In our "Beyond the Bio" blog, we ask MBQ Power Players to write a post of their choosing about their industry.
In many way, Memphis is at a crossroads.
Our community faces a number of challenges. We seem them in the news every day. The key to whether we succeed is in how we respond to these challenges.
Will we look at the headlines and be discouraged? Or will we be motivated to make a difference?
I believe Memphis is a community with unrivaled potential.
Memphis offers amenities that are typically reserved for cities at least twice its size. We have a vibrant downtown and unique cultural attractions. The Memphis Grizzlies are exciting, perennial playoff contenders who put us in the major leagues. We have a world-class airport with incredible development potential. We have a rhythm that is all our own. And we have the best people you could ever hope to meet.
If we work together in a collaborative manner, we can help Memphis reach new heights. I believe it is incumbent on those of us who serve in the business community to find meaningful way to invest ourselves in our community and be a part of positive change.
What talents do you possess that could make a difference in someone’s life? How can you turn your expertise into a community outreach that benefits those who are underserved?
Several years ago, Regions saw a need to help more people understand money management. We recognize that individual financial freedom leads to a more stable community. We took several approaches to address this issue. Regions partners with Junior Achievement to teach financial literacy classes in local schools. Each year, roughly 150 volunteers from Regions share the basics of budgeting and preparing for the future with students in more than 200 classrooms.
Also, we partner with the Shelby County Trustee’s Office on Project H.O.M.E. (Home Ownership Made Easier) to support workshops that teach adults the proper methods of budgeting, including how to make a spending plan and pay off debts. The workshops are designed to help educate homeowners facing financial difficulty with the ultimate goal of helping them remain in their homes. As more people receive financial education – and as more people remain in their homes – we can help support our community and strengthen our neighborhoods.
Right now, Regions is in the planning stages of a new outreach that I believe will have a significant benefit for entrepreneurs in our community. While this outreach is still being developed, I can share that our goal is to help more small businesses serve their surrounding neighborhoods.
These are just a few ways one company can make a difference. How can yours?
Companies succeed by identifying needs and meeting those needs. Similarly, we as a business community can help Memphis succeed by recognizing opportunities to serve and finding ways to provide that service.
In Memphis, our potential is so much greater than the challenges we face.
Let’s be a part of positive change.
Let’s be proud of Memphis and what we have to offer.
Let’s look closely at our community, find new ways to serve, and realize our potential.
Power Players Profile:
Area President, West Tennessee, Regions Bank. Bachelor of Business Administration, Banking and Finance, University of Mississippi. Current Board Member and past Chairman of the Board, Service Over Self. Past Board Member, Leadership Memphis, Christ Methodist Day School, and United Way of the Mid-South, including Chair of Allocation Committee for seven years. Member, Economic Club of Memphis and Association of Financial Professionals.
