The Greater Memphis Chamber is an organization in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

, which attempts to improve business to business relationships. The organization also helps companies understand the advantages of doing business in Memphis.

Mission

The mission of the Greater Memphis Chamber is "to help Memphis grow". The organization works with the local, state, and federal government to benefit members of the Greater Memphis Chamber. They provide educational programs and they act as a conduit for business to business relationships.

History

The chamber was founded in March 1838 by two businessmen, Col. Nathaniel Anderson and Louis Trezevant. The city of Memphis was new at the time and they formed the organization to function as a

chamber of commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

. In late 2022 the chamber was led by President & CEO Ted Townsend. He was promoted from his position at the chamber: director of economic development. Townsend succeeded

Beverly Robertson Beverly Holcombe Robertson (June 5, 1827 – December 12, 1910) was a cavalry officer in the United States Army on the Western frontier and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. Early life Robertson was born on a ...

who was in the position for four years and stepped down in 2022. Robertson succeeded

Pinnacle Airlines Endeavor Air is an American regional airline that operates as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines. The airline was founded as Express Airlines I in 1985 and was renamed Pinnacle Airlines in 2002. In 2012, Pinnacle's parent company filed for Cha ...

CEO Philip Trenary who was shot dead in Memphis, Tennessee on September 27, 2018. Trenary served as the CEO of the Chamber until his death. One of the chamber's biggest accomplishments was the

Blue Oval City Blue Oval City is a planned automotive assembly complex near Stanton, Tennessee that will be operated by Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation, and is expected to be operational in 2025. The facility takes its name from Ford's logo, and will prim ...

deal that they made with the

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...

. The US$5.6 billion Blue Oval City, was expected to employ 5,800 people from the Memphis area.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{cite web , title=Memphis is Our Business , url=https://memphischamber.com/about-us/ , website=memphischamber , publisher=Greater Memphis Chamber , access-date=7 January 2023 , archive-date=7 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107190043/https://memphischamber.com/about-us/ , url-status=live {{cite news , last1=Peterson , first1=Joyce , title=Beverly Robertson stepping down as Chamber CEO , url=https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/06/24/beverly-robertson-stepping-down-chamber-ceo/ , access-date=6 January 2023 , agency=Gray Television, Inc. , publisher=Action News 5 , date=23 June 2022 , archive-date=7 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107000219/https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/06/24/beverly-robertson-stepping-down-chamber-ceo/ , url-status=live {{cite news , title=Ford, Greater Memphis Chamber announce innovation competition for community-focused mobility solutions , url=https://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/ford-greater-memphis-chamber-announce-innovation-competition-for-community-focused-mobility-solutions/ , access-date=7 January 2023 , publisher=Automotive World Ltd , date=14 December 2022 , archive-date=7 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107190923/https://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/ford-greater-memphis-chamber-announce-innovation-competition-for-community-focused-mobility-solutions/ , url-status=live {{cite news , last1=Kennedy , first1=Corinne S , title=Gwyn Fisher to lead economic development at Greater Memphis Chamber , url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2022/12/01/greater-memphis-chamber-gwyn-fisher-ted-townsend/69692101007/ , access-date=7 January 2023 , publisher=Memphis Commercial Appeal , date=1 December 2022 , archive-date=7 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107192720/https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/development/2022/12/01/greater-memphis-chamber-gwyn-fisher-ted-townsend/69692101007/ , url-status=live {{cite news , last1=Cicci , first1=Samuel X. , title=Prosperity for All: Beverly Robertson , url=https://memphismagazine.com/features/prosperity-for-all/ , access-date=6 January 2023 , publisher=Memphis Magazine , date=4 October 2022 , archive-date=6 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106234717/https://memphismagazine.com/features/prosperity-for-all/ , url-status=live {{cite news , last1=Meek , first1=Andy , title=Chamber Prepares to Celebrate 175 Years , url=https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/apr/8/chamber-prepares-to-celebrate-175-years/ , access-date=7 January 2023 , agency=The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc , publisher=Memphis Daily news , date=8 April 2013 , archive-date=7 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107193803/https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/apr/8/chamber-prepares-to-celebrate-175-years/ , url-status=live {{cite news , last1=Martin , first1=Ken , title=Former Pinnacle Airlines CEO shot dead in Memphis , url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/former-pinnacle-airlines-ceo-shot-dead-in-memphis , access-date=8 January 2023 , publisher=Fox Business , date=28 September 2018 , archive-date=8 January 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108183631/https://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/former-pinnacle-airlines-ceo-shot-dead-in-memphis , url-status=live

External links

Official website
1838 establishments in Tennessee Chambers of commerce in the United States