Kassen Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. Jeffrey Lee Kooky Canuck Shawn Danko KPMG, LLP Greg Barnes KPower Global Logistics Tyler Kattawar KQ Communications Renee Malone Kroger Co. Sheleah Harris Kroger Delta DC Ronald Kimbro Kruger Products Fred Ceruti KUDZUKIAN Larry Robinson Kuehne & Nagel, Inc. Rodrigo Leal L & M Enterprises dba Seko Logistics Tim Moore L&O Trucking Co Claudia Sichting La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings and Decor Debra Stansbery LAB Digital Creative Michael Newsome Lakeland Wealth Management Sreeni Meka Lakeside Behavioral Health System Joy Golden Lallemand / American Yeast Kaitlin Bowman Landers Auto Group Kent Ritchey

56 | G R E A T E R

Landmark Farmers Market / Landmark Training Development Company Mike Minnis Landmark Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Cynthia Rapp Laser Aesthetics Body & Wellness Pam Hathcock Latino Memphis Mauricio Calvo Lausanne Collegiate School Laura Trott Lavish A Luxe Boutique (Lavish Too) Lawanda Thornton Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Michael Wiggins Leaders Credit Union Shea Brown Leadership Memphis Reggie Crenshaw Legion Force Security Shawn Wilson LeMoyne-Owen College Christopher Davis Lenahan, Smith & Bargiachi, PC, CPA Shayne Smith LEO Events Cindy Brewer Lewis Massey Associates, LLC Joann Massey Liberty Bank and Trust Company Carolyn Walker LifeDoc Health Gabriel Velasquez LifeSigns / HealthyHere Sandy Bradford Lifestyle Screen Printing Donald Kirkland Lighting Source David Lee Lil’ Miracles Is Better Than - Foodtruck LLC Terrica Thornton Link Apartments Broad Ave Carisa Johnson Linkous Construction Company, Inc. Rusty Linkous Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance, LLC Johnny Pitts Local 24/TEGNA Broadcasting Rick Rogala Lokion Jennifer Lee Loretta McNary Show Loretta McNary Louis Dreyfus Company Joe Nicosia Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores Michael Balak LPI Memphis, Inc. Ciara Neill LRK, Inc. Frank Ricks Lubin Enterprises, Inc. Karen Magness Lurie and Associates, LLC Leonard Lurie M & D Coatings, Inc. Michael Mays M.J. Edwards Funeral Home Carolyn Brown

Machinery Sales Company, Inc. Greg Meadows Mahogany Memphis, LLC Jessica Miller Main Street Dental Jodi Rump Makowsky Ringel Greenberg, LLC Michael Greenberg Malasri Engineering, PLLC JT Malasri Malco Theatres Karen Melton Mallory Alexander International Logistics Neely Mallory Manufacturers Industrial Group (MIG) Andre Gist Marion Chamber of Commerce Trisha Bloodworth Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, PC Clay Purdom Marx-Bensdorf REALTORS Laurence Kenner Mary M Hess Foundation for Acute Stroke Care and Rehabilitation William Stotts Mauser Packaging Solutions Roxanne Mayes Maximus-Shelby County Child Support Judicial District Angela Foster McAdams Group, LLC Tearesa Claiborne McEwen’s Memphis John Littlefield McGriff Insurance Services Mark Forrester McKee and McFarland, Inc. Bob Lafferty McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations Jennifer Brantley McVean Trading & Investments, LLC Dow McVean Medegen Medical Products Jennifer Williamson Medford Roofing, LLC Meghan Medford MedHaul Nathalie Occean Medical Education & Research Institute Cayla Cook Medtronic Hal Beckham Megan Klein Consulting Megan Klein Melody Mitchell, Realtor eXp Realty Melody Mitchell Memorial Park Funeral Home And Cemetery Joe Lowery Memphis & Shelby County Film & Television Commission Linn Sitler Memphis Area Association of Realtors Katie Shotts Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc Cindy Cole Ettingoff

| DECEMBER 2023

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Memphis Area Transit Authority Bacarra Mauldin Memphis Association of Independent Schools Bryan Williams Memphis Blues Gina Beasley Memphis Botanic Garden Mike Allen Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Kathy Dumlao Memphis Business Group on Health Cristie Upshaw-Travis Memphis Center For Independent Living dba Disability Connection Midsouth Diane Klink Memphis Clean Claudia Cogswell Memphis Communications Corporation Stacey Purdy Memphis Consulting Group, LLC Jonathan Nyaku Memphis Education Fund Terrence Patterson Memphis Electric Company Donald Thomas Memphis Equipment Company Douglas Cummings Memphis Funeral Home Corey Hague Memphis Gift Basket Jesse James Memphis Grindhouse Coffee Dwayne Chaffin Memphis Grizzlies Jason Wexler Memphis Ice Machine Company Clark Lawrence Memphis In May International Festival, Inc. James Holt Memphis Jewish Community Center Idesha Reese Memphis Light, Gas & Water Gale Jones Carson Memphis Management Group:Renasant Convention Center and Cannon Center for the Performing Arts Dean Dennis Memphis Medical District Collaborative Rory Thomas Memphis Medical Society Clint Cummins Memphis Pizza Cafe, Inc. Gary Garlington Memphis Record Pressing Catrina Traylor-Francis Memphis School of Excellence Samuel Beyhan Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority Scott Brockman

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

... CONTINUED

Memphis Shelby County Schools Lisa Jordan-Williams Memphis Stone and Stucco Angela Rhodes Memphis Tacos Claudia Cogswell Memphis Tomorrow Blair Taylor Memphis Tourism Kevin Kane Memphis University School Liz Copeland Memphis Urban League Shawn Smith Memphis Wine Society Norbert Mede Memphis Zoo Nick Harmeier Memphis/Shelby County Port Commission Randy Richardson Men in Blue Security, Inc. Derrick Parker Mental Health Cooperative Memphis August Geeter Mercer Capital Management, Inc. Christopher Mercer Meridian Life Science David Christian Meritan, Inc. Melanie Keller Message Factors Tom Logue Metal Building Products, Inc. Theresa Jones Methodist Healthcare Employee Assistance Program Sandra Worlow Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Michael Ugwueke Metro Construction, LLC Joe Savage Metropolitan Cardiovascular Institute Errol Raspberry MHP / Team SI Amanda Mauck MicroPort Orthopedics, Inc. Todd Smith Mid-America Apartments Eric Bolton Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary Randy Redd Mid-South Drug Testing, Inc. Kelly Dobbins Mid-South Food Bank Cathy Pope Mid-South Milling Company, Inc. Nathan Pappas Mid-South Public Communications Foundation / WKNO Scott Davidson Mid-South Transplant Foundation, Inc. Kim Van Frank Millennium Machinery, Inc. Jared Jobbins Millennium Search Jason Gillum Mimeo Oliver Doughtie Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church J. Lawrence Turner 58 | G R E A T E R

Mitchell & Son, Inc. Ron Monmaney Momentum Nonprofit Partners April Carter Monica Burt and Associates, LLC Monica Burt Monogram Food Solutions Karl Schledwitz Montgomery Martin Contractors, LLC Richard Meena Morgan Steel, LLC Rick Curry Morris Marketing Group Leah Webb Mortgage Financial Services Ryan Knop MoSH Kevin Thompson Mosley Tax & Accounting Service Melanie Mosley Moxy Memphis Downtown Curtis Pandes MSHN Enterprises Corey Clark MSK Group, P.C. dba OrthoSouth Thomas Giel III MSM Distribution LLC Lee Coffey Muggin Coffeehouse Mary Olds MWT Transport LLC Milton Thomas MyCityRides Andy Nix Myers Commercial Real Estate Melanie Myers NAI Saig Company Laura Saig Martin National Civil Rights Museum Russ Wiggington National Cotton Council Drew Davis National Guard Products Lewie Smith National Ornamental Metal Museum Carissa Hussong neMarc Professional Services, Inc. Carmen Bassett-Brown Neon Canvas Natalie Brewer Network Data Source, LLC Dawn Brasher New Memphis Institute Anna Mullins New Millennium Building Systems Bob Hudson New Way Aquaponic Farms Daryl Leven New York Life Scotty Hendricks Newberry Tanks & Equipment, LLC Chris Long Newmark Knight Frank Joe Steffner nexAir, LLC Bill Proctor Nextera Energy Resources Clark Stephens Nickey Warehouse, Inc. Charlie Andrews

Nickson General Contractors Octavius Nickson Nike Willie Gregory NKC of America, Inc. Nancy Christian Noremac Media Group George Monger Northwestern Mutual Jim Meeks Nothing Bundt Cakes Amy Lupo Novick Cardiac Alliance Christopher Myers Novo Nordisk Marla Wiedenmann Now Leasing Jennifer Wessels Nu-Wave Development LLC Marilyn Conway Nucor Steel of Memphis, Inc. Eric Nystrom Octapharma Plasma, Inc Meghan Murphree Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P. C. Kim Hodges Olam Agri Americas Inc. Amanda Cook Olymbec USA LLC Jason Berger Olympic Career Training Institute Patrick Carter Olympic Industries David Corbin Omega Recycling Solutions Marcus Chandler One Digital Health and Benefits Lisa Bell One Stop Housing Mark Vengroff OPACHS Sharon Pruitt Opti-Coat, LLC David Ghodoussi Optum at Home Michael Scarbrough Opus - East Memphis Beth Robertson OrabiTech Muhammad Baig Orgill, Inc. Eric Divelbiss Orion Federal Credit Union Ashley McDurmon Oteka Technologies,LLC Alandas Dobbins Our Connections Joe Roberts Outdoors, Inc. Lawrence Migliara Outfront Media, LLC Sheryl Butler Overhead Door Company of Memphis, Inc. Barry Ray OZB Consulting, Inc. DBA The Drone Company Nita Black Painting Unlimited, Inc. Joseph Lewis Pandrol USA Sandro Silva Paradox Catering & Consulting, LLC Alia Hogan Paragon Bank Robert Shaw Parasol Awnings, LLC Michael Folk PATH Company William Franklin

| DECEMBER 2023

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Pathmark Transportation Wes Kraker Pathway Lending Jarlecia Jones Patriot Bank John Smith Patterson Warehouses, Inc. Nathan Bell Payne Services Plumbing. Heating. Air Danny Payne PBC BioMed Inc. Brittney Martinez Peabody Memphis Douglas Browne Peer Power Cortney Richardson Penn A Kem LLC Sameer Rupani Perfecto Staffing Bailey Morris Performance Associates Britt Thomas PerformancePoint Brad Federman Pete Mitchell & Associates, Inc. Insurance George Hilliard Pfizer Inc. Nelson Zamora-Ramos PFSweb Glen Harckum Phancy Photo Marketing Photo Booth Cathy Wood PharmEx, LLC Amresh Narine Phillip Ashley Enterprises Phillip Rix Phoenix Assurance Hulesy Britt Pi Kappa Alpha J.R. Parsons Piano’s / Shackelford’s Florist Charles Strong Pickering Firm, Inc. Mike Pohlman Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. Phillip May Pitman Glass & Glazing Scott Pitman Plaskolite Alex Busby Playhouse on the Square Michael Detroit PMC Biogenix Clarke McGuire PMI Global Services Lisa Kirk PMI Memphis Chapter Tamara Brown Poplar Nutrition Cody Andrada Porter-Leath Rob Hughes Power & Telephone Supply Company Jennifer Sims Power Equipment Company of Memphis Robert Brackett Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. David Warmath Praxair, Inc. Kellina Anderson Precision Air Conditioning & Heating, LLC Kathe Stewart Primas Bakery and Boutique Rachel Mullen Princeton James Productions Princeton James

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G R E A T E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 59

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

ProductionOne Kiley Butler Professional Pharmacy Services Patrice Pritchett Professional Service Industries, Inc. Larry Johnson Progressive Technologies, Inc. D. Christopher Brubaker Protank Brendon Plumpton ProTech Services Group, Inc. Dan Weddle Quality Commercial Cleaning Shana Quality Incentive Company Rodger Plumb Quality Roofing Contractors Felix Haynes R & R Enterprises of TN dba Double R Wine, Spirits & More Richard Farwell R3Dream Action Innovation Group - rAiG Inc. Antoine Maxwell Rachel’s Salon & Day Spa Paige Garland Radians, Inc Mike Tutor Randstad US - Metro Memphis Area Sylvia Grammer Raymond James Ryan Ehrhart RBG Wealth Advisors, LLC Greg Davis RDX, LLC Roumen Denkov Recycling Management Resources C.J. Drew Red Deluxe, LLC Marie Sheldon RedDOT Corporation Stephanie McCaster Redeemers Group, Inc. Rosie Graves RedRover Company Lori Turner-Wilson Regional One Health Reginald Coopwood Regional One Health Foundation Susan Graham Regions Bank David May Renae’s Window Treatments, Inc. Susan Newby Renaissance Group, Inc. Ruffin Flowers Renasant Bank Shawn Clayton Rendezvous Tina Jennings RentalCity Shellye Lyons Residence Inn by Marriott Memphis Downtown Tracey Henninger Resource Entertainment Howard Stovall Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck Skeet Haag Rhodes College Kerri Campbell Rich Products Corporation Natalie Wright Riko’s Kickin Chicken, LLC Tiffany Wiley 60 | G R E A T E R

... CONTINUED

Ritchie Smith Associates Ritchie Smith River Arts Fest, Inc. Dan Flick River Inn of Harbor Town Mehri Ahmadzadegan Riviana Foods Inc. Tim Gyovai RIX International Gwendolyn Tucker RKA Construction Ann Cooper Robert Half Chrissy Smith Ronald McDonald House of Memphis Malayna McGhee Rone’s Landscaping & Construction Alicia Hill Royal Furniture Company Michael Faber Royalty Wellness Spa PLLC Sharonda Walton Rozell Gray Company Rozell Gray Rumble Boxing Midtown Memphis Ann Lee Running Pony Jonathan Epstein Runyon Industries Stan Runyon Russells Development LLC dba EXIT Realty Wallstreets Kadestrick Russell Rust College Rita Rayford S&ME Jeff Doubrava Saint Francis Hospital Scott Smith Sam Angel Original Arts, LLC Angela Sampson Schooley Mitchell-Memphis Miclain Keffeler SchoolSeed Foundation Vincent McCaskill Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. Jason Landrum Seedco Darrell Scott Seeding Success Mark Sturgis Select Specialty Hospital -Memphis, Inc. Tangi Townsend Self Tucker Architects, Inc. Juan Self Semmes Murphey Clinic John Lewis Serenity Recovery Centers, Inc. Paula Hopper Serra Chevrolet Bartlett Sam Hamady ServiceMaster by Stratos Stacy McCall ServiceMaster Facilities Maintenance Troy Watson Serving Size LLC Najee Bush SG Electronics Inc Wesley Grace

Shantorra Owens State Farm Agency Shantorra Owens Sharp Manufacturing Company of America Karin Tanaka Shelby County Federal Credit Union Tiffany Chisnall Shelby County Trustee Regina Newman Shelby Farms Park Conservancy Jen Andrews Sherwin Williams Company Nicole Minskey Shoemaker Financial Jeremy Jones Shred 415 Amanda Lott Siemens Industry, Inc. Randy Jowers Sign Matters Inc. Trevor Reed Signal Security Huston Akins Signet, Inc. Elizabeth Tate Silicon Ranch Corporation Blake Spurgeon Silver Tree Residential, LLC James Carmichael Simmons Bank Brandon Cooper Sissy’s Log Cabin Jason Heckendorf SJI Enterprises, Inc. John Shannon Skinner Technology Group Leighton Foster SkyCop, Inc. Greg Nuckles Smith & Nephew, Inc. Ashok Srinivasan Sneed, Robinson & Gerber, Inc. Tommy Sneed Society of Entrepreneurs Pearson Crutcher Sonic Delivery, Inc. Jake Mohundro Sound Waves, Inc. Mike Irwin South Side Wildcats Organization Antwoine Clark Southaven Chamber of Commerce Debbie King Southbrook Properties Corp Greg Grant Southeastern Asset Management Justin Miller Southern Airways Express Keith Sisson Southern Cardiovascular, PLLC Jonathan Ellichman Southern College of Optometry Lewis Reich Southern Duplicating of TN Megan Louderback Southern Security FCU Simin Bhagat Southern Spray Company Kurt Throckmorton

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

... CONTINUED

Southern States Forwarding, Inc. Bruce Friedman Southern Steel Supply Company, Inc. Neil Cohen SouthernSun Asset Management William Halliday Southland Casino Racing Osi Imomoh Southwest Airlines Ana Schwager Southwest Tennessee Community College Tracy Hall Sowell Realtors / Stephanie Robinson Stephanie Robinson Spark Printing Joe Grape Sparkle Mentality Consulting, LLC Luanne Yeley Spartan Solutions Inc. Tracy Thompson Spherion Staffing and Recruiting Omar Aquil Spotlight Concepts Inc. Court Welch Spotlight Productions Fabian Matthews Springs at Buckingham Farms Jeremy Speed SRVS Teresa Cooper St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital James Downing St. Mary’s Episcopal School Jennifer Parris Staff Management Jeremiah Mendoza Staffline, LLC Mark Story Standpoint Consulting Adriane Johnson-Williams Starbucks Mariena Rodriquez Starbucks Retail Recruitment Danielle Coffman State Farm Insurance / David Ross David Ross State National Companies Maria McLendon State Systems Robert McBride Stax Museum of American Soul Music Jeff Kollath Stellar Security Services, LLC Leonard Watkins Stepherson’s, Inc. William ‘’Randy’’ Stepherson Stites & Harbison, PLLC Andrew Sanders Stragistics Technology Hughetta Dudley Stratas Foods Jack Straton Strategic Resource Management, Inc. Brad Downs 62 | G R E A T E R

Stryker Corporation Patrick Fisher Suite 901 Marketing Leland Burress Suite Lyfe Holdings Rob Higgins Summerfield Associates, Inc. Dotty Summerfield Giusti Summit Asset Management LLC Peggy Adler Summitt Management Corporation Fred Jones Sunshine Enterprise, Inc. Yolonda Aldridge Supreme Staffing Eduardo Sanchez Sylvamo Tom Cleves Systematic Equity Solutions Darrell Ray Systems Technologies, Inc. Jeremy Simpson T R Banks Logistics LLC Eboni McKinney T-Mobile Lenox Park Stephanie Jones T. O. Fuller State Park Victor Benson TAG Truck Center Gary Dodson Take 5 Car Wash Clifton Brown TASCO Mike Boyer Tate Computer Systems, Inc. Sylvester Tate Tax Kings Timothy Casey TBI Services Group, Inc. Paul Walsh TCW (Tennessee Commercial Warehouse) Ben Banks TEC Group Thomas West Tech901 Aaron Lamey TechnoLogyx, Inc Paula Jones Tennessee Builders Education Foundation Davida Cruthird Tennessee Business Roundtable Patrick Sheehy Tennessee Carriers Candy DeBord Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis Pam Farley Tennessee Crown Distributing Keith Riggins Tennessee Language Center Janice Rodríguez Tennessee Limousine Service Beketa Anderson Tennessee Recycle Environmental Energy Services - TREES Joshua Vickery Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network Justin Johnson

Tennessee Valley Authority Economic Development Aaron Stewart TennesseeCAN Victor Evans Terminix Jay Robinson The 1 Shop Barber & Beauty Maurice Jones The Brass Door, LLC Seamus Loftus The Cadre Building Betsy McKay The Carter Malone Group, LLC Deidre Malone The Crazy Coop LLC Veronica Finnie The Crescent Club Robby Allender The Crump Firm - Architects Metcalf Crump The Daily Memphian Eric Barnes The Daily News Eric Barnes The Great Hall & Conference Center Nick Dahl The J. M. Smucker Company Travis McKie The Juice Plus+ Company Paulo Teixeira The Kent Toni Williams The Lamar Companies Michael McFall The Law Office of David E. Gordon P.C. David Gordon The Law Office of David E. Gordon P.C. David Gordon The Marston Group, PLC Chip Marston The Memphian Hotel Bobbie Peppers The Orpheum Theatre Candace Dean The Pallet Factory Michael Doyle The Reaves Law Firm Henry Reaves The Rise Apartments Sarah Wiggley The Salvation Army Memphis Aaron Keegan The Seam Mark Pryor The Sims Financial Group Charles Sims The Spruill Agency Mitanni Spruill-LeSueur The Urban Child Institute Gary Shorb The Westin Memphis Beale Street Kim Murray Think Inspired, Inc. Christopher Lee ThomasHill Behavior Training Innovations Erica Thomas-Hill Thompson Machinery Keith Peevy Thrivent Jim Cowgill Timeless Gatherings Event Venue Tamika Galvin

| DECEMBER 2023

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Tioga Environmental Consultants, Inc. Larkin Myers TJ Builds, LLC Trinette Johnson-Williams TNT Sound Inc James Taylor Tomsin Steel Processing, Inc. Michael Thompson Toof American Digital Printing Stillman McFadden TopCat Masonry Contractors, LLC Briggette Green Torry Low Voltage Janell Torry Total Package Health and Wellness, Inc. Tamara Henderson Town of Somerville Mendi Donnelly Townsend Development Bill Townsend Traffic Consultants, Inc. Jeff Konrad Transnetyx, Inc. Christine Essary TREKK Design Group, LLC Stephen Edwards Trezevant Manor Kent Phillips Tri-State Truck Center, Inc. Jim Maddox TriCore Builders, Inc. Jack Yates TruckPro, LLC Chuck Broadus True Enterprises, LLC Morris Parker TruGreen Sally Archibald Truist Ted Miller Trust Marketing Howard Robertson Trustmark National Bank - Memphis Region Corporate Office Gene Henson Turner Construction Company Andy Davis U.S. Biologic, Inc. Chris Przybyszewski U.S. Water Heating Solutions Walt Mosby UCL Financial Group, LLC Rebecca Schulter UMRF Ventures Jutta JT Schneider Unified Strategic Resources, LLC Christian Gibbs Union Centre Executive Suites Gloria Carson Unistar-Sparco Computers, Inc. Eduardo Perez-Glez United Housing, Inc. Yvette White United Way of the Mid-South Kenneth Robinson UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Stephen Wilson University of Memphis Bill Hardgrave University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services Bernadette Fuller

University of Tennessee Extension Service Chris Cooper University of Tennessee Foundation Greg Harris University of Tennessee Health Science Center Peter Buckley Upsmith, Inc. Wyatt Smith UpSquad Derrick Reives Urban Security Solutions of Tennessee, Inc. Djenada Dunlap Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI) Eva Mosby US Foods Jimmy Kiser US Tax Works 2.0 Dhane Marques USFL Mike Humes V. Alexander & Co., Inc. Brodie Foster Vaco Memphis Justin Farmer Valbridge Property Advisors / C & I Appraisal Services, Inc. Todd Glidewell Valero Memphis Refinery Lisa Wheeler Jenkins Vantiva SCS Memphis, Inc. Sandra Breeden Varco Pruden Buildings Katrina Bustamante Varsity Spirit Bill Seely Vascular Interventional Physicians Sunny Duffey Veasley’s Paving Services, Inc. Floyd Veasley Versant Supply Chain Kimberley Verna Vertava Health Brooke Stewart Veryable Evan Bates Vic Vega VV Vic Vega Victorious U R Life Coach Center LLC Theresa Harris Victory Bicycle Studio Clark Butcher Villa Castrioti Joe Clarke Virtuous Beacon Association Andrea Jamerson Vistar of Tennessee Bethany Lewis Vitalant Jean Newman VRC Companies, LLC (Vital Records Control) Kelly Luttrell W&T Contracting Corporation Wiley Richards Waddell & Associates, LLC David Waddell Waggoner Engineering, Inc. Tracy Huffman Walker & Associates, Inc. Ceil Walker Walmart Fulfillment Center Arthur Wells G R E A T E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 | 63

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MEMBER DIRECTORY

Watkins Uiberall, PLLC Jeff Thomason Wayne Enterprise, LLC Pernell Williams We Care TLC Raegan Le Douaron Weiss & Glassell Orthodontics Brenton Glassell WellMind Behavioral Health & Wellness Madeoine Cummings West Cancer Center Mitch Graves West Fraser Wood Products, Inc. Jennifer Urban West Memphis Chamber of Commerce Emily Scarbrough West Tennessee Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Amber Harris Whataburger Restaurants Mike Gibbs WHBQ Fox 13 Kyle Krebs Whitmor, Inc. Scott Felsenthal Whitten Brothers Hardware Ben Whitten Wholesale Glass Distributors, Inc. Ladedria Penn

64 | G R E A T E R

| DECEMBER 2023

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... CONTINUED

William Cannon Heating & Air, Inc. Carla Cannon William R. Moore College of Technology Skip Redmond Williams Comprehensive Healthcare Tina Williams Wilson Public Relations Beth Wilson Winstead Turf Farms, Inc. Gail Dowster WISEACRE Brewing Company Kellan Bartosch WLOK Radio Art Gilliam WMC-TV Jonathan Mitchell Wolf River Conservancy Susan Graham Women Financial Power LLC Sandra Bailey, RFC Women’s Business Center South Vonesha Mitchell Woodland Presbyterian School Adam Moore Workforce MidSouth Kyla Guyette

Worlds Away Robert Berry Worldwide Business Group Anthony Norris WREG-TV Fran McRae Wright Investments, Inc. Larry Wright Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP Odell Horton Xcelente Trucking & Logistics Training Center Vontyna Durham Yates Construction Alex Teague Yippie Trippie & The Porkstars Trip Fountain YMCA of Memphis & the Mid South Jerry Martin YogaSix Downtown Memphis Mary Kate Schuster York Construction Services, LLC Cheryl York Young Actors Guild Sabrina Norwood Youth Villages Richard Shaw Zips Car Wash - 3294 Poplar - Main Account Sara White

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HOBSON REALTORS T H E S I G N O F D I S T I N C T I O N S I N C E 1 9 7 2

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(901) 761.1622

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