Who’s Who in Memphis 2025

To understand Memphis, you need to understand the cast of characters who make our community distinctive. This year’s “Who’s Who” list includes people who have shaped this city in the past and who will play important roles in its future. Not every noteworthy Memphian appears on this list — but by reading about those who do, you’ll glean a broad sense of our complex history, commerce, and culture.

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RAUMESH AKBARI (right) • A member of the Tennessee Senate since 2019, representing District 29, and currently the Democratic leader, Akbari took a leading role in the 2025 legislative session for projects as varied as funding for a new Shelby County jail and increased support for K-12 girls’ sports. Has served as chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators and as financial secretary of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. A member of the Commerce and Labor Committee and the Ethics Subcommittee, she served on the national criminal justice task force and as the Marshall Memorial Fellow in Europe for the German Marshall Fund.

IKE ANAND • Named president and CEO of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities in July 2025, Anand is in charge of the powerhouse fundraising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. ALSAC is midway through a six-year, $12.9 billion strategic plan — the largest initiative in the organization’s history — to advance research and treatments for childhood cancer. Named an interim director in March, he had served as ALSAC’s chief operating officer since 2020. Anand was previously global vice president of strategy for the Expedia Group.

WARD ARCHER JR. • In 1990, Archer oversaw the creation of Archer-Malmo (now Archer), Tennessee’s largest advertising shop. After retiring as CEO in 2000, he opened Archer Recording Studio to record contemporary Memphis music for distribution and for independent film. In 2016, he founded Protect Our Aquifer to keep the Memphis Sand Aquifer clean and accessible to future generations. During his eight-year term as board chair, Protect Our Aquifer successfully challenged TVA, Carrier Industries, the Byhalia Pipeline, and now are vying with xAI. Archer remains an ex-officio board member of POA and spends his time sequestering carbon for the Family Forest Carbon Program on his land in Fayette County.

SHANTE K. AVANT • A 27-year veteran of the nonprofit sector, Avant is president and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Greater Memphis. In addition, as chair pro tempore of the Shelby County Commission, she represents District 5. She is the first black woman to be elected to a newly formed district in Shelby County, and only the second to hold her current title.

EKUNDAYO BANDELE (left) • The founder and CEO of Hattiloo Theatre has written and directed plays across the country and led a $10 million capital campaign. Bandele established the accredited Hattiloo Institute of Black Theatre Studies at LeMoyne-Owen College and launched cultural exchanges with theaters in South Africa, Norway, Nigeria, and Rwanda.

CHRISTY BARZIZZA • Creative Aging recently named Barzizza its new executive director of the organization that presents performing and fine-arts programming. A managing partner at Novel bookstore, she led the effort to assemble its local ownership group.

BRETT BATTERSON • In 2016, Batterson became president and CEO of the Orpheum Theatre Group. The theater and its next-door facility, the Halloran Centre, present Broadway shows, concerts, comedy, and community events. Batterson has helped develop new programs such as Mending Hearts Camp for young people who have experienced the death of a parent, and the expansion of the High School Musical Theatre Awards. He is the founder of the Memphis Cultural Coalition, a roundtable of city leaders in arts and culture.

KIMBERLY & WILLY BEARDEN (right) • Executive director of Elmwood Cemetery, Kim Bearden creates innovative programs like outdoor film showings and guided tours, where actors portray Elmwood’s famous residents. She is co-author with husband, Willy, of Elmwood Cemetery and has contributed to academic publications on cemetery culture. From Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Willy has produced documentaries on the blues, cotton, and garage bands, and has published books on local history. In 2010, he released the feature film, One Came Home, and has produced Memphis Memoirs segments for WKNO and hosts Dialogue with Willy Bearden for library channel WYPL. Last year, Willy Bearden released his autobiography, Mississippi Hippie.

BIRDCAP • Michael Roy, better known as Birdcap, has made his mark around the world with bright, poppy, cartoony public murals, but the artist calls Memphis his home. Here, it’s not hard to find his work, readily visible at places like Eclectic Eye, the Art Center, Barboro Alley, the Exchange Building, and Broad Avenue.

JOZELLE LUSTER BOOKER • The Memphis Minority Business Council Continuum is an economic accelerator that connects suppliers with the Mid-South’s largest corporations. Booker’s eight years leading the organization plus decades with Memphis Light, Gas and Water have provided expertise to assist businesses in growing revenue, training workforces, and expanding capacities.

CRAIG BREWER (left) • The director of Hustle & Flow put Memphis on the filmmaking map in 2000 with his groundbreaking feature The Poor & Hungry. Brewer reunited with Hustle stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard during the hit series Empire, and later for Fight Night, an award-winning series which included Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Hart. His two films with Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name and Coming 2 America, were huge hits for Netflix and Amazon. His next film, Song Sung Blue, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, will be released Christmas Day, 2025. After that, Brewer will direct a biopic of Snoop Dogg for Universal Pictures.

DOUGLAS V. BROWNE • As president of Peabody Hotels & Resorts, Browne has been running the Peabody Hotel since 2003. With more than 40 years in the hospitality industry, he also lends his expertise as board chair of the Metropolitan Memphis Hotel & Lodging Association and was the 2022 board chairman of the Greater Memphis Chamber. Named a 2023 Inside Memphis Business CEO of the Year, he is also an accomplished ballroom dancer.

PETER BUCKLEY • Chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center since 2021, Buckley is the author of more than 300 articles in psychiatric research and 200 book chapters. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a board member of the Schizophrenia International Research Society. As CEO of the six doctoral programs in the UT system in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis, Buckley advocates for the university’s role statewide.

MELVIN BURGESS • Elected Shelby County Property Assessor in 2018, Burgess previously served two four-year terms on the county commission. Named Tennessee Assessor of the Year in 2021, the first African American to be so honored. Declared candidacy for the 2026 Shelby County mayoral election. Claimed credit for formal lowering of Shelby County property tax rate as an outcome of county’s 2025 appraisal.

STEWART BURGESS (left) • Director of the Children’s Museum of Memphis since 2019. Of more than 600 children’s museums in the U.S., Burgess is the only director with professional experience in early childhood education. The Fresno, California, native earned a Ph.D. and planned a career in academia, but when his wife took a job with Wright Medical, Burgess became early childhood director at St. George’s School. When the CMOM director retired, Burgess “threw my hat in the ring.” Has added new exhibits, with the goal “to provide a space for playful learning.”

MAURICIO CALVO • After living in Memphis for 25 years, Calvo, a native of Mexico City, became a U.S. citizen. In 2023, became one of the first Latinos to hold public office in Shelby County with appointment to the school board. Currently president and CEO of Latino Memphis, empowering the third largest community in Memphis by providing immigration and legal services, connecting people with healthcare and job opportunities, and advocating for Latino issues in government and the private sector.

NED CANTY • Since 2011, Canty has served as director of Opera Memphis and initiated nationally acclaimed efforts to popularize the art form. In addition to traditional productions, has brought initiatives from pop-up performances to commissions of bold new works. The company’s “30 Days of Opera” takes opera to the public and modernizes the art form by blending it with newer genres. In May 2025 it hosted the Opera America conference — the smallest company to ever host the influential gathering of opera producers.

ELIZABETH CAWEIN (right) • An advocate for local music and musicians, Cawein founded and directs Music Export Memphis, a nonprofit that serves as an “export office” for Memphis music and culture. Formerly a public relations leader serving the music industry, she is also an adjunct professor of music urbanism at Rhodes. Her TED talk about music’s cultural currency has been viewed more than 1 million times.

PAUL CHANDLER (left) • As president and CEO of the nonprofit Memphis River Parks Partnership, Chandler oversees the renovated park system along the Memphis riverfront, including Tom Lee Park and Mud Island. As the former executive director of the Germantown Performing Arts Center, he was responsible for creating The Grove, a $7.5 million outdoor performance venue.

NLE CHOPPA • One of the city’s most innovative rappers, Bryson LaShun Potts had no fewer than four releases last year, including the dancehall-flavored “Catalina” with Latin star Yaisel LM, reflecting Choppa’s own Jamaican roots. He’s also promoted his veganism, and his video “Can We Live?” from early this year was a thoughtful take on gun violence.

TRACY CHURCH • The plant manager for the BlueOval SK EV Battery Plant — part of Ford Motor Company’s massive $5.6 billion BlueOval City in Haywood County — has been overseeing launch operations for the new manufacturing facility. With expertise in engineering, inventory control and management, material logistics, production management, and design change management, Church is leading the way to bring the massive project to fruition.

ASHLEY COFFIELD • The CEO of the regional Planned Parenthood affiliate since 2013 first volunteered with the organization as a Rhodes College student. In 2018, she oversaw the merger of the Memphis and Nashville affiliates to form Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi. Under her leadership, the affiliate provides reproductive healthcare via four health centers and PP Direct (a telehealth app), comprehensive sexual health education, and advocacy for reproductive rights.

STEVE COHEN • Now serving a tenth term in Congress representing Memphis’ 9th Congressional District, the former state senator has easily turned back all challengers since his election in 2006. Equal parts maverick and establishmentarian, Cohen saw his national stature certified in 2025 by his appointment to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Cohen was an early advocate of impeachment during Donald Trump’s first term. He sponsored an official House apology for slavery and, as chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, conducted hearings on potential reparations for African-American citizens.

JENNIFER COLLINS (right) • After serving eight years as law school dean at Southern Methodist University, Collins was named president of Rhodes College in 2022. She was previously a member of the law faculty at Wake Forest University, where she created the university’s first-ever LGBTQ+ Center and Women’s Center.

DR. REGINALD COOPWOOD • Since 2010, Coopwood has served as president and CEO of Regional One Health, the primary source of medical care for much of our city’s population, in addition to providing trauma and burn care for the region. His work is complemented by a commitment to improve community well-being.

CERELYN “CJ” DAVIS • Named first woman chief of the Memphis Police Department in 2021, in 2024 city council members declined to approve her reappointment by Mayor Paul Young. One reason was unease about her sponsorship of the MPD “Scorpion” unit, which included five officers charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols. She continued to serve on an interim basis, however, and was ultimately confirmed by the council as police chief in 2025.

CHRISTOPHER DAVIS • The president of LeMoyne-Owen College since 2024, Davis is the first pastor to serve in the role, and hopes that tying the college back to its church roots will reinvigorate its future. Davis is the 14th president of the nation’s fifth oldest HBCU; he is also senior pastor at St. Paul Baptist in Whitehaven. His appointment comes after years of instability at the school, but he’s ushered in cause for optimism in finances, enrollment, and retention.

MICHAEL DETROIT (left) • For more than three decades, Detroit has been the face of Memphis theater. The executive producer of Playhouse on the Square oversees casting, production, and outreach/education programming of the city’s largest professional theater operation, and created the largest U.S. professional audition conference (United Professional Theatre Auditions). Detroit has appeared as an actor or voiceover artist in stage productions, TV commercials, and nine feature films.

JAMES DOWNING (right) • The president and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since 2014, Downing is leading a $12.9 billion commitment to accelerate progress in the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases by expanding St. Jude clinical care and scientific programs in Memphis and around the globe. He was instrumental in launching the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, an ambitious sequencing effort to discover why childhood cancer arises, spreads, and resists treatment. Downing has championed St. Jude Global, a program dedicated to raising pediatric cancer survival rates internationally.

LAKEISHA EDWARDS • By trade a social worker, Edwards now serves as executive director of the UrbanArt Commission (UAC). Under her leadership, UAC’s public art projects have celebrated the unique and diverse stories of 27 Memphis neighborhoods this year, with an increased focus on community-led initiatives. Other efforts like their Tiny Gallery, Billboard Gallery, and free exhibition space have supported local artists.

STEVE EHRHART • For three decades, executive director of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic, one of the oldest annual postseason games in college football, broadcast nationally and internationally on ABC or ESPN. The annual economic impact of the game is estimated at more than $20 million. This season’s matchup — between teams from the SEC and Big 12 — will be played on January 2, 2026. General manager of the original Memphis Showboats (1984-85) and inducted into the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

ROBERT FOCKLER • As president of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Fockler leads the largest charitable grant-maker in the Mid-South. In fiscal year 2024, it granted $178.5 million to 1,882 nonprofit organizations, with most grants directed through donor-advised funds. Since 1969, the foundation has made grants totaling $1.3 billion. Fockler oversees the foundation’s efforts to make community-voiced, community-centered investments through the FOREVER Funds, presents community information at LIVEGIVEmidsouth.org, and offers GiVE 365, a dollar-a-day giving program.

KEY GLOCK • As the late Young Dolph’s cousin, the artist born Markeyvius LaShun Cathey signed to Dolph’s Paper Route Empire in 2017. Three years later, his debut album went gold, and his single the next year, “Ambition for Cash,” went multi-platinum. Soon he began a series of collaborations with his cousin that also spawned hits. This year’s release, Glockaveli, and the accompanying tour continue his winning streak.

GLORILLA • Memphis thought this rap goddess was big three years ago, when her single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” produced by Hitkidd, went platinum and landed her a contract with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group. Then “Tomorrow,” her single featuring Cardi B, went double-platinum. Last year, she dropped both the Ehhthang Ehhthang mixtape and Glorious, her acclaimed debut album, and toured the world with Megan Thee Stallion. This July, the artist born Gloria Hallelujah Woods reigned supreme in her hometown, headlining at FedExForum.

ROBERT GORDON • The author of classic histories of Memphis music and culture, including It Came From Memphis, Memphis Rent Party, Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters, and Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion. Gordon is also a filmmaker, including the film versions of Respect Yourself and Can’t Be Satisfied, Best of Enemies, an Emmy-winning history of the 1968 Buckley/Vidal debates, and Very Extremely Dangerous. His contribution to Written in the Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos brought him two Grammys. His next film is a history of the Newport Folk Festival, expected in 2026.

AL GREEN (right) • Publicity-wary, this superstar of soul nevertheless remains unpredictable, as revealed by his appearance last New Year’s Eve at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The Bishop of the Full Gospel Tabernacle, which Green founded in 1976, is a highly visible pillar of the community, telling writer Bob Mehr that his fundamental belief is, “If you try and sincerely try, that’s all we need.” Meanwhile his ’70s masterpieces, produced by Willie Mitchell of Hi Records, or even 2018’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” produced by Matt Ross-Spang at Sam Phillips Recording, have unmatched staying power.

MICAH GREENSTEIN (left) • The senior rabbi of Temple Israel, Greenstein has devoted more than three decades to Memphis’ 170-year-old synagogue, the largest Jewish congregation in a five-state Southern region. Recognized as Memphis Magazine’s inaugural Memphian of the Year in 2013 for reaching across racial and religious lines to cultivate a more relational community. Named one of America’s Top 50 Rabbis by Newsweek/The Daily Beast.

WILLIE GREGORY • One of Memphis’ top players is Gregory, who can handle himself in golf, baseball, basketball, and football. But where he really scores is as vice president of global operations, manufacturing, and sourcing at Nike. As one who embodies the “Just Do It” spirit, Gregory brings together the worlds of sports, marketing, government, and community. He’s received accolades for his various contributions and has worked with the Greater Memphis Chamber to make the region a winning destination for businesses.

CARMEON HAMILTON • The interior designer first attracted attention in 2011 when she started writing about making spaces more beautiful in a blog intended for her friends. Hamilton’s renown grew beyond small circles, and her business took off in a big way. In 2021, she won the grand prize on the HGTV reality competition show Design Star: Next Gen, which led to her own filmed-in-Memphis reality show, Reno My Rental, bringing affordable elegance to the masses. With almost 200,000 followers on Instagram, the in-demand Hamilton is more than a designer — she’s a “Life Curator.”

PENNY HARDAWAY (right) • The greatest basketball product in the history of a city that loves its hoops, Hardaway will be coaching his eighth season at the University of Memphis when the 2025-26 season tips off in November. He’s won at least 20 games in each of his first seven seasons, compiling an overall record of 158-68. His Tigers won the 2025 AAC regular-season and tournament championships, though Memphis has still won only one NCAA tournament game on his watch. Hardaway was the national player of the year as a senior at Treadwell High School (1990), an All-America at then Memphis State (1993), and twice first-team All-NBA with the Orlando Magic.

BILL HARDGRAVE • In April 2022, Hardgrave began his tenure as 13th president of the University of Memphis and soon established the “Ascend Strategic Plan” to plan the university’s growth for the next five years. Has published several books and authored more than 85 articles, and his research has been cited in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and BusinessWeek, among others. His stated goals for the U of M include making tuition accessible, sustaining faculty and student growth, and establishing the school as a research institution.

MARCELLUS HARPER & KEVIN THOMAS • In 2009, Harper and Thomas moved their professional dance company, Collage Dance Collective, from New York City to Memphis, hoping to expand access to classical dance and improve racial diversity on the stage. Harper serves as executive director, Thomas as artistic director. Together, they have made the company one of the largest Black-led performing-arts organizations in the South and one of a few professional ballet companies in the world with a roster of BIPOC dancers.

LEE HARRIS • After his reelection in 2022 to a second four-year term as Shelby County Mayor, Harris won county commission support for an ambitious agenda, including funding for two new high schools and the renovation and expansion of the Regional One medical campus. He won plaudits in 2025 for imposing strict limits on solitary confinement in the Shelby County jail and oversaw a reduction in the county’s property tax rate.

SALLY JONES HEINZ (right) • Since 2011, native Memphian Heinz has acted as president and CEO of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), where she inspires a team of 100 staff to be innovative in their service to the community. MIFA was founded in 1968 in an unprecedented cooperative effort uniting church and community leaders to confront poverty, hunger, and social division in Memphis. Today, MIFA supports vulnerable seniors and families in crisis through high-impact programs which touch some 30,000 people in this area annually.

SARAH HOUSTON • A self-described “water nerd,” Houston is executive director of Protect Our Aquifer, tirelessly fighting to protect Memphis’ greatest asset, the sand-filtered aquifer which provides our drinking water. She began her career with the YouTube channel Wander Like Water, where she biked 8,000 miles while doing educational spots about the water sources she encountered along the way. She researches hydrology with the University of Memphis’ Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research.

CARISSA HUSSONG • Under executive director Hussong, the Metal Museum continues to thrive as a hub for the metal arts. It showcases exhibitions by internationally renowned metalsmiths, offers year-round educational programs, and hosts events like Repair Days and Whet Thursdays. Its picturesque bluff location limited room for expansion, so the museum is moving to the former home of Memphis College of Art in Overton Park. This new facility will serve as an international metal arts institute and education center. The bluff location will become an artist residency program, host community events, and welcome visitors to its scenic grounds and sculpture garden.

BARBARA & J.R. HYDE (right) • Few Memphis families have had such an impact on Memphis. Barbara is chair and CEO of the Hyde Family Foundation, where she is passionate about education reform. Has led efforts to bring innovative education initiatives to Memphis, most notably the KIPP Academy, Teach for America, and New Leaders. As a founding member and past chair of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, she led master planning and fundraising efforts to transform the park into a world-class amenity. Also a founding chair of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis. J.R. “Pitt” Hyde founded AutoZone in 1979, one of three Fortune 500 companies with Memphis headquarters. Regarded as one of the city’s leading philanthropists, instrumental in founding the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, Memphis Tomorrow, and the National Civil Rights Museum, and part of the civic partnership that brought the Grizzlies to Memphis. In June 2023, the Hydes contributed $20 million towards the construction of the new riverfront Brooks Museum, scheduled to open (as the Memphis Art Museum) in 2026.

IMAKEMADBEATS • After spending his teen years making beats on an old-school computer in Orange Mound, the ambitious engineer/producer/recording artist, born James Dukes, wound up at Quad Studios in New York. That in turn led him back home to found the Unapologetic music, media, and fashion collective, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this August. Often speaking out on the need for artists to embrace their own individuality (and vulnerability), he’s modeled that with his own art, including his 2024 album WANDS, an interstellar trip in audio form, mixing samples with intricate orchestrations by MAD himself.

JAREN JACKSON JR. (left) • For a Grizzlies franchise that’s endured its share of upheaval, its power forward has become a stabilizer. “Trip” played in his second NBA All-Star Game in 2025, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks over 74 games. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year will enter his eight season with Memphis ranked seventh in career scoring and ninth in rebounds. Comes from a hoops family: His father was a member of the 1999 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and is now a basketball coach; his mother leads the Women’s National Basketball Players Association.

BEN JOHNSON • He starred as an outfielder at Germantown High School, displaying enough talent to be drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1999 MLB draft. When those same Cardinals called 20 years later with an offer to manage his hometown Memphis Redbirds (the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate), Johnson’s decision was easier than a lazy fly ball. Early in the 2025 season, he surpassed Chris Maloney for the most wins by a manager in Redbirds history. Johnson himself played in 98 big-league games for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets.

FRED JONES • His brainchild, the Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx, is an annual cultural celebration that culminates with a football game between historically black universities. Arkansas-Pine Bluff made its debut in the 2023 event and will face Alcorn State this year on September 27th at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Jones is the longtime president of Summitt Management Corporation, an entertainment consulting firm. Since first held in 1990, the SHC has averaged upwards of 50,000 in attendance.

BRYAN JORDAN (right) • From a single branch that opened in Memphis during the Civil War, First Horizon has emerged as the largest bank in Tennessee, with assets of more than $80 billion, some 7,000 employees, and 414 banking centers across the Southeast. Since 2007, Jordan has served as chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer.

ZOE KAHR • When she took over as executive director of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in 2022, Kahr came prepared to lead the organization as it transitions to a new $180 million facility on the Mississippi River. She previously served as deputy director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Under Kahr’s leadership, Brooks announced it would quadruple their public programs, with a goal of making the museum not only a place to view artwork but also a community gathering place.

KEVIN KANE • President and CEO of Memphis Tourism for more than 30 years; the slogan, “Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock-and-Roll,” was created under his direction. Kane has expanded awareness of Memphis with satellite offices in England, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Created the Memphis Tourism Education Foundation and the Memphis Sports Council. The lifelong Memphian is also president and CEO of the Memphis Management Group, which runs the newly refurbished Renasant Convention Center and the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

AL KAPONE (right) • Though he made his name as a rapper in the 1990s Memphis hip hop scene, and later with tracks for the 2005 film Hustle & Flow, Alphonzo Bailey, better known as Al Kapone or Al Kapeezy, remains remarkably active today. This year, he spearheaded the group performance of the “Memphis Rap OGz,” featuring himself and many of his peers, at the RiverBeat Music Festival. Aside from penning “Whoop That Trick,” now a staple chant at Grizzlies games, Kapone blends his unique rap style with the blues, collaborating with guitarist Eric Gales and Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars.

ZACH KLEIMAN • As executive vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies since 2019, Kleiman retains a low profile in one of the city’s highest-profile jobs. Under his watch, the Grizzlies won the first two Southwest Division titles in franchise history and have made the NBA playoffs in four out of six seasons. The 2022 Executive of the Year dismissed coach Taylor Jenkins and promoted Tuomas Iisalo with nine games remaining in the 2024-25 season. Made headlines before the NBA Finals were over by trading Desmond Bane to Orlando, a deal that brought four first-round draft picks to Memphis.

DAVID KUSTOFF • An enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump’s tax-cut plans and budgetary agenda, District 8 Congressman Kustoff became the target of an organized Democratic protest in early 2025. Elected to Congress in 2016, Republican Kustoff became the second Jewish congressman (with 9th District Democrat Steve Cohen) to serve Shelby County. Has a long record of activism on behalf of GOP candidates and causes.

LONDON LAMAR • State Senator for District 33, appointed in 2022 to replace the previous incumbent, Katrina Robinson, expelled after conviction on federal wire fraud charges. Lamar currently serves as chair of the Shelby County legislative delegation and caucus chair of the state Senate Democrats. From 2018 to 2022 she was a member of the state House of Representatives for District 91. Has served as the CEO of The L2 Company and as a policy associate with SISTERREACH. Co-founded Gen Next PAC and is a past president of the Tennessee Young Democrats. She defended the Memphis Shelby County Schools board for its controversial February 2025 firing of superintendent Marie Feagins.

PATRICK LAWLER • Now in his 45th year as the CEO of Youth Villages, Lawler has grown the 5,000-plus employee organization serving more than 47,000 young people across 100 locations in 29 states and the District of Columbia annually. The White House cited Youth Villages as an example of “effective, innovative nonprofits” that are “high-impact, result-oriented” organizations. In 2020 Lawler was the recipient of the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, a national honor considered the Nobel Prize for service. In 2022 named a CEO of the Year by Inside Memphis Business.

SUNAH M. LAYBOURN • The latest book from the associate professor of sociology at the University of Memphis is Out of Place: The Lives of Korean Adoptee Immigrants, inspired by her own experience as one of 125,000 Korean adoptees in America. For four years, she hosted Let’s Grab Coffee, a weekly talk show on WYXR radio. She is also the founder and organizer of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Memphis, which includes art exhibits, art contests, documentary screenings, and the Hungry Tiger Food Tour (in conjunction with Edible Memphis).

STEPHEN M. LEE • Since founding the Memphis Jazz Workshop, one of the city’s premier institutions in music education, in 2017 this virtuoso jazz pianist and recording artist has led a double life. For Lee, the music has always come first, going back to his early studies with another Memphis pianist, Donald Brown, and through his many years as a performer in New York. And his 2024 album, In the Moment, reveals that he’s still a player. But he’s also excelled at leading the MJW, which takes music instruction at local schools to the next level.

OLLIE LIDDELL (left) • His father was a band director at Jackson State University, so many imagine the man who led the Central High School Jazz Band to top honors at the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2025 Essentially Ellington competition was born to the role of music educator. But his undergraduate degree was in chemistry. Then he discovered jazz and played with many bands in his youth before he began teaching in Memphis in 2008.

LAURA LINDER (right) • As president and CEO of Jewish Community Partners of Memphis, Linder has overseen the Jewish Foundation of Memphis for 24 years. Under her leadership, the foundation has become one of the city’s leading charitable organizations, awarding more than $170 million in grants to hundreds of charities, most of which support local causes. It’s the city’s third-largest grant maker, and legacy efforts have secured future gifts topping $100 million.

DEBBIE LITCH • Being active in the arts comes naturally to Litch, who worked with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art before taking the reins at Theatre Memphis 21 years ago. For the theater’s 100th anniversary in 2021 she initiated a $6.2 million renovation and expansion. She’s the executive producer, but also a performer who can belt out a cabaret tune like nobody’s business.

JASON LITTLE • In 2014, Little was named president and CEO of Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation, a network of full-service hospitals and specialty centers, providing comprehensive care to patients in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi since 1912. Before joining Baptist in 2002, he was operations administrator for the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Little is a recipient of the Early Career Healthcare Executive Award from the American College of Health Executives.

DAN MCCLEARY • Founder and producing artistic director of Tennessee Shakespeare Company, McCleary has guided the 17-year-old company that focuses on classical performances, education, outreach, and training for more than 20,000 Memphians a year. TSC remains the state’s only permanent, professional Shakespeare theater. Outreach includes nationally recognized school residencies and year-round programs for incarcerated youth and military veterans. McCleary is a prolific director, actor, teacher, and playwright.

DOUG MCGOWEN • A retired Naval aviator, McGowen first drew attention in Memphis when he organized the recovery effort from a 2009 flood at the Millington Naval base. He served as chief operating officer for the city during the Strickland administration, then led the Shelby County Covid-19 Joint Task Force from 2020 to 2022. Now, as president and CEO of MLGW, he played an instrumental part in negotiations to bring Elon Musk’s xAI’s data center to Memphis.

ASHLEY MCDURMON (left) • Orion Federal Credit Union, the Mid-South’s largest credit union, named McDurmon its new president and CEO in January 2025. She had served as the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer since 2019. Before joining Orion, she was a partner with Horne LLP, heading up their Financial Institutions Practice Group.

KEVIN MCENIRY (right) • Until 2022, McEniry was CEO of nexAir, the 82-year-old Memphis company which provided welding supplies and bottled oxygen for healthcare applications. Then, the company was sold to Linde Gas & Equipment, and McEniry “retired” to become the founder of Forward Momentum. His new company merged with Mempho Presents, and now he puts on music and cultural happenings: Mempho Music Festival, RiverBeat, and Smoke Slam.

LAWRENCE “BOO” MITCHELL (left) • The producer Willie Mitchell raised his grandson Boo as a son, and after Willie’s death in 2010, Boo stepped up as a producer and co-owner of Royal Studios, starting with the film Take Me to the River, which paired classic soul artists with younger rappers. Since then, he’s won acclaim for engineering the hit “Uptown Funk,” the Grammy-winning group Silk Sonic, and for producing Cedric Burnside’s Grammy-winning I Be Trying. But his work on the soundtrack for this summer’s cinematic blockbuster Sinners may win him the most acclaim yet.

ROBERT MOODY • The impact of Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s principal conductor and music director has been significant, via imaginative, unconventional programming, commissioning several new works, making the MSO’s first commercial recording in 30 years, and receiving a $25 million endowment. His connection to the wider world of classical music — guest-conducting in Canada, South Africa, and China — elevates our city’s standing. This year, he conducted the Copeland Suite from “The Tender Land” and “America the Beautiful” with the International Pride Orchestra and the Washington Gay Men’s Chorus.

JA MORANT (right) • As recently as 2023, the Grizzlies’ electrifying guard was a two-time All-Star Game starter with second-team All-NBA credentials. But off-court trouble (gun play shared on social media) and injuries sidelined Morant for much of the past two seasons. He averaged 23.2 points and 7.3 assists over 50 games in 2024-25, helping Memphis return to the NBA playoffs (where the Grizzlies lost to Oklahoma City in the opening round). Will Morant be the Grizzlies’ centerpiece when the franchise reaches its first NBA Finals? Still just 26, Morant’s prime should be now.

STEVE MULROY • As district attorney general since his election in 2022, Mulroy has modernized bail procedures and upgraded the office, winning county commission support for a Memphis-based crime lab. His vigorous prosecution of the police assailants in the death of Tyre Nichols has been cited as a “blueprint” for the handling of such cases. The former county commissioner and University of Memphis law professor has been active with causes such as voting-machine reform and ranked-choice voting. He easily survived a partisan attempt to remove him from office in the 2025 General Assembly.

KONG WEE PANG • Her abstract watercolors have been shown throughout the world, and her instantly recognizable public art can be seen around the city at the I-40 underpass downtown and the Love Doves Sequin Mural in Overton Square. Originally from Malaysia, Pang runs design studio Taropop, co-founded with Jay Crum; clients include Adobe, Hilton, Target, Starbucks, Planned Parenthood, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and FedEx.

DEANIE PARKER (left) • When Public Enemy’s Chuck D visited Memphis this year, Parker was one of the first locals he acknowledged. In the heyday of Stax Records, she was not often in the spotlight, yet now she’s recognized as the keeper of the Stax flame, having helped found the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Stax Music Academy, and serving as president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation. Now retired, she’s still in the headlines, having co-authored Grammy-winning liner notes for the box set Written in Their Soul, and offering her historical insights to last year’s HBO documentary, Stax: Soulsville USA.

JUSTIN PEARSON • Activist and member of the state House of Representatives for District 86, became nationally famous in 2023 as a member of the “Tennessee Three,” the trio of Democratic House members who ran afoul of the Republican majority for their strenuous activity in behalf of gun safety measures. Was expelled but was quickly returned to the House in a special election. Previously renowned for successful leadership of public campaign to prevent oil pipeline in a southwest Memphis neighborhood. Involved in 2025 as active watchdog and opponent, on environmental grounds, to Elon Musk’s local xAI operation.

PROJECT PAT & JUICY J • When brothers Patrick Earl Houston (Project Pat) and Jordan Michael Houston (Juicy J) co-founded Three 6 Mafia with DJ Paul in 1991, they couldn’t have predicted their Oscar win in 2006, but that signaled their staying power. A re-sampled early Juicy J track was named the “most influential rap song of 2018” by Rolling Stone magazine. More recently, Juicy J has worked in the television and music industries and published his memoir, Chronicles of the Juice Man. Pat has cameoed on a Drake track and worked with the Unapologetic collective, and the brothers collaborated on 2024’s Them Goats.

DAVID PORTER • The first staff songwriter at Stax Records, who wrote hits with Isaac Hayes, figured prominently in the HBO documentary, Stax: Soulsville USA. But he’s made his mark in other ways, founding the Consortium MMT nonprofit (mentoring artists) and co-founding Made In Memphis Entertainment, including a recording studio, music distribution services, music publishing and licensing services, and MIME Records. And his 2022 album, Chapter 1: Back in the Day, reminded the world that the composer is still at the top of his game.

VANESSA RODLEY • Under her leadership, Mid-South Pride’s annual parade and street festival have grown by leaps and bounds. In 2024, more than 50,000 people gathered in Robert Church Park to celebrate equality and acceptance. After a rain-out in 2025, the parade rolled down Beale Street in June, and the festival has been rescheduled for the Overton Park Shell on September 14th.

GAYLE ROSE (right) • The music major from Iowa has played vital roles in Memphis. Rose is a director of the Institute for Public Service Journalism at the University of Memphis, chair of the Rose Family Foundations, and former chair of the Memphis Symphony. Has been named CEO of the Year by Inside Memphis Business and Humanitarian of the Year by Diversity Memphis. She co-founded the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and is well-known for her role landing the Grizzlies. In 2010 Rose founded Team Max, “a movement of service,” honoring the memory of her late son.

ELIZABETH ROUSE (left) • As president and CEO of ARTSmemphis, the Mid-South’s primary arts funder, Rouse has been crucial to ensuring the support of the creative class. Serving the organization for almost 20 years, she recently surpassed a major milestone of granting $100 million since its founding in 1963. The organization strengthens the Memphis community by serving as a funding partner, advocate, and connector for local artists and organizations. ARTSmemphis grantee partners enabled more than two million art experiences across every Shelby County ZIP Code last year.

CHANDELL RYAN • Named head of the Downtown Memphis Commission in 2023, succeeding now-Memphis mayor Paul Young. Previously the first woman to serve as chief operating officer for the City of Memphis, where she oversaw more than 6,000 employees and 20 labor organizations. As DMC head, has pursued incentives to enhance the downtown experience for citizens, investors, and prospective business clients. Among these are reduced parking fees and reinforced security measures in high-intensity areas.

ED SCOTT • Enjoyed his first year as University of Memphis athletic director on a scale unlike his predecessors, with both the Tigers’ football team and men’s basketball team finishing in the AP Top 25. Scott brought two decades of experience to Memphis, having worked in sports administration at the University of Virginia and Binghampton University, where he earned his Ph.D. Overseeing dramatic renovations to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and the construction of Liza Wellford Fletcher Stadium for soccer and track and field. Also managing the challenge of securing the best long-term conference affiliation for the U of M, current members of the American Athletic Conference.

KEVIN SHARP • The Linda W. and S. Herbert Rhea Director of the Dixon Gallery & Gardens since 2007, Sharp has contributed to more than 25 books on American and French art and organized more than 100 exhibitions. The Dixon showcases important works of art, hosts dozens of education programs, maintains a 17-acre garden — and now offers free admission for all.

RYAN SILVERFIELD (right) • The head football coach at the University of Memphis is the first in program history to win four bowl games, including the 2024 Frisco Bowl (over West Virginia). That victory capped a second-straight 10-win season (11-2) and only the sixth in Tiger history. Memphis went undefeated (7-0) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, and finished 24th in the final AP rankings. The Tigers have scored at least 20 points in 40 consecutive games, tops in the nation. With an overall record of 42-20, the sixth-year coach is fifth in career wins at the U of M.

ANDREW SILVERNAIL • As the chief executive officer of International Paper, a global producer of renewable fiber-based packaging, pulp, and paper products, Silvernail began leading IP last year. He is steering the company away from being a commodity paper producer into a packaging enterprise, shutting down mills and plants that were underperforming while revitalizing capital investment. Silvernail is looking to boost profits with strategic moves and so far, the markets are responding positively.

LINN SITLER (left) • Recognized as the longest-tenured film commissioner in the world by the Association of Film Commissioners International, Sitler has served as Memphis & Shelby County Film Commissioner since 1987. During that time, she has worked with filmmakers on The Firm, The People vs. Larry Flynt, and Hustle & Flow, as well as commercials. Sitler, who helped shape the city into a production center of independent films and corporate work, helped to create production incentives in Memphis and international film exchange with Porretta Terme in Italy for SisterCities International.

KATIE SMYTHE • In 2002, after a career as a professional dancer in Minneapolis, New York, and Los Angeles, Smythe returned to her hometown to found New Ballet Ensemble & School to teach excellence in dance while bridging racial and economic barriers. Her eclectic work, such as the ever-popular NutRemix, has drawn international attention. In 2014, New Ballet received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award at the White House for its work in Orange Mound. Today, Smythe serves as New Ballet’s chief strategy officer and artistic advisor, working in partnership with alum and executive director Matthew Best.

JACK SODEN • Priscilla Presley asked Soden to develop a business plan for Graceland in 1982. Since it opened to the public, the King of Rock-and-Roll’s former estate has evolved into one of the nation’s premier tourist attractions, drawing visitors from around the world — some 650,000 annually — and generating an estimated $200 million annual economic impact.

DEMARCUS SUGGS • Once a performing artist himself, a dancer, Suggs understands the life of an artist and wants to create more community and equity in that space. As the first-ever director of the newly created Office of Creative and Cultural Economy, his job is to advance economic opportunities for the city’s rich creative landscape, spanning music, film, dance, visual, and culinary arts. Prior to coming to Memphis, Suggs served as director of development for Mid-America Arts Alliance.

RAJ SUBRAMANIAM (left) • The president and CEO of FedEx Corporation took the role three years ago, bringing decades of experience with the global company. Amid a challenging market, his steady hand has reassured team members, customers, and stockholders. With the recent passing of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith, Subramaniam continues to build upon the FedEx legacy and lead the company into the next chapter.

GINA SWEAT (right) • Became the first woman director of the Memphis Fire Department in 2016, and was reconfirmed in 2024 by the city council. Joined MFD in 1992 as a firefighter/EMT and worked through the ranks. Under her leadership, the Memphis Fire Department earned a Class 1 Public Protection Classification rating in 2019 (the highest possible rating, held by fewer than 1 percent of fire departments nationally). In 2025 MFD dealt with a destructive fire at historic Clayborn Temple which proved to be arson. Also faced complaint about ethical misconduct, but was cleared by city’s ethics board.

BRENT TAYLOR • With a lengthy record in local government as city councilman, county commissioner, and head of the Election Commission, Republican Taylor was elected state senator in 2022 and almost instantly became a player in Nashville, advocating a “Make Memphis Matter” legislative platform involving stepped-up crime controls. Has opposed criminal-justice reforms he saw as weakening law-enforcement authority and unsuccessfully sought the legislative ouster of Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy. The wealthy former owner of a funeral-home chain, Taylor plays a major political role locally and statewide through his extensive financial sponsorship of GOP political candidates and events.

CARLA THOMAS • At 18, Thomas became a hit singer/songwriter with her Atlantic Records hit “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes).” That originated at Stax Records, the label she and her father, Rufus Thomas, helped jumpstart with an early hit, and she soon was dubbed the Queen of Memphis Soul. She recalls that and more in last year’s HBO documentary, Stax: Soulsville USA. Meanwhile, she still performs, singing with Hi Rhythm at last year’s RiverBeat Music Festival, guesting on Valerie June’s 2021 single “Call Me a Fool” (which garnered a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song), and singing on the 2023 anti-war single and video, “Simple Song of Freedom.”

ANDREW TICER & MICHAEL HUDMAN • Lifelong friends, Ticer and Hudman worked together in the kitchen at The Peabody’s Chez Philippe under noted chef Jose Gutierrez. They opened their own restaurant, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, in 2008, and continued with more establishments, including Hog & Hominy and Catherine & Mary’s. The duo, who have been nominated for multiple James Beard awards, also have a restaurant, Josephine Estelle, in New Orleans. Their debut cookbook is Collards & Carbonara.

KEVIN THOMPSON • Named executive director of the Memphis Museums of Science & History (MoSH) in January 2020, Thompson dreamed of sharing Memphis’ rich culture and history with both tourists and locals. The MoSH collection of museums includes the Pink Palace Museum & Mansion, Lichterman Nature Center, the Mallory-Neely House, Coon Creek Science Center, and the Magevney House. MoSH has announced plans to become an independent museum system.

TED TOWNSEND • The Greater Memphis Chamber has been busy, thanks to Townsend who says, “No one will out-work my passion for my hometown.” The Chamber cuts scores of ribbons every year but significantly has done far-reaching work in not just attracting businesses, but in pushing initiatives that address the city’s needs and interests. Townsend was instrumental in bringing Ford’s $5.6 billion BlueOval City to the region, Elon Musk’s xAI Colossus supercomputer to Memphis last year, and securing the $50 million Hyosung HICO expansion in Shelby County this year.

ANASA TROUTMAN • The Big We is a cultural strategy firm founded by Troutman to “intentionally accelerate change” by supporting cooperative economics and building community wealth for Black and other underserved communities. The founder and CEO of EarthSeed Music, Troutman helped shepherd India.Arie’s career and later advised the Obama administration in cultural issues. Now, as executive director of Clayborn Temple, she is seeking to create a restoration plan for the historic building, almost completely destroyed by a fire earlier this year.

ALEX TURLEY (left) • As CEO of the firm his uncle founded — Henry Turley Company — Alex Turley combines knowledge of real estate and deep ties to the community. Even as Henry Turley saw possibilities where others couldn’t, Alex is focused on improving and expanding neighborhoods. A major success is the award-winning Orleans Station in the Medical District, with residential and retail elements that connect the Edge neighborhood with Victorian Village. He’s also leading the way in championing historic preservation and boosting downtown.

MICHAEL UGWUEKE • The president and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare since 2017, Ugwueke oversees all operations of Methodist University Hospital, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, and Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital. He has twice been named one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare.

ERIC VERNON (right) • General manager and part owner of The Bar-B-Q Shop, which Vernon’s parents, Frank and Hazel, began after taking over the old Brady & Lil’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant in 1981. They moved to their current Midtown location and changed the name in 1987. The restaurant has been featured on national TV, and in 2017, the Food Network named their ribs the “number-one ribs in America.” Their Dancing Pig products, including barbecue sauce, are sold in Kroger in five states, and also in SuperLo Foods.

GEBRE WADDELL • Though this son of Memphis sculptor James M. Waddell Jr. is a musician, he’s been even more creative with software design, investment, and legislation. Having penned one of the standard textbooks for mastering engineers, he’s now focused on his novel system for embedding music credits within audio files. That platform, Sound Credit, was featured in 60 Minutes and is fast becoming the world standard for tracking such data. He also spearheaded efforts to pass Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, the first legislation in the country to prohibit deep fakes of artists by AI.

KENON WALKER • For the past six years, Walker has served as the Peabody Hotel Duckmaster, responsible for herding the world-famous Peabody ducks from their rooftop home to the hotel’s elevator and down to the lobby fountain each morning — and back home again each afternoon. He is also an actor who’s performed in various stage and film roles since he was 13. This year, he starred in the Memphis-centric film, Betrayed Thirst.

RUSSELL WIGGINTON • Named president of the National Civil Rights Museum in 2021, Wigginton previously served as the chief postsecondary impact officer for the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) from 2019 to 2021. Before that, he was vice president for student life and dean of students at Rhodes College from 2017 to 2019. He is the author of numerous articles and essays on African-American labor and social history.

TOMEKA HART WIGGINTON (left) • As president and CEO of United Way of the Mid-South, Hart Wigginton brings a long résumé of achievement to the nonprofit powerhouse. She has been a leader in the region in business, philanthropy, and education, working with numerous organizations. That gives her insight into the network of some 200 agencies that play a role in helping people achieve financial stability, the motivating force of the United Way’s Driving The Dream initiative that has served more than 20,000 people.

PAT MITCHELL WORLEY • Former executive director of the Stax Music Academy, Worley is now CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, the parent nonprofit that operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and the Soulsville Charter School, all at the original site of Stax Records. For more than 20 years, Worley has co-hosted the globally syndicated blues radio show, Beale Street Caravan.

STACY WRIGHT • After serving 10 years with the organization as assistant director and director of events, Wright was appointed executive director of Crosstown Arts in 2024. She is passionate about the nonprofit’s mission to help cultivate the creative community in Memphis in the unique Crosstown Concourse space.

PAUL YOUNG (right) • Elected mayor of Memphis in 2023 in a large field of contestants, Young prevailed largely through effective campaigning and voter respect for his lengthy career in local governmental and civic positions, including prior roles as director of Housing and Community Development and president and CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission. Espousing technological advances including a growing citywide network of video surveillance cameras, Young has claimed reductions in the crime rate. In 2025, he received criticism for insufficient oversight of Elon Musk’s mammoth xAI project in southwestern Memphis and was the target of a kidnap plot.

ELLEN ZAHARIADIS • Executive director of the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County since 2018. Zahariadis and her organization now provide a low-cost community veterinary clinic, pet food community pantry for families in crisis, dog training, and youth education and career workshops in addition to adoption counseling and volunteer opportunities. She champions a full continuum of care for animal welfare.

JOHN ZEANAH • Appointed this summer as the City of Memphis chief of development and infrastructure, Zeanah’s career has been focused in urban planning. He previously led the city’s “Memphis 3.0” plan, its first comprehensive plan in 40 years. In his new role, he is tasked with positioning Memphis for growth in housing and infrastructure through more streamlined operations.