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Shelby County Democratic Primary Forum

 

On April 14, the Greater Memphis Chamber hosted the Shelby County Democratic Primary Mayoral Forum, convening nearly 100 Chamber investors and 30 invited law school and college students for a substantive, solutions-oriented discussion on the future of Shelby County. This moderated conversation featured Democratic mayoral candidates Harold Collins, Heidi Kuhn, JB Smiley, Jr., Melvin Burgess, and Mickell Lowery, providing the business community with an opportunity to hear directly from each candidate on their vision for Shelby County ahead of the May 5th County Primary, which has since occurred (link to results). No similar event was held for the Republican Primary, given only one certified candidate for Shelby County. The Shelby County General Election will be held on August 6th (General Election sample ballot).

Questions were developed by a diverse planning committee representing the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Chairman’s Circle, Women’s Business Council, Small Business Council, Government Affairs Committee, Transportation Committee, Board of Governors and Advisors, and Young Professionals Council, ensuring the discussion reflected the priorities of businesses of all sizes and industries across the Memphis region.

The forum reinforced the Chamber’s commitment to fostering informed civic engagement, providing direct access between the business community and candidates for public office, and advancing thoughtful dialogue around the issues that will shape Shelby County’s economic future.

 

 

 

 

Chamber Hosts Legislative Update on New MSCS Management Board

On April 21, the Greater Memphis Chamber hosted a webinar with Chairman Mark White to discuss the newly created Memphis-Shelby County Schools management board and its potential impact on students, families, employers and the region’s long-term workforce.

Chairman White described the board as a pivotal reset moment for Memphis and Shelby County, emphasizing that strong schools are essential to strong businesses and strong communities. The new state-appointed management board will provide oversight for MSCS, which serves approximately 100,000 students and manages roughly $1.7 billion in annual education funding.

Since the webinar and passage of the legislation, the full nine-member management board has been named. For the Chamber, the discussion reinforced a central priority: improving educational outcomes is essential to strengthening Memphis’ talent pipeline, supporting business growth and ensuring every child has access to the education they deserve.

Watch the webinar with Representative White and read the Chamber’s statement on the MSCS management board.

 

 

 

Chamber Day at City Hall

On May 21, the Greater Memphis Chamber welcomed 126 business leaders, investors, and community stakeholders to Memphis City Hall for its annual Chamber Day, creating a unique opportunity to strengthen relationships between the business community and local government.

Throughout the half-day program, attendees heard directly from Memphis City Council Chairwoman Jana Swearengen-Washington, Chief of Police C.J. Davis, then Chief Administrative Officer Antonio Adams, Chief Legal Officer Tannera Gibson, and Director of Innovation Jasmine Worles on the City’s priorities and the issues shaping Memphis’ future. Discussions focused on economic development, innovation, government operations, and the implementation of the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Opportunity Ordinance, providing businesses with greater insight into opportunities to compete for City contracts. Chief Davis also shared updates on public safety initiatives, including downtown safety efforts, crime reduction trends, and ways businesses can partner with MPD through Connect 2 Memphis.

The program reinforced the Chamber’s role as a trusted convener, providing members with direct access to decision-makers while fostering collaboration that supports economic growth and improves quality of life across Memphis.

 

 

 

Shelby County Mayor Priorities

Following nearly 50 stakeholder interviews, investor survey responses, and additional feedback from the Chamber’s membership, the Greater Memphis Chamber finalized and shared its Shelby County Mayoral Priorities with candidates to help inform the next administration’s economic agenda.

The priorities reflect the collective voice of the business community and reaffirm the Chamber’s commitment to partnering with the next Shelby County Mayor to advance a strong, competitive, and inclusive regional economy. The framework identifies nine key focus areas: intergovernmental collaboration, support for locally owned small businesses, strategic leverage of community investments, workforce development, fiscal transparency and audit compliance, hiring for expertise and experience, a public safety systems audit, a realistic capital projects strategy, and data-driven governance.

Among these priorities, workforce development emerged as a critical focus area, underscoring the importance of building and retaining the talent needed to support the region’s long-term economic growth and competitiveness.

 

 

 

Roundtable with Senator Blackburn

On May 26 the Greater Memphis Chamber hosted a business roundtable with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn to discuss federal priorities impacting Memphis, including public safety, cargo security, downtown revitalization, childcare, youth programming, infrastructure and economic development.

Senator Blackburn highlighted progress through the Memphis Safe Task Force, including significant reductions in violent crime, homicides, carjackings and robberies, as well as thousands of warrants executed, illegal weapons seized and missing children located. She also discussed federal legislation aimed at supporting safer communities, strengthening prosecution tools, expanding after-school programming, addressing cargo theft and supporting childcare as critical workforce infrastructure.

Business leaders also shared priorities tied to downtown revitalization, airport-area infrastructure, cargo security, youth engagement and business attraction. The conversation reinforced the connection between public safety, workforce development, infrastructure and Memphis’ ability to grow jobs, attract investment and strengthen the regional economy.

 

 

 

D.C. Fly-In

From June 2–4, the Greater Memphis Chamber led a delegation of 17 Chamber investors and business leaders to Washington, D.C., to advance the region’s federal policy priorities and strengthen relationships with congressional leaders.

During the three-day Fly-In, the delegation met with nine congressional and Senate offices representing Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, advocating for policies and federal investments that support Memphis’ long-term economic competitiveness. Advocacy efforts focused on securing support for CORCA, protecting critical bridge funding, advancing Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) priorities, supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ work on regional infrastructure, and promoting investments in public safety, airport and transportation infrastructure, cargo security, permitting reform, and transformational economic development initiatives.

Investors also participated in a policy briefing with senior leadership at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, gaining insight into the national policy landscape and its implications for the region.

Throughout the visit, the Chamber elevated key regional initiatives, including Digital Delta, airport investments, workforce development, and logistics innovation, while providing investors with direct access to federal policymakers and meaningful opportunities to influence discussions that impact the Memphis business community.

The Fly-In further reinforced Memphis’ position as a national leader in logistics, innovation, and economic development.

 

 

 

Webinar on the Proposed Development Code Update

On June 23, the Greater Memphis Chamber hosted a webinar to help the business community better understand proposed updates to the Unified Development Code and zoning map. The discussion focused on how the proposed changes could impact property owners, businesses, industrial land, commercial development, housing affordability and future job growth.

Panelists emphasized that zoning is a critical front door for economic development, shaping where businesses can locate, expand and create jobs. Key concerns included potential industrial downzoning, expanded nonconforming properties, new limits on business expansion, added development costs and possible challenges for site selection, financing and long-term investment.

The Chamber and partner organizations continue to work with the Office of Planning and Development to identify concerns, offer proposed solutions and ensure the code can be improved without creating unintended barriers to growth. Watch the webinar and review the draft materials and zoning map changes at 901udcupdate.com/documents.

 

 

 

Cargo Theft Roundtable

On June 25, the Greater Memphis Chamber convened a cargo theft roundtable featuring speakers from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. The discussion brought together federal, state, local, and private-sector partners to address the growing impact of organized cargo theft on Memphis’ logistics economy and the national supply chain.

Cargo theft has evolved from opportunistic crime into a sophisticated, technology-enabled threat driven by organized and transnational networks. Speakers emphasized Memphis’ active Cargo Theft Task Force, recent federal prosecutions, the need for stronger reporting and data sharing, and opportunities to strengthen state and federal policy around enforcement, penalties, and victim aggregation.

Participants also discussed ways Memphis can serve as a national model for cargo theft prevention, including improved public-private coordination, expanded resources for law enforcement, better intelligence sharing, and the use of technology to identify patterns and support prosecutions. Next steps include continued engagement with DOT, DOJ, DHS, the FBI Cargo Theft Task Force, state partners, and industry leaders to elevate cargo theft as a national priority and advance solutions that protect Memphis’ logistics sector and broader economic competitiveness.