MEMPHIS PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
Here’s a look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area business scene:
Leadership Memphis recognized 13 award recipients during its Leadership Awards & 45th Anniversary Luncheon on March 5 at Renasant Convention Center. The awards included the Kate Gooch Leader of the Year, Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, the Community Champion and 2024 Change Makers.
Honorees included:
h The Kate Gooch Leader of the Year: Vernon Stafford Jr., Senior Evp/chief Audit Executive, First Horizon National Corp.
h Distinguished Alumnus of the Year: Rene Bustamante, Executive Vice
President and COO/CFO, the University of Memphis
h Community Champion: Codecrew
The Change Makers were selected from a pool of nominees submitted by the public before being reviewed by a panel of judges who then chose this year’s honorees:
h Kennard Brown, Consultant for Shelby County Government
h Telisa Franklin, Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, Author and Community Advocate
h Lori Humber, Chief Operating Officer for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis
h Carol Jackson, Executive Director of
Families Matter Memphis
h D. Bryan Jordan, Chairman, President and CEO of First Horizon Bank Corp.
h Barbara Holden Nixon, Retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker
h Terence Patterson, President and CEO of Memphis Education Fund
h Roderick Richmond, Executive Director of Student Support Services for Memphis-shelby County Schools
h Mark Russell, Vice President and South Region Editor for Gannett – USA Today Network and Executive Editor for The Commercial Appeal
h Vijay Surpuriya, Pharmacist for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Founder of Germantown International Festival.
Emadella Conners has been promoted to COO at Caissa Public Strategy. She will oversee the company’s day-to-day operations, strategic planning and companywide initiatives. Headquartered in Memphis, the firm and its sister company, Caissa K12, serve clients in more than 20 states across the nation.