Carl Person
Chair
Owner – Customized Solutions
Bio
Carl is the Founder and CEO of Customized Solutions Company; a boutique consulting
firm specializing in commercial development partnerships, marketing, business analysis,
IT solutions and process improvement. His firm has public and private clients that
include local, state, and national project oversite and partnerships exceeding $2 billion
in total spend and value.
Carl is Board President of The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. He serves on the
Executive Board of Trustees for Metropolitan Inter-faith Association (MIFA); and is the
current Board Member for the Center City Development Corporation. Carl serves on the
Board of Commissioners for Memphis Light Gas & Water. He a member of the
American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Policy Makers Council (PMC). Carl serves
on the Gospel Music Association (GMA’s) Foundation Board of Directors and is a
member of Partnership Tennessee Leadership Group reporting to Governor Bill Lee’s
Administration and other State of Tennessee elected officials. He is past Chairman of
The Downtown Memphis Commission Board of Directors, Former State of Tennessee
Department of Education CTE Advisory Board Member and Former Civil Service
Review Board Chair for Shelby County Government. Carl is a recipient of the 2022 &
2024 Memphis Business Journal Power 100 recognition award.
Carl graduated Suma Cum Laude from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. He has
over 35 years of leadership experience with FedEx and UPS. Carl and his wife Valerie,
have three adult children and five grandchildren.
Milton L. Lovell
Vice Chair
President & Chief Investment Officer –Element40 Management
Bio
Milton Lovell is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Element40 Management, a family office based in Memphis. Milton previously served as the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of nexAir. Prior to joining nexAir, Milton practiced business and transactional law with Burch, Porter & Johnson.
At the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Milton is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, Chair of the Building Committee and Co-Chair of the Endowment Committee and previously chaired the Executive Director Search Committee. Milton is also as the Vice Chair of the Presbyterian Day School Board of Trustees and serves on the Truist Bank Memphis Community Advisory Board and the Crosstown Redevelopment Cooperative Association Board of Directors. Milton was previously the Chair of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association Board of Directors.
Milton is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, New York University School of Law and Harvard Business School.
Mat Parker, Jr.
Treasurer
Managing Director & Head - Hilltop Securities Bank Solutions
Bio
Mat Parker serves as Head of Hilltop Securities Bank Solutions. In this role, he oversees firm-wide solutions coordination for community and regional depository institutions. He has worked for over 30 years in capital markets roles in sales, sales training, and executive management. Prior to Hilltop Securities, Mat served as Head of Fixed Income Sales at Raymond James, Head of Depository Sales at FHN Financial, and began his career at National Bank of Commerce. Beyond his professional achievements, Mat currently serves as the Treasurer and Co-chair of the Finance Committee for the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and has previously contributed to the museum through the Long-Range Planning, Architect Selection, and Executive Director Search Committees.
A native Memphian, Mat is a graduate of Central High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Tanya Hart
Secretary
Chief Human Resources Officer – First Horizon
Bio
Tanya Hart is Chief Human Resources Officer & Executive Vice President at First Horizon National Corporation which is headquartered in Memphis, TN. She is a member of the Executive Management Committee and the Operating Committee. She has a quintessential First Horizon story beginning as a teller while completing her degree in finance at the University of Memphis. She completed her MBA at Christian Brothers University. Tanya has been in other key roles in the organization including total rewards, talent development and financial planning. She has led many programs at First Horizon such as the Women’s Initiative, United Way and is the former chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Council. Tanya was instrumental in developing and leading the inaugural class of First Horizon’s Emerging Leader Program, expanding the company’s associate resource groups and developing a formal mentoring program.
In addition to her professional studies, Tanya earned the Certified Financial Planner and the SHRM, Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designations. Tanya has become a recognized voice on HR topics. Specifically, she is a regular contributor to panels and speaker at conferences. She is a graduate of the 2019 cohort of the executive program of Leadership Memphis. Named as one the top 25 Black Women in Business by the Network Journal, 2022 Most Influential Black Business Leaders in Savoy Magazine, Memphis Business Journal’s 2019 HR Impact Leader and 2023 Super Women in Business and First Horizon’s DEI leader of the year (2021). Tanya is actively involved with a variety of civic and professional institutions. Her community outreach includes her role as a board member and chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee of the University of Memphis Foundation Board as well as an advisory member of Christian Brothers University’s Business School and the Brooks Museum of Art. She is a previous member of the board of directors of Junior Achievement of Memphis and 1St Eight.
Jason Wexler
President
Memphis Grizzlies
Bio
Jason Wexler joined the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013 and currently serves as President with
responsibilities for the Grizzlies organization and FedExForum. His previous roles with the team include
President of Business Operations and Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to the Grizzlies, Wexler served as President of the Henry Turley Company, where he was
responsible for spearheading efforts to realize compelling city center development initiatives and
managing the day-to-day operations of a full-service real estate firm.
Before that, he founded the real estate development and investment firm Greenhat Partners LLC and was a partner in the Memphis law firm of Hanover, Walsh, Jalenak and Blair, PLLC.
Wexler currently serves on the Board of Directors for Neighborhood Preservation, Inc., the Memphis
Brand Initiative, and the Grizzlies Foundation.
Wexler earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor
from Columbia Law School.
Sol Aponte
Co-Founder – Art Melanated
Bio
Sol Aponte is a visionary co-founder behind Art Melanated, a vibrant platform empowering emerging and mid-career BIPOC visual artists. Backed by two Emmy nominations, his TV production finesse and narrative zeal shine. Alongside wife Jennia, he established Full Frequency Media, a conduit for Black excellence via commercials, short films, and a captivating docu-series. Through Art Melanated, he illuminates narratives of BIPOC artists, sparking an active and engaged art community. Now on the Brooks Museum board, Sol's dedication to amplifying marginalized voices radiates, fostering inclusive and impactful art experiences.
Jenna Bedsole
SVP, General Counsel, and Secretary - AutoZone
Bio
AutoZone has tapped Jenna Bedsole to be its SVP, general counsel, and secretary. Most
recently, she worked as managing shareholder of Baker Donelson’s Birmingham office. In her
new role, she’ll be a member of the retailer’s executive committee and report to president and
CEO Bill Rhodes.
Bedsole earned her B.A. from the University of Alabama and her J.D. from the University of
Alabama School of Law. She started her career with the Alabama-based firm Lloyd, Gray,
Whitehead and Monroe PC, where she focused on education and employment litigation.
She remained with the firm until 2011, when she joined the Birmingham office of Baker
Donelson. As the Birmingham Business Journal — Bizwomen's sister publication — has
reported, her responsibilities grew over time, and she was chair of the firm’s labor and
employment group from 2015 to February 2021. In July 2021, she stepped into her most recent
role as managing shareholder.
During her tenure with Baker Donelson, Bedsole was given an array of awards. She’s received
the Alabama State Bar's Edward M. Patterson Servant Leadership Award and been recognized
by the National Diversity Council as one of its "Top 15 Business Women in Alabama.” She’s
been named a "Women to Watch" and "Best of the Bar” by the Birmingham Business Journal,
and a woman who shapes the state by Birmingham Magazine. In 2015, Baker Donelson
recognized her with its Susan E. Rich Women's Initiative Award, which is given annually to a
recipient who exemplifies ongoing commitment and effort to strengthen the role of female
attorneys at the firm.
Bedsole is also the founder of Free Works Productions, a production company that makes
documentaries. She was the executive producer and director of "Stand Up, Speak Out: The Nina
Miglionico Story," a feature film documentary on the life and legacy of one of the state's first
female attorneys, as well as "The Fight for the Noblest Democracy: Women's Suffrage in
Alabama," which was selected for the 2020 Sidewalk Film Festival.
Nathan A. Bicks
Attorney – Burch, Porter & Johnson, PLLC
Bio
Nathan Bicks has been a lifelong participant in the Brooks Museum. Beginning as a child, when his parents would drag him to art museums across the world, the Brooks Museum always served as home base. From the basic visual literacy he acquired there, Nathan learned to appreciate artistic expression in all forms. After living in the northeast for almost a decade, Nathan and his wife, Andrea Bienstock, returned to Memphis to start their legal careers and raise a family here. Nathan has been affiliated with Burch, Porter & Johnson for almost forty years as a litigator and municipal law practitioner. He has been on the Brooks board for over fifteen years, serving in various capacities on the executive committee including President. One of his most prized possessions is the model of the Titanic given to him at the completion of his term as Board President.
Gloria Boyland
Community Volunteer
Bio
Gloria Roberts Boyland is an innovative global leader and an operations transformation strategist with over 20 years of experience in helping organizations increase value through breakthrough operations applications of automation, artificial intelligence, network optimization, data analytics, other advanced technologies, and quality management systems. Recently retired as Corporate Vice President, Operations & Service Support, FedEx Corporation, today Gloria lends her expertise to growth companies in the foods distribution, autonomy, alternative energy, and mobility sectors.
Mrs. Boyland currently serves on the Boards of Aurora Innovation (NASDAQ: AUR), United Natural Foods, Inc (NYSE: UNFI) and Vontier Corporation (NYSE: VNT). Previously, she served on the Board of Chesapeake Energy Corporation. In 2016, Mrs. Boyland was appointed to the U.S. DOT Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.
Chiquilla Brown
Registered Nurse & Adjunct Clinical Instructor
Baptist University
Bio
Chiquilla Brown has been a registered nurse for over 30 years. She has held leadership roles at College of the Mainland and Delgado Community College. She currently works as an adjunct clinical instructor at Baptist University when needed. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corp. She is married to Eric L. Brown and has two sons in college.
Nelda Burroughs
Co-Owner – First Choices Sales & Marketing Group
Bio
Education:
BA, North Carolina Central University, Durham, N.C.
MLS, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.
Married to Tyrone Burroughs. We are co-owners of First Choice Sales & Marketing Group, a global consumer marketing firm. To further cement our commitment to the Memphis community, in 2013 we acquired R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home so that the business would continue its legacy as an African American owned business. Since then, it has expanded to 3 locations. Tyrone and I are also the owners of the Guthrie’s Fried Chicken franchise for west Tennessee and Mississippi.
Affiliations: Serve on the Board of Directors for the National Civil Rights Museum. Also belong to the Memphis (TN) Chapter of the Links, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Phi Lambda Omega Chapter, Philanthropic Black Women of Memphis. Serve as President of the Burroughs Foundation.
My life’s mantra, “To whom much is given, much is required,” manifest itself through a deep commitment to philanthropy and community service, giving time as well as financial support. We are blessed to have 3 children and 6 beautiful grandchildren.
Kristi Carmichael
Community Volunteer
Bio
Hi my name is Kristi Carmichael. I am originally from Mobile, Alabama. I received my undergraduate degree from The University of Mississippi where I majored in Elementary Education. I moved to Memphis after college to teach in the Memphis City School system for 4 years. I then went on to sell pharmaceuticals for 13 years. I am married to James Carmichael and have two children, Lucy (age 13) and Henry (age 11). I am passionate about a strong education for all and access to art in schools and in the community.
Rob Carter
Community Volunteer
Bio
Until his recent retirement, Robert B. (Rob) Carter was Executive Vice President, FedEx Information Services and Chief Information Officer of FedEx Corporation. He was a member of the Executive Committee, which planned and executed the corporation’s strategic business activities. Carter also served as Co-President & Co-CEO of FedEx Services, the shared service entity responsible for Sales, Marketing, Information Technology and Customer Service.
Carter joined FedEx in 1993 and has more than 40 years of systems development and implementation experience. Carter is responsible for setting the technology direction of the FedEx applications, infrastructure and networks that provide around the clock and around the globe support for FedEx product offerings.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer and information science from the University of Florida and his MBA from the University of South Florida.
Carter has been awarded many industry accolades, including, Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, Fortune Magazine’s Executive Dream Team, Forbes Magazine CIO Innovation Award, Information Week's Chief of the Year Award, and is a charter inductee of CIO Magazine’s CIO Hall of Fame.
Carter also serves on the Board of Directors of New York Life and Quest Diagnostics.
Trevia Chatman
President - Bank of America Memphis
Bio
Trevia Chatman is president of Bank of America, Memphis. In this role, she is responsible for
connecting clients, teammates, and communities to the bank’s eight lines of business and the full
power of bank. She directs efforts to deploy Bank of America’s philanthropic resources to help
advance economic mobility and build strong communities.
In addition to serving as the president, Trevia is the Market Executive for Memphis. In this role, she
leads the development and execution of the market’s strategic plan to drive responsible growth,
employee engagement and corporate reputation. She fosters collaboration with nonprofit leaders
and stakeholders and mobilizes her team of talented volunteers to drive positive change in the
community. She contributes to the bank’s culture of inclusion as the Executive Sponsor for the Black
Professional Group of Tennessee and a member of Leadership, Education, Advocacy, &
Development (LEAD) for Women. She is a graduate of the bank’s Next Level Leadership Program
and a recipient of the Bank of America Global Diversity and Inclusion award.
Over the span of 20 plus years, Trevia has held several senior leadership roles – serving local, regional
and national banks. She has experience in consumer banking, private banking, marketing, performance
management and government relations. Trevia joined Bank of America in 2018 with a proven track
record of success in growing market share by developing high-performing teams, driving revenue,
establishing strong community relations and executing effective marketing strategies.
Trevia is a passionate advocate with a lifelong commitment to build a sustainable community. She
collaborates with various nonprofits and city leaders to mobilize socioeconomic change through
program development and implementation, fundraising and strategic planning. She serves on the
board of trustees for Tennessee State University as an executive committee member as well as the
board of directors for the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, Memphis Brooks Museum of
Art and Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. She is an Executive in Residence for the University of
Memphis Fogelman College of Business, a New Memphis Fellow and graduate of the Leadership
Tennessee Signature Program. Trevia’s advocacy and impact to the community has garnered
recognition including the Memphis Grizzlies’ HBCU Empowerment award, the Memphis Business
Journal’s Super Woman in Business, Power 100 and Top 40 under 40 awards.
Trevia is a native of Memphis. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the
Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis and a Bachelor of
Business Administration degree from Tennessee State University. She is married to Keith
Chatman, and they proudly raise their three amazing boys in Memphis.
Erica Coopwood
Community Volunteer
Bio
An active volunteer in the Memphis community, Erica served as the first Black President of the Junior League of Memphis where she led over 1,200 volunteers in promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the Memphis community through their collective voluntarism. At the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, Mrs. Coopwood and her husband, Reginald, founded the Midsouth Pay It Forward Campaign, raising over $490,000 for restaurant and hotel employees directly impacted by COVID-19 closures.
Erica serves as a Director on various executive boards, including The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, The Children’s Foundation of Memphis, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, and her beloved college alma mater, Agnes Scott College, where she chairs the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
Prior to relocating to Memphis, Erica practiced as a corporate employment law and business litigator and served as a TN Supreme Court law clerk to Justice Adolpho Birch.
Mrs. Stiff-Coopwood holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Agnes Scott College and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt University Law School.
Erica is married to Reginald and is mom to 5 children: daughters Riley Nicole and Rebecca Anne and adult sons Reginald, Ryan, and Reuben.
Mary Lee Copp
Community Volunteer
Bio
I am a native Memphian , however, I lived elsewhere most of my life until I married Peter Formanek in 2008. I graduated from Peabody College ( now Vanderbilt ) and had 2 years of post graduate at O’More School of Design. I had my own design business in Nashville for 25 years.I consider myself lucky to be back in Memphis.
Deborah Craddock
Community Volunteer
Bio
Deborah Craddock is a past Partner of Southeastern Asset Management. She is a graduate of Rhodes College and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). She has previously served as Board Chair of the Brooks Museum of Art as well as Ballet Memphis and is currently Chair of the Rhodes College Board of Trustees. She has also served on the Board of MIFA and is currently Chair of the MIFA Investment Committee. Deborah served on the Architect Selection Committee for the new museum and as Chair of the Building Committee.
Brandice Daniel
CEO – Harlem's Fashion Row
Bio
Brandice Daniel is a proud fashion outsider from Memphis, TN. Daniel has experience in fashion buying, production, and has a talent for bridging the gap for designers of color. In 2007, Daniel founded Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR). Ten years later, Daniel led the collaboration between HFR, Nike and Lebron James on the HFRxLBJ16 shoe, the first Lebron sneaker designed by and for women. The shoe sold out in less than 5 minutes. Since then, she has led partnerships with LVMH, Tommy Hilfiger, Tiffany & Co, Levi, Gap Inc, Tapestry, and more. In 2020, Brandice started a non-profit organization, ICON360 that has donated over $2 Million to HBCU Fashion Departments and Black designers.
Her perspective on winning as a proud outsider has been shared on many stages including TedX Memphis, the Forbes 30 under 30 summit, and the Forbes CMO Summit. She’s been a guest judge on Project Runway and a repeat guest on the Tamron Hall and Drew Barrymore Show.
She’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Good Morning America, ESSENCE Magazine, BET, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue. In 2022, Brandice received the Alumni of the Year award from the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Social Impact Award from Footwear News.
Brandice is a proud mom to Sky Daniel and wife to Richard Daniel.
Sonia Eden
Neurosurgeon - Semmes Murphey Clinic Oxford
Bio
Dr. Sonia Eden is a Detroit, Michigan native and ABNS (American Board of Neurological Surgery) board-certified neurosurgeon. She specializes in minimally invasive surgeries to treat conditions such as brain and spine tumors, traumatic spine injury, nerve ailments such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sacroiliac joint fusions, and more.
Dr. Eden earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University and went on to complete her medical degree and residency at the University of Michigan. Dr. Eden also completed a minimally invasive spine surgery fellowship in Memphis under Semmes Murphey neurosurgeon and board chairman Dr. Kevin Foley.
Dr. Eden is a member of multiple medical associations, including the AANS (American Association of Neurosurgeons) and the CNS (Congress of Neurological Surgeons), where she was asked to participate in the Vanguard Leadership in Healthcare course. This year-long program empowers neurosurgeons to gain the skills and knowledge to become effective and impactful leaders in the field.
Along with her educational achievements, Dr. Eden has had a stellar career. Some of her career highlights include serving as Chief of Neurosurgery at Harper University Hospital, being elected as Interim Chair of Neurosurgery at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and authoring a textbook on the surgical treatment of the sacroiliac joint.
Dr. Eden is very passionate about the topic of health equity. Health equity is defined by the IOM (Institute of Medicine) as “providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location, and socioeconomic status.” She is a proud founding member of the American Society of Black Neurosurgeons, where she also serves as Vice President.
She enjoys a team-based, collaborative approach to healthcare and mentoring students and residents. She lives in Oxford, Mississippi, and practices from the Semmes Murphey Clinic Oxford location. She is proud to serve as a caretaker to her mother. She satisfies her childhood desire to be a veterinarian with a pet menagerie that includes a Weimaraner, a Bengal cat, and an African grey parrot. She is also an avid collector of black art.
Derek Fordjour
Artist – Fordjour Studio
Bio
Derek Fordjour was born in Memphis, Tennessee to parents of Ghanaian heritage. He was awarded 2016 Sugarhill Museum Artist-in-Residence, the 2017 Sharpe Walentas Studio Program in New York City, and named the 2018 Deutsche Bank NYFA Fellowship Award. He is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta Georgia, earned a Master’s Degree in Art Education from Harvard University and an MFA in painting from Hunter College. He was appointed The Alex Katz Chair at Cooper Union and served as a Core Critic at Yale University School of Art. In 2018, he was awarded commissions for the Whitney Museum of American Art Billboard Project and the Metropolitan Transit Authority Arts & Design program. Recently, he was the inaugural artist for the Building Art Series on the façade of MOCA Grand Avenue in Los Angeles. His work has been reviewed in The New York Times, Financial Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Hyperallergic. He has also been featured in several publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Juxtapoz, Vanity Fair and Forbes Magazine. His work is held in the private and public collections of The Studio Museum of Harlem, Guggenheim Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, SFMOMA, Brooklyn Museum, Perez Museum, The Whitney Museum and LACMA. Fordjour is the founder of Contemporary Arts Memphis Summer Fellowship program.
Gail George
ex-officio
Member – Decorative Arts Trust
Bio
Gail George serves as an ex-officio member of the Board representing the membership of Decorative Arts Trust, the support group which has since 1985 played a major role in building a world-class decorative arts complement to the fine art collection of the Museum. Ms. George is an organization development and corporate training professional who has applied her talents to a variety of roles within Decorative Arts Trust including Program Chair and President. Her consulting practice, GPG Consultants, provided services to health care, financial services, media, and retail organizations in the US and Canada. A Georgia native, Ms. George relocated from Washington, DC in 1989 and calls Memphis home.
Adam Hanover
CEO – Union Main Group
Bio
Adam Hanover is Co-Founder & CEO of Union Main Group, which owns and operates three businesses focused on essential home services, health care and energy efficiency employing 1,500 people in cities across the US.
Adam was born and raised in Memphis. He attended Ridgeway High School, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at Lazard Frères and The Carlyle Group. He left Carlyle to build Archer Systems, successfully selling it in 2018.
Adam and his wife Isabel are committed to advancing the city of Memphis economically and culturally as a healthy, secure and fun place to raise families and build lives.
Debi Havner
Community Volunteer
Bio
Debi Arend Havner grew up in Bentonville, Arkansas, graduating from the University of Arkansas with a BS, MA, post graduate hours, Phillips University, Enid, OK. Her interest in the arts began at a young age in the science department of the Bentonville public schools.
She relocated to Enid, Oklahoma to teach hearing impaired children and later owned a flower and landscape business. While in Enid she served as President ,Enid -Phillips Symphony, Vice President, Enid Chamber of Commerce, JWL, and Board of Director of the Oklahoma Art Institute.
After returning to Bentonville she was Chair of the Bentonville Planning Commission and President of the Bentonville School Foundation. Debi is currently active at Crystal Bridges, having helped develop and establish a Curatorial Internship program. She was appointed to the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Commission and served as a trustee of AMFA. Her goals focus on City/Urban community regional planning quality of life.
In Memphis she is active in the Memphis Garden Club, and is a trustee, executive committee, of the Brooks Museum.
Robert Heard III
EVP, Private Banking Director – First Horizon
Bio
Rob Heard is Executive Vice President and West Tennessee Director of Private Client Financial Services at First Horizon Bank. Since 2015, Rob has led a talented team of Private Banking professionals who serve as personal advisors to affluent clients with more complex financial needs. In addition to traditional banking services, his team assists clients with financial planning, investments, wealth management, insurance, trust, and estate planning.
Over his 40+ year career with First Horizon, Rob has prior experience in Retail, Commercial, and Correspondent Banking. A life-long Memphian, Rob received his BBA from the University of Mississippi in 1980.
Rodney Herenton
Founder & Co-CEO – Channing Capital Management
Bio
Mr. Herenton is a Founder, Co-CEO of Channing Capital Management, LLC., a $3.8 billion investment management firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Formerly, he was a First Vice-President within Morgan Keegan's investment banking division. Prior to Morgan Keegan, Mr. Herenton was an Associate at Bear Stearns, where he was responsible for deal execution of mergers and acquisitions, equity and high-yield bond transactions. Prior to Bear Stearns, Mr. Herenton was an Associate within the investment banking division at Lehman Brothers.
Mr. Herenton received a B.A. in Finance from Morehouse College (Phi Beta Kappa), and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Barbara R. Hyde
Chair & CEO – Hyde Family Foundation
Bio
Barbara Rosser Hyde is Chair and CEO of the Hyde Family Foundation, where she is a passionate advocate for education reform at the local, state and national levels and a leader for place-based
philanthropy in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.
Barbara graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead Scholar and later worked as executive director of the university’s Arts and Sciences Foundation. She served as national board chair for New York-based New Leaders and has been engaged on multiple local and national boards, including Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, Yale University Art Gallery, Teach for America, and Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Currently, she is championing the effort to establish a new Brooks Museum of Art in downtown Memphis, a move that will serve as an iconic, cultural anchor to the city’s riverfront transformation.
Along with her husband, J.R. Hyde III, she has led the foundation they established together as a model for family foundations in the U.S. The Philanthropy Roundtable recognized the couple as recipients of the prestigious William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership in 2017.
Linda Ivy-Rosser
Vice President - Forrester Research
Bio
Linda Ivy-Rosser is a Vice President at Forrester Research headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Linda’s global research portfolio serves technology and marketing executives. She is responsible for the strategic research plans for analysts who advise business and technology leaders on how to innovate, use customer obsession to accelerate business growth, and give C-Suite leaders the confidence to put bold into action and lead their organizations through disruption and change.
Prior to joining Forrester, Linda served as an Executive Leader at Smith & Nephew (S+N), a British Multinational medical equipment and device company headquartered in England. Its advanced wound management, arthroscopy, and orthopaedic products are sold in over 100 countries, with North American manufacturing in Andover, MA & the largest of the manufacturing sites in Memphis, TN . During her time at S+N, she led the company’s Global Operational Excellence Analytics and Business Insights Portfolio, as well as managed the Software Applications Delivery and Operations functions. It was at Smith & Nephew where she also served as chair of the global Executive Women’s Alliance & Inclusion Network. Linda has over 25 years of practitioner experience leading enterprise transformation, data and business intelligence practices, technology services and emerging platform solutions. She has spent her career in the financial services, pharma, and life sciences industries.
Linda earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Bloomington Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.
She currently serves as a trustee on the Executive Board of Directors at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and on the Board of Directors for the Regional One Health Foundation. Linda is an advocate and supporter of the arts, education, and healthcare services.
Linda, with her husband Glenn, owned and operated Dessert Therapy Bakery in Germantown, TN before closing their doors in 2020. Linda and Glenn reside in Shelby County. Her sons live in their hometown in Ohio. Her favorite daughter is a graduate of St. Mary’s Episcopal School and attends University of Tennessee Knoxville c/o 2024-25.
She shares, “I’ve been in many rooms, but delight in the ones where humanity is celebrated.” Linda serves on the executive committee and continues to facilitate corporate and community partnerships that accelerate us towards transformation and expansion of the Brooks.
Greg Jackson
Director of IT Technical Services –International Paper
Bio
Greg Jackson is the Director of IT Technical Services at International Paper. In this role, he has responsibility for data center & cloud infrastructure, telecommunications, collaboration, client services & support, service management, delivery management, enterprise architecture, and IT innovation.
Greg was born in Clarksdale, MS, and attended Mississippi State University, where he earned a B.S. degree in Computer Engineering. He also has an MBA from Union University and is a graduate of the Leadership Memphis Executive Class of 2020.
Greg enjoys traveling, watching movies, and spending time with family. He and his wife Romona live in Collierville, TN, and attend Harvest Church.
Jay Keegan
President & CEO – Adams Keegan
Bio
Joining Adams Keegan in May 1997, Jay currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company. He is the founder/director of The James Group, LLC and Staffline, LLC. Jay is also a founding partner of Mempho Music Festival, and his civic involvement also includes membership in St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Memphis Club, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art board member, past director of the Navy League Memphis, and association with New Memphis Institute. Jay holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colorado and a Master of Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill.
Shanea McKinney
Clinical Account Manager - Cigna Pharmacy
Bio
Shanea serves the Tennessee and Georgia/Alabama markets in her role within Cigna Pharmacy-Sales and Account Management, as a Clinical Account Manager. Joining Cigna in 2019, in her current capacity, Shanea supports existing and prospective clients, providing pharmacy benefit performance management results and aligning targeted solutions to Cigna’s overall value proposition. Dr. McKinney, is a native of Knoxville, moving to Memphis in 2001 to earn her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from The University of Memphis. She later matriculated to The University of Tennessee Health Science Center to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy.
Dr. McKinney has a passion for active engagement in her professional and civic communities. Appointed by Governor Bill Lee, she currently serves on the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy as well as The University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees. A Spring 2011 graduate of the New Memphis Institute and 2024 Leadership Memphis Executive Program graduate, Shanea has served on the Downtown Memphis Commission’s Downtown Mobility Authority since 2016, where she has held several leadership positions and is the immediate past Chair of the committee. She has previously served as co-chair of the Porter Goodwill Club for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis, is a devoted member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s Circle of Friends, and acting Board Chair for Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP).
Dr. McKinney is married to David E. McKinney and they have a son, Gethers.
Logan Meeks
President Principal – A2H
Bio
Logan serves as a President of A2H - Engineers • Architects • Planners, a full-service planning and design firm serving public and private clients for the built environment. Founded in 1986, A2H is home to more than 100 employees. Headquartered in Lakeland, Tennessee, the firm operates out of five offices in the region. Logan is responsible for leading the company in strategy, day-to-day operations, and coordination of all in-house architecture and engineering disciplines. He also serves in a leadership role focused on enhancing ongoing relationships with clients and the business community.
Notable projects in the Memphis area that Logan has overseen include the new STEM Research and Classroom Building for the University of Memphis, the new Frayser Community High School in Memphis, the Memphis Health Center in downtown Memphis, the Forest Hill Elementary School for the Germantown Municipal School District, the Methodist Medical Office Building in Olive Branch, the Baptist Medical Group Primary Care Clinic in midtown Memphis, and numerous FedEx projects at the Memphis Hub and other campuses.
As a structural engineer, Logan participates in the engineering community statewide through his leadership in numerous organizations. He is a member and past President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee. He is member and past President of the Tennessee Structural Engineers Association - West Region. He is member and past Director of the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers – Memphis Chapter.
Beyond his leadership role at A2H, Logan is an active member of Memphis’ philanthropic, civic, arts, and cultural community, serving as board member emeritus of the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change, board member of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, past board member for the Urban Land Institute, and is past President and current board member for RegionSmart. He is a current member of the University Club of Memphis.
Logan was born and raised in Missouri, received a Bachelor of Engineering from Vanderbilt University, and moved to Memphis in 2002. He currently lives in Memphis with his wife and their daughter.
Logan Scheidt
Real Estate Broker – Crye-Leike Real Estate
Bio
Logan Scheidt joined the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Board in July 2022 as a way to continue his family’s legacy of celebrating Memphis’s diverse culture through inclusive avenues like the arts. As a native Memphian who was inspired by his grandparents’ lifelong passion for our vibrant city, Logan actively embraces ways to encourage our city’s growth and promise. Beyond the Brooks, Logan is a dedicated residential real estate broker and an avid fan of both the University of Memphis Tigers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Gail Schledwitz
Community Volunteer
Bio
Gail Schledwitz is a lifelong Memphian, dedicated to improving the city through her philanthropic efforts and service on numerous non-profit boards. She is the proud mother of two daughters and grandmother to four grandchildren. She recently retired from a career in real estate that spanned interior design, home building, and investment property management. She and her husband, Karl, are known for their involvement and commitment to making Memphis a better place. Gail served on the Board of Directors for 14 years at Porter Leath, as they created their state of the art early education academies and expanded to 3 locations. In 2017, she served as Board Chair over their $36MM budget. In her 15 year involvement, she has helped raise significant capital for the non-profit, primarily through hosting an annual fundraising dinner at her home. Gail and Karl recently funded Porter Leath's new preschool and Head Start academy in Frayser, in the neighborhood where Karl was raised. Last year, she rolled onto the Board of Trustees for Porter Leath. Gail also served as President of A Step Ahead Foundation from 2015-2016. While President, the foundation opened 5 offices across the state of Tennessee, helping provide Long Acting Reversible Contraception to women to help them plan their families and lives. Gail has always had a passion for art. In the 1990s, she served a docent at Brooks Museum for 10 years and also helped sell the paintings of a local artist. She is excited about the next chapter at Brooks under the leadership of Zoe Kahr and the vision of making the museum inviting to all people.
Melyne Strickland
Johnson & Johnson
Bio
Melyne works for Johnson & Johnson and has enjoyed a 23 year career there. She has been a member of the Brooks Museum and the Brooks Women’s League since 1992. In her free time, she volunteers weekly to increase literacy for second graders at Dunbar Elementary School. She is a past board member at Case Management, Inc. Melyne and her husband Jim have two children and love living in Memphis.
David Willmott
Co-Founder - Collins Willmott & Co.
Bio
David has over 30 years of corporate management, finance, and private equity investing experience. He is currently a Partner at Collins Willmott & Co., a private equity investment firm. Prior to co-founding Collins Willmott & Co., he was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Blount International, a global manufacturing company and a leader in the outdoor power equipment and agricultural equipment sectors. Previously, David was a Managing Director of Lehman Brothers and a partner of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking funds, and a financial analyst in the Investment Banking Division of Merrill Lynch & Co.
David has served on various corporate boards, including Axial1 Performance Science, Elements Contracting, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Blount International (formerly NYSE:BLT), Evergreen Copyright Acquisitions, Cross Holdings, Superior Highwall Miners, The Hunter Fan Company, and CP Kelco.
David is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the University of Memphis - Fogelman College of Business and Economics, a former trustee of the Portland Art Museum (audit committee chair), and has served as the Co-Chair of the Williams College Alumni Fund. David earned a B.A. in History from Williams College and an M.B.A from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Tate Wilson
Chief Executive Officer - Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation
Bio
Tate Wilson is the CEO of the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation. Tate assumed the position of CEO following a decade of board service at the organization. Before joining the Foundation, she owned and managed an event planning firm, Eliza Tate Events, that focused on private and non-profit event planning.
Tate attended the University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar and graduated in 2006 with a BS in Religious Studies. Tate was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee and is proud to call Memphis home today. She is married to D. Webb Wilson, and they have four sons.
Tate serves on the board of Teach for America - Memphis, Memphis Delta Preparatory Charter School, Tennessee Career Academy, Baptist Women’s and Children’s Hospital, University of Tennessee’s Population Health Consortium, and Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
Amy Wright
Co-Founder & CEO – Macro Solutions/Ditty TV
Bio
Amy Wright is the co-founder and CEO of Macro Solutions, an information technology consulting company focused on enterprise application and agile solutions. She founded Macro Solutions in 2000 and has grown the company from a small consulting practice to a leading provider of technology services. Macro Solutions was recently included in the 2016 Inc. 500 list and was recognized by both Washington CEO magazine and Bisnow for being one of the fastest growing companies in the Washington, D.C., region. She has a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Georgetown University.
Amy also believes in giving back to the community. She’s currently serving on the Alumni Board of Managers for the University of Virginia and the Board of Directors of DC BUILD, a non-profit entity dedicated to providing at-risk kids a path toward high school graduation and college, and she also serves on the Americana Music Association Board. In addition, Amy’s an avid musician, and she and her husband founded an internet-based television network focused on Americana and Roots music, DittyTV.
Amy grew up in Memphis and graduated from Lausanne Collegiate School. She and her husband, Ronnie, have a home on South Main St. as well as in D.C., since she commutes regularly to Washington.