Corporate Cornucopia

James Lewellen has held the role of Collierville Town Administrator for 27 years. This is the top unelected position in the Town government. Under the “James Lewellen era,” the Town saw the building of a new, state-of-the-art high school in 2018, and a Baptist Memorial Hospital campus. The population has exploded from 18,000 in 1995 to around 51,000 residents today. Before taking on this role, Lew...

Today, we speak with Alex Castle, Master Distiller at Old Dominick’s Distillery in Downtown Memphis. Making spirits isn’t as much a job as it is a calling, and Alex Castle found hers early on. As a Kentucky native, there’s a passion for good bourbon that runs deep. As a chemical engineer, there’s a love of the process that takes something simple and makes it sublime. Her talent, passion and creati...

Today, we speak with Andrew Douglas, Morning and Digital Desk Anchor for Action News 5. Since 2006, Andrew has been proud to work for Action News 5, the first station to broadcast in the State of Tennessee and the first to send a broadcast TV signal into Mississippi. He loves the generosity and friendliness of Memphis. Andrew takes his responsibility to give back to the community seriously. In add...

Jill Haag is the Executive Director of Southern Reins. Jill has spent around eight years in the Memphis area. Before Southern Reins, she was employed as the Executive Director of EQUI-KIDA Therapeutic Riding Program in Virginia Beach. Jill’s been involved with the nonprofit industry since 1996.  We talk with her about the importance of nonprofits, what they do, and how Southern Reins is...

Herbie Krisle is the Executive Director of Page Robbins Adult Day Center. It’s a position she’s held since 2005. Prior to her work here, Herbie spent 11 years at the MidSouth Food Bank, 11 years with Malone and Hyde/Fleming Wholesale Grocers, and 5 years with the UT Agricultural Extensions Service as a 4-H Club Agent. Her bio on the Page Robbins website describes her as “the queen of leadership, a...

We are back this week with Kevin Kane, the President and CEO of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, who is best known for developing Memphis' music brand. Over the last 30 years, Kane has coined the phrase "Memphis – Home of Blues, Birthplace of Rock n' Roll" and used it to put Memphis on the map.

March is Keep Tennessee Beautiful Month, an initiative inspired by the nonprofit Keep Tennessee Beautiful which works toward educating and inspiring Tennesseans to improve and beautify their community. Lucky for us, Missy Marshall, the Executive Director of Keep Tennessee Beautiful, lives in Collierville and operates out of her office at the University Memphis. Today, we talk to her about what ste...

1 in 3 Americans now lives in a state with Marsy’s Law for All in their state constitution. Thanks to one local advocate, Marsy’s Law is bringing a voice to the voiceless in Tennessee. Today on the show we are talking to Marianne Dunavant, the Tennessee Victim Outreach Director for Marsy’s Law. Her journey with Marsy’s Law began shortly after the tragic murder of her fiancée Chris. Now, over 13 ye...

Whether big or small, businesses across the country felt the effect of the US Labor shortage that rocked the economy in 2021. Sabra Bledsoe is the Regional Director of the Department of Labor & Workforce for State of Tennessee. In this episode, we are calling on Sabra for her advice on the best practices for hiring and retaining talented professionals at a time when that is not always easy.

Over 100 years ago, two Grecian strangers from neighboring villages came looking for the American Dream. After a few years as a Main Street shoeshiner, Nick Tarabicos met Jim Katsoudas, owner of Jim’s Taproom. Jim’s Taproom would eventually turn into Jim’s Place Grille as hand-cut steaks and Grecian delicacies made the menu. As for the rest of the story, we will let a third-generation Taras, take...

Today, on the show, we’re excited to introduce you to Ephie Ballard-Johnson, whose take on the Gospel has informed her life as a professional vocalist, CEO of Neighborhood Christian Centers, mom, and small business owner.

Cary Vaughn, CEO & President of Love Worth Finding Ministries, is on the show with us today. Reaching over 196 countries, Love Worth Finding was founded in 1987 by Adrian Rodgers, legendary pastor and teacher. A student of Adrian Rodgers himself, Cary merges broadcasting and ministry in his work at Love Worth Finding and continues to spread the gospel around the globe. His mission bleeds into...

We are back this week with Robyn Tyler, Owner & Chief Experience Officer at Germantown Day Spa. It was only a few years ago that Robyn Tyler retired from the Corporate rat race, as she calls it, and returned home to open Germantown Day Spa. Today, we talk to her about what it was like to transition from VP of Human Resources at L’Oreal to local small business owner.

Today, we are talking to Eric Barnes, CEO of the Daily Memphian, an online daily news source that launched in 2018. Eric is also the host of Behind the Headlines on Memphis’ PBS station, founder of The Siderbar podcast, and author of four novels. Years ago, he graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts from Columbia University and a BA from Connecticut College. And even before that, he drove a forklift...

Brett Heinrich has spent over 13 years in education, wearing many different hats, from social studies teacher to assistant principal. Now he has found a career in helping others discover his career path. Collierville Schools was recently awarded a $2 million grant to develop an aviation program. As Supervisor of Career and Technical Education for Collierville Schools, Brett is in charge of helping...

Dawn Graeter is the President and CEO of six-branch Southern Security Federal Credit Union. She has not only succeeded in the financial industry but she continues to lead a recording-breaking team, year after year. Dawn has been with Southern Security since 2011. In that time, she has grown the credit union by 100 percent, increased the full-time work force by 37 percent and increased average annu...

Sherry May is the Co-Director of the annual concert series Live at the Garden. Sherry has been with Live at the Garden since its inception in 2000. She has created a local platform for emerging artists and met with music icons like Diana Ross, Hall & Oats, and Madonna. Along the line, she has also learned when to say “no” to odd celebrity’s requests and how to manage a sold-out venue, rain or...