HELLO 2019The Inside Memphis Business Tip Sheet is taking a brief vacation and will return early in the new year. In anticipation of 2019, we offer you a couple of nuggets to help you batten down the hatches:- The combined effects of 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), current monetary policy, and a widening trade war will reduce the pace of nation’s economic growth in 2019, says a new report from Ball State University. “While we expect the pace of U.S. GDP growth to be at or near 3 percent in 2018, we anticipate it slowing to 2.3 percent in 2019,” says Michael Hicks, director of Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research and an economics professor.He also says the national economy is in its ninth year of expansion, with labor markets performing strongly, the unemployment rate is now beneath all common estimates of full employment, and wages have growth over the year of nearly 1.0 percent above the traditional consumer measures. GDP growth in 2018 was stronger than in 2017, but not historically unusual, even for this relatively slow recovery. Promoting growth in 2018 was the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which motivated higher consumer spending, Hicks said. The TCJA lacked a large investment stimulus and resulted in much larger budget deficits, which causally increased the trade deficit through 2018, he says.- Meanwhile, global trend forecaster Gerald Celente's newly released Top 10 MegaTrends for 2019 also peers into the crystal ball. Let's hope he's wrong about many of these.
WHAT'S GOING ON- As part of a companywide rebranding initiative, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Memphis is changing its name to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. The 95,000-square-foot hospital is an 80-bed in-patient rehabilitation hospital whose mission is to provide full-scale rehab services to get patients back to leading active and healthy lives. A joint venture with Methodist Healthcare, the hospital provides treatment for orthopedic, cardiac, pulmonary, medical-surgical patients, and other specialized programs for stroke, spinal cord injury, and brain injury patients. The hospital also provides therapists to help with the transition back to the home after a lengthy rehabilitation campaign.Stephanie Bridges, CEO of Encompass Health Memphis, says the name change is a step forward for the organization. “Our new Encompass Health brand reinforces our commitment to working together to continuously improve the care we provide our patients. With a focus on clinical collaboration and strengthening relationships, we will continue to play an important role in making a difference in the lives of our patients.”The rebrand comes as part of a company-wide shift from Birmingham, Alabama-based parent company Encompass Health. The Memphis location will join Encompass’ other 129 in-patient rehabilitation hospitals and 273 home health and hospice locations in changing names.— By Samuel X. Cicci- In 2013, when Volunteer Odyssey was founded, Memphis was ranked 45 out of 51 in citywide volunteerism according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Since then, Volunteer Odyssey has partnered with more than fifty nonprofits in the Greater Memphis Area and matched more than 7,000 volunteers with volunteer opportunities. In the past year and a half, Volunteer Odyssey has tracked 97,893 volunteer hours which equals an economic impact of $2,207,480. The Corporation for National and Community Service released new data showing that Memphis has moved from 45 to a ranking of 24 in the nation.- Leadership Memphis, whose mission is to prepare and mobilize leaders to work for the good of the whole community, is accepting applications and nominations for its Spring 2019 FastTrack class, which begins in February 2019. Applications and nominations can be submitted online through the Leadership Memphis website at leadershipmemphis.org/
- Lehman-Roberts Co. and Memphis Stone & Gravel Co. have partnered to host a job fair on January 26th at the Whispering Woods Hotel & Conference Center in Olive Branch.- Inferno expanded its team with the additions of Kelly Wade (account executive) and Sarah Yanakopulos (production artist).- The Seam added Kristi Lofton as software engineer.- BTI Consulting Group named Stites & Harbison, PLLC as a client service leader in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2019: The Survey of Law Firm Client Service Performance.- Rachel M. Rice joined Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP as an associate. Her focus will be on the firm’s corporate and securities service team.- Tioga Environmental Consultants hired Jordan Bolin as project coordinator.- Plans for The Ravine, a public greenspace between Madison Ave. and Union Ave. in the Edge District, have been greenlit, and will be led by real estate development firm DSG.- Five attorneys from Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C. were included in The Best Lawyers in America 2019: Stevan Black, Mike McLaren, Mark Griffee, Will Cochran, and Jana Lamanna.- Helena Parfenova, PhD (pictured), professor of Physiology in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, received a $2.1 million grant to study mechanisms behind newborn seizures and potential new therapeutics.
POWER PLAYERInside Memphis Business magazine publishes a list of local Power Players every year. These are the movers and shakers in more than 30 categories who get things done in their respective fields. IMB’s April issue has the complete list. We also publish individual categories in other issues throughout the year, and we feature individual Power Players in our weekly Tip Sheet.This week’s Power Player is Reid Dulburger:President and CEO, Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County. M.S., Carnegie Mellon; M.A., Georgetown University. Organizational responsibilities include business financing programs and tax incentive programs such as Foreign Trade Zone-77, PILOTs, TIFs; along with Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce and the International Port of Memphis. Chief economic development officer, Memphis and Shelby County. Former vice president, MemphisED Administration, Greater Memphis Chamber. Certified Economic Developer and Economic Development Finance Professional.For the complete list of Inside Memphis Business Power Players, go here.
- Economic 9/11
- Human Waves
- America Puritan 2.0:
- Censorship 2019
- Ready To Explode
- Bye, Bye Boomers
- Get High, Get Healthy:
- Blessed Are The Geeks:
- Gen Z = Gen Zero:
- Dying Brands:
WHAT'S GOING ON- As part of a companywide rebranding initiative, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Memphis is changing its name to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. The 95,000-square-foot hospital is an 80-bed in-patient rehabilitation hospital whose mission is to provide full-scale rehab services to get patients back to leading active and healthy lives. A joint venture with Methodist Healthcare, the hospital provides treatment for orthopedic, cardiac, pulmonary, medical-surgical patients, and other specialized programs for stroke, spinal cord injury, and brain injury patients. The hospital also provides therapists to help with the transition back to the home after a lengthy rehabilitation campaign.Stephanie Bridges, CEO of Encompass Health Memphis, says the name change is a step forward for the organization. “Our new Encompass Health brand reinforces our commitment to working together to continuously improve the care we provide our patients. With a focus on clinical collaboration and strengthening relationships, we will continue to play an important role in making a difference in the lives of our patients.”The rebrand comes as part of a company-wide shift from Birmingham, Alabama-based parent company Encompass Health. The Memphis location will join Encompass’ other 129 in-patient rehabilitation hospitals and 273 home health and hospice locations in changing names.— By Samuel X. Cicci- In 2013, when Volunteer Odyssey was founded, Memphis was ranked 45 out of 51 in citywide volunteerism according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Since then, Volunteer Odyssey has partnered with more than fifty nonprofits in the Greater Memphis Area and matched more than 7,000 volunteers with volunteer opportunities. In the past year and a half, Volunteer Odyssey has tracked 97,893 volunteer hours which equals an economic impact of $2,207,480. The Corporation for National and Community Service released new data showing that Memphis has moved from 45 to a ranking of 24 in the nation.- Leadership Memphis, whose mission is to prepare and mobilize leaders to work for the good of the whole community, is accepting applications and nominations for its Spring 2019 FastTrack class, which begins in February 2019. Applications and nominations can be submitted online through the Leadership Memphis website at leadershipmemphis.org/- Lehman-Roberts Co. and Memphis Stone & Gravel Co. have partnered to host a job fair on January 26th at the Whispering Woods Hotel & Conference Center in Olive Branch.- Inferno expanded its team with the additions of Kelly Wade (account executive) and Sarah Yanakopulos (production artist).- The Seam added Kristi Lofton as software engineer.- BTI Consulting Group named Stites & Harbison, PLLC as a client service leader in the BTI Client Service A-Team 2019: The Survey of Law Firm Client Service Performance.- Rachel M. Rice joined Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP as an associate. Her focus will be on the firm’s corporate and securities service team.- Tioga Environmental Consultants hired Jordan Bolin as project coordinator.- Plans for The Ravine, a public greenspace between Madison Ave. and Union Ave. in the Edge District, have been greenlit, and will be led by real estate development firm DSG.- Five attorneys from Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C. were included in The Best Lawyers in America 2019: Stevan Black, Mike McLaren, Mark Griffee, Will Cochran, and Jana Lamanna.- Helena Parfenova, PhD (pictured), professor of Physiology in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, received a $2.1 million grant to study mechanisms behind newborn seizures and potential new therapeutics.POWER PLAYERInside Memphis Business magazine publishes a list of local Power Players every year. These are the movers and shakers in more than 30 categories who get things done in their respective fields. IMB’s April issue has the complete list. We also publish individual categories in other issues throughout the year, and we feature individual Power Players in our weekly Tip Sheet.This week’s Power Player is Reid Dulburger:President and CEO, Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County. M.S., Carnegie Mellon; M.A., Georgetown University. Organizational responsibilities include business financing programs and tax incentive programs such as Foreign Trade Zone-77, PILOTs, TIFs; along with Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce and the International Port of Memphis. Chief economic development officer, Memphis and Shelby County. Former vice president, MemphisED Administration, Greater Memphis Chamber. Certified Economic Developer and Economic Development Finance Professional.For the complete list of Inside Memphis Business Power Players, go here. 
