
Respected Business Leader and Community Advocate Mike Keeney to Guide Chamber’s Leadership Group
MEMPHIS, TN. Friday, January 31, 2025 – The Greater Memphis Chamber has announced Mike Keeney as the new Chairman of the Chairman’s Circle, succeeding Bill Dunavant. A lifelong Memphian and product of Memphis public schools, Keeney brings extensive business and civic leadership experience to the position.
“I truly believe in community service and supporting organizations that make a real difference,” said Keeney. “This is where I grew up, and I really see the value of living in the Memphis community. It’s the biggest small town with so much potential.”
Keeney’s commitment to Memphis is demonstrated through his numerous leadership roles, including Chair of the Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority and Church Health Board. He also serves on multiple boards, including Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Christian Brothers University, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis. At the state level, his influence extends to serving on the Sports Wagering Commission, the board of the Tennessee State Museum, and the Tennessee Transportation Modernization Board.
“Mike Keeney represents the very best of Memphis leadership – someone who combines business acumen with a genuine passion for community service,” said Ted Townsend, President and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber. “His leadership experience and commitment to Memphis will be invaluable as we work to strengthen our region’s economic growth.”
Building upon Dunavant’s foundation, Keeney plans to strengthen partnerships between business, nonprofit, and community sectors. “When Memphians get together and have a collaborative spirit, we tend to make things happen better than most communities,” said Keeney. “We’re a lot more powerful unified. I hope to link various areas of the city, facilitate communication, and create partnerships that make us all better.”
Keeney’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Memphis’s business community. His emphasis on economic development and making Memphis an attractive place to live aligns with the Chamber’s mission to drive regional prosperity and growth. “As a community, we persevere,” Keeney noted. “It’s impressive. We don’t always win, but we persevere.”
Joining Mike Keeney in leading the Chairman’s Circle, the Chamber’s premier leadership group dedicated to accelerating Memphis’s growth and prosperity, are the following business leaders:
Congratulations to these Chairman’s Circle leaders who will begin serving Feb 1:
- Vice Chair, Kevin Woods, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
- Co-Chair, Kemp Conrad, Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors LLC
- Co-Chair, Kel Kearns, Amplify Cell Technologies
- Co-Chair, Dan Weddle, ProTech Services Group, Inc.
Returning leaders:
- Immediate Past Chair, Bill Dunavant, Dunavant Enterprises
- Co-Chair, Eustis Corrigan, CBIZ
- Co-Chair, Matt Hayden, Boyle Investment Company
- Co-Chair David McKinney, AutoZone
The Chamber extends special thanks to the following leaders who have given generously of their time and are finishing their terms this month:
- Andy Davis, Turner Construction
- Carlos Manning, The J.M. Smucker Company
- Michael Scarbrough, InnovAge
- Monica Wharton, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare
About The Greater Memphis Chamber
One of Memphis’ oldest institutions, dating back to 1838, the Greater Memphis Chamber is a privately funded nonprofit that serves as the region’s lead economic development organization and the “Voice of Memphis Business” on local, state, and national issues. The Chamber’s mission is to drive the Memphis business agenda for Greater Memphis. We do this by relentlessly pursuing prosperity for all — through economic and workforce development, pro-growth advocacy, and by providing support and resources to its investors, which include many of the region’s largest employers.