Scott Ayers is Memphis through and through. He’s a lifelong Memphian who lives in Arlington now. He earned his BBA in accounting and MBA from the University of Memphis. During high school and college, he worked all over the city – Putt-Putt Golf and Games, Stepherson’s Big Star, the Memphis Zoo and AutoZone Park. “I’ve literally worked everywhere in Memphis,” he said. And his favorite movie? It’s the quintessential Memphis movie The Firm. “I still will stop and watch The Firm whenever I come across it on TV,” he said. “It’s so much fun seeing how Memphis looked 30+ years ago and seeing what’s changed and what’s stayed the same!”
After graduating from the University of Memphis, Scott earned his CPA license. He started his career at Ernst & Young as an auditor where he served clients and Chairman’s Circle investors AutoZone, Mueller Industries and Dunavant Enterprises. He also worked for Ernst & Young as the recruiting coordinator at the University of Memphis. “My time at Ernst & Young afforded me the opportunity to work with a diverse group of businesses and individuals and helped further solidify my love and appreciation for all things Memphis,” he said.
Early in his career, Scott worked as the corporate accounting manager at MAA, another Chairman’s Circle investor. There he gained experience in corporate accounting and SEC public company filings. He then worked as director of profitability reporting and analysis at Evergreen Packaging, a multinational manufacturing company. “These experiences gave me a diverse accounting and finance background that ultimately led me to Hunter Fan Company,” he said. Scott started as director of accounting and was promoted to CFO after just four years. He still holds that position today. 
Hunter Fan Company was founded in Fulton, N.Y., in 1886. The company moved its manufacturing plant to Memphis in 1946 to take advantage of industrial expansion in the South after World War II. Today Memphis is home to Hunter Fan’s corporate headquarters, with 150 local employees and 250 worldwide. Hunter Fan has a light manufacturing and assembly plant for its industrial fan division in Smyrna, Tenn., a distribution center in Byhalia, Miss., and sales offices in Mexico, Canada and Europe.
Hunter Fan has been recognized by The Commercial Appeal as a top workplace six years in a row. The company has also been recognized as a top workplace by USA Today, and Newsweek named the company one of America’s most-loved workplaces and a global most-loved workplace.
“At Hunter Fan we recommitted to our long-term future with Memphis via our recently renovated headquarters, which includes more than $1 million in improved community space, conference rooms, expansion of our Hunter Museum and upgraded furniture,” Scott said. “We have strengthened our ties to the Memphis community through our involvement with the Chairman’s Circle and by partnering with various community organizations including the University of Memphis, St. Jude and the Dorothy Day House.”
In addition to his involvement with the various organizations supported by Hunter, Scott teaches the high school boys Sunday School Connect class at Bartlett Baptist Church, where he recently took a group of students on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. He is also treasurer of the Arlington High School soccer booster club.
And what excites him most about Memphis today? “All of its potential!” he said. “Memphis is now on the national radar for growth potential, steady workforce, location and natural resources that will continue to elevate the city as we strive to meet our full potential.”
Scott knows about the importance of potential. His dad saw it in him at an early age, and it led Scott to a wonderful career. “My father gave me some of the best advice I’ve carried with me my entire adult life. The first was very practical. As a kid, I collected baseball cards. I would keep up with their value and track the gains and losses. After my dad saw a handwritten spreadsheet of all my data, he said, ‘You should be an accountant.’ As a fourth grader, I didn’t know exactly what that meant. But I carried it with me and eventually took a few accounting and personal finance classes in high school and fell in love with the work!
“The other advice my dad gave me was just before I started working at Ernst & Young. His advice was simple yet profound. It was simply to ‘Be sure and show up.’ What he meant was to be present, in the moment, and look for ways to stand out,” Scott said.
Scott is married to his high school sweetheart, Tina Ayers, who works with kindergarteners at Arlington Elementary School. “We have two beautiful daughters, Gabbey, who is 18 and a freshman at Mississippi College, and Briley, who is 15 and a freshman at Arlington High School.”
The family is planning a first this summer: a vacation to Florida with their 105-pound Labrador, Bo. When they’re at home, the family enjoys sports. “We are huge Memphis Tiger fans!” he said. “We’ve held season tickets in football and basketball for as long as I can remember and enjoy the occasional road trip to watch our Tigers play.”
“Growing the fleet to over 50 was a dream come true, though the 2008-2009 financial crisis forced us to make tough decisions,” said Chris. “We pivoted to a fully non-asset model, and in 2010, we rebranded as C.A.T. Global, with Memphis as the flagship branch. Over the past 15 years, we’ve steadily grown and thrived here.”
engineering physics from John Carroll University, specializing in electrical engineering through cross studies at Case Western Reserve University. He also earned a master’s in electrical engineering from Penn State University. HICO is a leader as a domestic producer of large power transformers, and Jason has been a key part of expanding HICO’s presence in North America. HICO has more than 400 employees in Memphis and more than 120 employees in Pittsburgh, in addition to employees across the U.S. and Canada. HICO is working to expand its capacity in Memphis and plans to manufacture other solutions the company offers. So why did a company with a world-class facility in South Korea choose to build a manufacturing facility in Memphis? “Many of us at HICO have been at our company a long time, and it was a key vision to establish a manufacturing operation in the U.S.,” said Jason. “For many years we imported equipment and solutions from South Korea. That is a world-class facility, but our partners in the U.S. wanted operations in America. In 2017 we decided to build a factory in the U.S., and a facility in Memphis became available. We acquired it on Valentine’s Day 2020. It was a milestone for our business in the U.S., truly a dream come true for all of us. “Memphis is a perfect location, central to our customers across the U.S. The rail and over-the-road access to transportation in Memphis is unmatched. But most of all we are blessed with the talented employees we have at our plant, the leaders and managers we have in Memphis, the quality of the work of our team and the products we produce day after day.” The company doesn’t just manufacture in Memphis – employees are also active supporters of the community. Hyosong HICO supports the St. Jude Memphis Marathon and Concord Academy. The company works with the Chamber to engage with schools, including hosting a Manufacturing Day at the plant earlier this month. They hire interns from colleges in Memphis and across the country. What excites Jason most about Memphis? “It’s a great location for our business, but most importantly, it is the people in Memphis. The quality of the education and the welcoming atmosphere in the community translate into our operation in Memphis. We have grown from 120 employees to more than 400 today, with plans to expand to more than 600 in the coming years. HICO is a great atmosphere to learn and work. We have a solid business model that gives all employees a voice to contribute to the direction of our company. We share together in our successes, and we face challenges together and overcome them. “It is also organizations like the Greater Memphis Chamber and the Chairman’s Circle in particular that give our company the opportunity to contribute to growth in Memphis. Our acquisition of the Memphis plant remains the single most important decision our company has made in the U.S. Our growth in Memphis is contributing to the success and expansion not only of our company, but also the industry overall.” Jason and his wife Melanie just celebrated their 25th anniversary. They have two children, Sarah and Samuel, who both attend the University of Dayton. Jason’s parents instilled a strong work ethic, and “the example of their relationship influenced my life in many ways. My father spent his entire career in the utility industry. When I entered college, I saw the utility industry as a little static, maybe not as exciting…. But I was wrong! My decision to join this industry in 2001 was the best decision I made. We have become the ‘cool industry.’ We are at the forefront of technology development.” Jason enjoys golf, vacationing near the ocean with his family and playing basketball and sand volleyball. Because of all the time spent watching with his kids, he can spout lots of quotes from the movie Cars. But his favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption, because he said it shows the importance of relationships and the ability to work together to overcome obstacles. Asked if he had anything else to add, he said, “We’ve been a proud member of the Chairman’s Circle since 2022. We look forward to more opportunities to support the Chamber and to engage with other companies in the area. We are especially proud to be here in Memphis!”
As Corporate Champion, Bill is encouraging other business leaders to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by forming corporate teams to raise money and participate in the weekend’s marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K or 2-Race Challenge. In addition to raising money for St. Jude, marathon weekend contributes to the local economy and generated $43 million for Memphis’s retail, transportation and hospitality industries in 2023. The St. Jude Memphis Marathon is the largest single-day fundraiser for St. Jude. This year’s marathon will be Dec. 7 and is expected to bring 22,000 runners and walkers to Memphis, along with thousands of volunteers and spectators from around the globe. This year’s goal is to raise $16 million during the marathon weekend. The 
As Corporate Champion for St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend, I am honored to lead the charge to raise funds and awareness for the kids and families at St. Jude. Supporting St. Jude has always been my passion, and I’m elated to expand our impact by uniting more business leaders behind this mission. What is the mission of the organization or project? St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, known for its pioneering research and treatments, aims to raise $16 million during the 2024 marathon weekend. What is your history with this organization? I have long supported St. Jude individually as a St. Jude Hero and through Varsity Brands programs such as Team Up for St. Jude and Spirited by Varsity. Why is this project or the work of this organization important to our community? In addition to raising funds for St. Jude, marathon weekend has generated millions for the Greater Memphis economy. What is your goal with this involvement? Since 2011, Varsity Brands has been all-in on supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s incredible mission of treating and defeating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Thanks to our collective efforts, we’ve raised more than $13 million (and counting!) to help ensure that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. Are you involved with other community organizations? What is your role with those organizations? In addition to my role as president of Varsity Spirit, I also founded Crosscheck Athletics, one of the largest nonprofit youth sports organizations in the greater Memphis area. I chair the board of the Leadership Empowerment Center in Frayser, sit on the board of Memphis Gridiron Ministries in Binghamton, serve on the board of governors for New Memphis and am in the process of launching a nonprofit specifically designed to drive youth engagement in Memphis. If you’re interested in sharing the story about your community involvement outside the office in the Chairman’s Circle newsletter, email