Press Releases Archive

HopeWorks awarded Chamber Quality Cup Award

August 14, 2021 by

Hopeworks , an organization that helps people in Memphis and the Mid-South find meaningful employment through Adult Education, Employment Services, and holistic Reentry was awarded the 2020 Chamber Quality Cup Award during their 30^th Anniversary Open House that took place at their new 3337 Summer Avenue location in Memphis on August 2, 2021. The Award was given a year later based on the Chamber site headquarters in downtown Memphis, that historically hosted the Chamber Quality Cup Award Ceremony, being closed during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Award is traditionally given by both the College and Chamber President’s, but neither were available to present the Award at the Hopeworks Open House due to scheduling conflicts. Dr. Donald Fisher, Executive Director of the Mid-South Quality/Productivity Center, which is a Partnership between the College and the Chamber, presented the Award to Hopeworks.

Business Facilities names Memphis the global and metro leader in logistics

August 2, 2021 by

August 2, 2021 – Memphis, TN stands atop the leaderboard of Logistics Leaders in Business Facilities’ 17th Annual Rankings Report.

Paragon Bank invests to increase local homeownership

July 20, 2021 by

At Paragon, we talk a lot about community. We know customers enjoy the level of technology and services offered by megabanks while also seeking the kind of care and respect they receive from friends and neighbors.

In the tradition of neighbors helping neighbors, we invest in the communities we serve. And one way we do this is through Paragon’s Mortgage Access Program. We want the dream of homeownership to become a reality for as many Memphis and Shelby County residents as possible. We believe homeownership promotes wealth while helping to lift residents out of poverty and strengthen our neighborhoods.

Paragon’s Mortgage Access Program was created for first-time homebuyers who are looking to purchase a primary residence. We provide up to a 103 percent loan value — meaning we’ll give participants 100 percent financing for their homes, plus an additional three percent to pay for closing costs. Paragon’s team partners with various down payment assistance programs throughout the city to further guide people throughout the home buying process.

Homebuyer education is an essential component of the Mortgage Access Program. A homebuyer education course is an online or in-person class designed to help prospective homebuyers better understand what’s involved in finding, buying and owning a home. We connect our customers with courses that help prepare them for what to expect before completing the purchase of their first homes.

This loan program also takes into account a debt-to-income ratio of 45 percent and does not have any income limitations. Debt-to-income ratio can be determined by taking monthly debt payments and dividing them by gross monthly income. Additionally, program participants must have a credit score of at least 600, and the property they’re purchasing must be located in a majority-minority census tract.

We’ve seen how the power of homeownership can transform our communities. Learn more about the Mortgage Access Program here.

Chris Waggoner is Senior Vice President of Mortgage Banking at Paragon Bank.

Outfront Media Offers Free Billboard Advertising to Black-Owned Businesses

July 20, 2021 by

Greater Memphis Chamber investor Outfront Media has committed to expanding opportunities to black businesses through the launch of their new campaign, Black Businesses Matter.

The Black Businesses Matter campaign is giving back to black-owned businesses by providing 30 days of free digital ad space on select billboards throughout the Memphis area. This campaign can provide quite a number of impressions for these businesses while they reopen, pivot their services, and/or continue to run during these trying times.

Update: Due to a great number of responses, Outfront Media is completely filled for the next few months and has had to halt inquiries. To learn more about future opportunities, contact Dan Moran at 901.254.8470 or daniel.moran@outfrontmedia.com

Atlantic Track, Shelby County Schools & Chamber Announce New Apprenticeship

June 7, 2021 by

On Wednesday, June 2, Chamber investor Atlantic Track was awarded $46K to upskill 20 existing employees with Incumbent Worker Training under the Business Grants offered by Workforce Mid-South, a partner of the American Job Centers(AJC) in conjunction with the State of Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Atlantic Track was reconnected with the American Job Centers by the Greater Memphis Chamber in March of 2020, as a result, the company has utilized a multitude of AJC Services to include recruitment and prescreening of candidates, On-the-Job Training reimbursement, and serving as a youth work site. Atlantic Track and Workforce Mid-South/AJC are now exploring options to grow the new federally registered apprenticeship program designed to connect high school students to career pathways within the company.

Chamber Names Amity Schuyler as New SVP of Workforce Development

May 27, 2021 by

Memphis, Tenn. (May 26, 2021) – The Greater Memphis Chamber announced Amity Schuyler as its new Senior Vice President of Workforce Development. Schuyler currently serves as Chief of Strategy and Innovation for Shelby County Schools (SCS), prior to SCS she served as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Education for the State of Tennessee. In her new role, Schuyler will oversee the Workforce Development team and will be charged with creating alignment of academic institutions and workforce development organizations. Schuyler begins her position July 1^st.

EDGE & Greater Memphis Chamber Named Top 25 Economic Development Partnership in the Nation

May 6, 2021 by

Memphis, TN (May 3, 2021) For the second year in a row, the economic development efforts of EDGE and the Greater Memphis Chamber have been recognized as a one of the nation’s top 25 economic development partnerships receiving the prestigious Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development.

YPC Host First Virtual Professional Development Workshop

April 9, 2021 by

In March, the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Young Professionals Council (YPC) held its first virtual professional development event that was fully attend by some of Memphis’s emerging leaders. YPC Professional Development Co-Chairs Jeremy Calhoun and Leslie Finch teamed up to plan an Enneagram workshop where members had the opportunity to take the Enneagram test free of charge to learn about their leadership style and how to best interact with others.

Ernest Strickland Named President & CEO of Black Business Association

March 29, 2021 by

The Black Business Association of Memphis (BBA) named Ernest Strickland as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Strickland joins the organization after serving as Senior Vice President of Workforce Development for the Greater Memphis Chamber. In his new role, Strickland will oversee the 47-year-old organization that empowers entrepreneurship and improvement of business and growth opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. BBA partners with multiple organizations throughout the community supporting the goals of economic equality. Strickland will officially take the helm on Wednesday, April 1^st.

ATEC Announces Memphis Distribution Facility

March 23, 2021 by

CARLSBAD, Calif., March 23, 2021 – Alphatec Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATEC), a provider of innovative solutions dedicated to revolutionizing the approach to spine surgery, announced today an agreement to lease a 75,000 square foot facility in Memphis, Tennessee, which will house ATEC’s primary distribution operations.

Mullen Announces Memphis to Become US Manufacturing Hub for Electronic Vehicles

March 18, 2021 by

BREA, Calif., March 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via InvestorWire – Mullen Technologies Inc. (“Mullen” or the “Company”), an emerging electric vehicle (“EV”) manufacturer, which previously announced a definitive agreement to merge with Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) in a stock-for-stock reverse merger in which Mullen’s stockholders will receive a majority of the outstanding stock in the post-merger company, announces its intent to execute a long-term lease on an 820,000-square-foot facility in Memphis, Tennessee. With the help of local and state incentives from the city of Memphis and the state of Tennessee, respectively, Mullen plans to create up to 800 jobs and deliver 100,000 vehicles over a five-year period, commencing in Q4 of 2023.

City of Memphis Partners with Operation Hope to Help Launch 1 Million Black Businesses by 2030

February 20, 2021 by

MEMPHIS, February 18, 2021 – Mayor Jim Strickland and the City of Memphis joins forces with Operation HOPE in support of its 1 Million Black Business and Entrepreneur Initiative (1MBB) aimed at launching 1 Million Black Owned Businesses nationwide by 2030. Mayor Strickland announced his commitment to the initiative at the Virtual HOPE Global Forum in November, and is now taking it one step further by committing to engaging through outreach 500 Black small businesses and entrepreneurs to the 1MBB program over the remaining three years of his term. Operation HOPE will be hosting a virtual event on Friday, February 19th at 1pm CST to celebrate the commitment, and educate the community on how they can get involved. Speakers include John Hope Bryant, Founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, Mayor Jim Strickland, Beverly Robertson, CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, Joann Massey, City of Memphis’ Director of Business Diversity & Compliance, Lance Triggs, President of HOPE Program Operations, and more.