MEMPHIS, TENN., October 5, 2017 – Leadership Memphis recently announced the appointment of new members of its Board of Directors for 2017-18. The new Board members will help guide Leadership Memphis in its mission to develop a new breed of civic leaders who will unify the Memphis community and create alliances among diverse stakeholders.

The 2017-18 members of the Leadership Memphis Board of Directors:

• Damon Bell, Memphis President, Pinnacle Financial
• Lisa Driver, Director of Account Management, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
• Julie Ellis, Government and Enviromental Group, Butler Snow
• NaKeia Grimes, Plant Manager, Hershey’s
• Casey Lawhead, VP of Professional Banking, Independent Bank
• Valerie Morris, President & CEO, Morris Marketing Group
• Linda Sawyer, Vice President of Administration/CFO, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Heidi Shafer, Commissioner, Shelby County Commission
• Patrice Thomas, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, City of Memphis
• Chuck Utterback, Director of Contracting, CIGNA
• Kami Wigginton, Regional Sales Manager, Castlight

“Leadership Memphis is happy to welcome our outstanding new board members for 2017-18,” said Percie Strong-Jenkins, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Leadership Memphis. “We look forward to their guidance in helping Leadership Memphis fulfill its mission of preparing and mobilizing leaders to work together for the good of the entire Memphis community.”

More information about Leadership Memphis is available on their website:https://leadershipmemphis.org/Home.

About Leadership Memphis

Leadership Memphis’ mission is to build a great Memphis by building great leaders. Since 1979, nearly 2,000 alumni have completed the Executive, FastTrack and Grassroots programs. Among them are mayors, City Council members, County Commissioners, City of Memphis executives,  Shelby County executives, 21 federal government executives, executives of civic and community organizations, public and private corporation executives, clergy representing over a dozen denominations, school or school system faculty and administrators,  health care executives,  professionals (doctors, attorneys, and accountants), and small business owners.  Over 40% of Leadership Memphis’ alumni are African-American, Latino, Asian, or of another culture.