For Chairman’s Circle investor Charles Elliott, the path from Memphis’s historic Klondike neighborhood to the helm of Blue Suede Networks has been one shaped by resilience, purpose and deep community ties. “I was born in Memphis, raised in Klondike,” Elliott says with pride. He’s a graduate of Central High School, a community cornerstone where he began to understand both the challenges and opportunities that come with growing up in Memphis.

Elliott went on to earn a BA in applied physics from Morehouse College and later an MBA from Clark Atlanta University. But he didn’t stop there. His appetite for knowledge led him to complete the Minority Enterprise Business program at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and to the cusp of earning a Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary.

“I’m an inveterate learner,” he reflects, his journey marked by a commitment to education and growth.

His earliest years were spent in Frayser, a community that helped spark his aspirations. Through initiatives like the CLUE program and INROADS, Elliott found inspiration and the tools to shape a meaningful career. “INROADS changed everything for me,” he recalls, describing his first job with BellSouth, a role that introduced him to technology and financial independence. “I earned more money in one summer than my mother—a dedicated social worker—earned in a year. It showed me technology was not only a path for me, but also a way to build the life I wanted for my future family.”

Elliott’s career has been both impactful and varied. Before joining Blue Suede Networks as CEO in 2023, he held roles as

managing principal of National Infrastructure Group, vice president of information technology and administrative services at LeMoyne-Owen College and director of service operations at Memphis Networx. Now, leading Blue Suede Networks, Elliott is focused on one of the city’s most ambitious digital projects yet: creating a connected Memphis.

“Memphis is at an inflection point,” he shares with a tone of optimism. “We’re seeing companies think of Memphis differently, and they’re choosing to invest here—not just in our economy, but in our people.” For Elliott, the potential for digital infrastructure is tied directly to economic growth. “Data from the Federal Reserve, Deloitte, and the World Bank shows that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration can drive up to 1.5 percent GDP growth and increase jobs by 20 percent.”

Blue Suede Networks’ goal? To help Memphis become a national leader in digital inclusion and opportunity. With one of the city’s largest private investments to date, they’re

partnering with the City of Memphis to pass fiber infrastructure to at least 85 percent of all business and residential properties, ensuring low-income communities are equally served.

“We’re a Memphis-based company through and through,” Elliott said, emphasizing that the company is not only building infrastructure, but also nurturing local partnerships. In collaboration with the Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum, the Black Business Association of Memphis, Allworld, ProTec and the Greater Memphis Chamber, Blue Suede Networks has established relationships with Memphis-based MWBE businesses, guaranteeing their involvement in the fiber project.

The work is complex, requiring tenacity, but Elliott finds purpose in its challenges. Outside his role as CEO, he has served as pastor at Golden United Methodist Church for nearly two decades. “Building this network and shepherding my congregation are two sides of the same coin,” he said. “It’s all about service to others and creating a stronger, more connected Memphis.”

Yet for Elliott, family remains at the heart of everything he does. “My greatest joy is my family,” he said, reflecting on his 28 years of marriage to Tammy, four children and the support they provide. They are, as he puts it, “the reason I do what I do.”

In every role he’s held, in every community he’s served, Elliott’s mission is clear: a connected Memphis, built on opportunity, inclusion and hope for the future.