BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Republican leaders from 10 Southern states have been meeting in Alabama to plan strategies for making new GOP inroads across the region.

Alabama Republican Chairman Bill Armistead says the two-day meeting of state party chairs and executive directors concluded Tuesday in Birmingham.

2. The Power of Curiosity and Sociability - Monday, June 17, 2013

Two organizations – the Miami-based One Laptop Per Child Association and the Cambridge, Mass.-based One Laptop Per Child Foundation – are nonprofit entities set up to oversee the creation of affordable educational devices for use in the developing world.

3. - Saturday, June 15, 2013

4. Hattiloo Another Step in Square Comeback - Saturday, June 15, 2013

The latest milestone in the comeback of Overton Square came the weekend of the Tony Awards in New York City with the groundbreaking for the new Hattiloo Theater.

For Ekundayo Bandele, the founder of the black repertory theater company who named it for his two daughters, the groundbreaking on what is now a parking lot fronting on Cooper Street represented a milestone for theater in Memphis.

5. Editorial: C-Section Rise Speaks to Other Concerns - Saturday, June 15, 2013

More than a third of the babies born in 2011 at the 69 hospitals that deliver babies in Tennessee were born by cesarean section, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

The rates are rising for women across categories of race, ethnicity, age and weight throughout the country.

6. The Costco Connection - Friday, June 14, 2013

MEMPHIS IN COSTCO. Have you ever noticed that what appears to be of a reasonable size in Costco grows in volume and dimension with every mile between Costco and home?

Sure, you need a little lime in your gin and tonic, but there are 50 of them in that green net bag you just dragged into the kitchen and squeezed onto the counter next to those 27 avocados. That lobster dip you sampled was terrific, but that tub you brought home would keep all of Bar Harbor happy for the summer. The average Starbucks doesn’t stock as much Caffè Verona as you do now. Clinics are coming to you for antacid pills. If FedExForum runs out of toilet paper, come on over to your garage. That stuffed bear is so big it not only scares your grandbaby, the fact that you bought it scares the hell out of you. You didn’t need to eat that hot dog the size of a fireplace log, but you had to because that dog and a refillable drink for a buck fifty is one of the five best deals in America and the other four don’t count.

7. ACEC Role Lets Matheny Advocate for Engineers - Friday, June 14, 2013

Harvey Matheny, associate with the Memphis office of Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. and current president of the Memphis chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee, has seen plenty of changes in the local engineering market over the past several years.

8. The Beat Goes On - Thursday, June 13, 2013

Rosalyn Jeans slowly tapped out the syllables in her first name as she beat the drum in front of her simultaneously with each syllable.

9. Graham Takes Reins at The Commercial Appeal - Tuesday, June 11, 2013

MEMPHIS (AP) – Louis Graham has been promoted to editor of The Commercial Appeal.

Graham's appointment is effective immediately. It was announced Monday by the E.W. Scripps Company and reported on the newspaper's website (http://bit.ly/11CSf4u).

10. Is Big Data Turning Government Into 'Big Brother'? - Monday, June 10, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – With every phone call they make and every Web excursion they take, people are leaving a digital trail of revealing data that can be tracked by profit-seeking companies and terrorist-hunting government officials.

11. County Pension Fund Hits Another Record High - Saturday, June 08, 2013

The value of the pension fund that pays benefits to Shelby County retirees is back up to a high not seen since 2007.

The portfolio size of the county’s retirement defined benefit plan stood at $1.02 billion in April. The last time the value was higher than that was in December 2007.

12. Putting On for Their City - Monday, June 10, 2013

It started about a year ago, with two friends who wanted some upbeat, fun threads to wear to Memphis Grizzlies and University of Memphis basketball games.

From that, Leslie Skelton and Ian Lemmonds turned their basketball superfandom into a business – Hoop City Memphis.

13. - Saturday, June 08, 2013

14. County Pension Fund Hits Another Record High - Friday, June 07, 2013

The value of the pension fund that pays benefits to Shelby County retirees is back up to a high not seen since 2007.

The portfolio size of the county’s retirement defined benefit plan stood at $1.02 billion in April. The last time the value was higher than that was in December 2007.

15. Malco Theatres Opening New Locations - Friday, June 07, 2013

Malco Theatres is in the midst of a growth spurt.

The Memphis-based movie chain has acquired a shuttered 10-screen movie theater and outdoor amphitheater in Oxford, Miss. It’s in Oxford Commons, a 480-acre mixed-use commercial, residential, hospitality and entertainment development in the North Mississippi town.

16. Scaling Up the Organization - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Remember the days when your startup team was crammed into a single office? Now you may have 150-plus employees and find it infinitely more difficult to know how to divide up into teams and set clear accountabilities. Worse, both customers and employees may seem confused about how to navigate your organization.

17. - Saturday, June 01, 2013

18. Focus on Your Donors, Not Their Money - Friday, May 31, 2013

Part two of three-part series on transformational giving Why does one nonprofit receive $1,000 from a donor when another receives $1 million? What is the difference between fundraising and the process of securing transformational gifts? To get some answers we talked with Barbara Pierce, founder of Transformative Giving.

19. Mothers Now Top Earners in 4 in 10 US Households - Thursday, May 30, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — America's working mothers are now the primary breadwinners in a record 40 percent of households with children — a milestone in the changing face of modern families, up from just 11 percent in 1960.

20. The Secret Of Instant Rapport - Wednesday, May 29, 2013

People buy from those they like and trust, often regardless of the strength of the sales pitch or quality of the products and services. That’s reality. The challenge for sales professionals is to master the art of instant rapport with someone you may be meeting for the very first time versus leaving it to chance.

21. - Saturday, May 25, 2013

22. Memphis in the Meantime - Saturday, May 25, 2013

The city’s tourism and travel industry is thriving as a one-of-a-kind destination for leisure and business travelers, but industry insiders believe a larger, technologically updated convention center is needed in years to come if Memphis wants to remain competitive in bringing larger groups to town.

23. 23 Groans: For the Pun of It - Friday, May 24, 2013

ONCE A PUN A TIME. If it’s held up by this column, I’m about to be robbed of my reputation. Forgive the pun.

Every one of us is occasionally confronted, even assaulted, by puns. Every one of us has at least one friend who lives by them. My golf buddy, Scoop, has one a hole. My late father-in-law, Doc, was a master of the pun – none too painful to be shared, no occasion or group inappropriate for the sharing.

24. Grizzlies Confident Despite Odds Against Them - Friday, May 24, 2013

The Grizzlies have to win four of five to beat the San Antonio Spurs and advance to the NBA Finals. In other words, if reality itself could hold up a towel it would read: “I don’t bluff.”

The Grizzlies dropped the first two games in San Antonio and, historically speaking, a fool would soon part with his money if betting on the Grizzlies to come back and win the series. Because when a team wins the first two games of a seven-game series, it goes on to win that series 93.7 percent of the time. The Grizzlies already have upset these odds once, falling behind the Los Angeles Clippers 0-2 in this year’s opening-round playoff series before rallying to win four straight.

25. The 'Sell in May' Story - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The “Sell in May, and Go Away” slogan is common vernacular within the investment sphere. However, for some of our readers who might not be as familiar with this phrase, we will use this week’s writings to review.

26. - Saturday, May 18, 2013

27. The Myth of Rationality - Monday, May 20, 2013

Do decisive people base their decisions on rational factors or do they often rely on intuition and emotions? According to Jan Halper’s book “Quite Desperation: The Truth About Successful Men,” if the truth were known, most executives rely more on emotional factors when making important decisions.

28. Southern Airways Express Announces Flight Plans - Saturday, May 18, 2013

A new Memphis-based air carrier, Southern Airways Express, announced non-stop flight service to Destin and Panama City Beach, Fla., Gulf Shores, Ala., and New Orleans earlier this week.

Southern is the only airline that will offer non-stop flights from Memphis to the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Tampa, Fla.

29. Under the Microscope - Saturday, May 18, 2013

A little-known federal program widely used in Memphis to provide hospitals and health centers that treat the nation’s most vulnerable patients with hefty discounts on outpatient drugs is under scrutiny from Congress, regulators and the pharmaceutical industry.

30. Another Round for the House on 'Obamacare' - Friday, May 17, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – There they go again: The House is moving toward a vote on yet another Republican bill to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law.

Only months away from the rollout of coverage for uninsured Americans, Republicans on Thursday were making their 37th attempt in a little more than two years to eliminate, defund or partly scale back the Affordable Care Act.

31. Southern Airways Express Announces Flight Plans - Friday, May 17, 2013

A new Memphis-based air carrier, Southern Airways Express, announced non-stop flight service to Destin and Panama City Beach, Fla., Gulf Shores, Ala., and New Orleans earlier this week.

Southern is the only airline that will offer non-stop flights from Memphis to the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Tampa, Fla.

32. Changing the Fiber of Your Nonprofit - Friday, May 17, 2013

A capital campaign – or any other quantum leap in your fundraising – will pull at every fiber of your nonprofit. These are not “business as usual” activities. If you want to grow from one level of donated revenue to another you have to do things differently. It’s no different than a business seeking to enter a new market or release a new product. New, more and different thinking, actions and people are required for new, more and different results.

33. More Tips on Selling the Business - Thursday, May 16, 2013

I’d like to offer a counterpoint to a recent Daily News column that I presented a slanted view of the process used by investors to acquire the business of an entrepreneur (April 19, Selling the Business: Games Buyers Play).

34. Forming the Second Wave - Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Most businesses start with vigor and willpower. Truly breakthrough businesses launch and fly with such an impassioned sense of mission that it changes the market and the communities where their offices are located.

35. Icahn, Southeastern Challenge Dell Takeover Plan - Monday, May 13, 2013

One of the biggest critics of Michael Dell's plan to take the company he founded private has launched a fresh challenge to that $24.4 billion bid and says the slumping PC maker needs new leadership.

36. The Daily News Claims 11 Green Eyeshade Awards - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News claimed 11 Green Eyeshade Journalism Awards in the annual regional competition whose 2012 winners were announced Wednesday, May 8.

Sports commentary and sports reporting in The Memphis News by Don Wade claimed two first place awards in the 63rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for the 11-state Southeastern region of the Society of Professional Journalists that includes Tennessee.

37. Outside Group Sends Warning to the Fed - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Federal Advisory Council, a group of bankers that includes First Horizon National Corp. chairman and CEO Bryan Jordan and which advises the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, is concerned about several specific areas of the economy.

38. - Saturday, May 11, 2013

39. Outside Group Sends Warning to the Fed - Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Federal Advisory Council, a group of bankers that includes First Horizon National Corp. chairman and CEO Bryan Jordan and which advises the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, is concerned about several specific areas of the economy.

40. Market Myopia: Blame the SWOT - Thursday, May 09, 2013

Why do leaders miss seeing sweeping global trends that are about to broadside them? I put a big part of the blame on the standard SWOT analysis used in strategic planning –Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It’s time to update this methodology.

41. The Daily News Claims 11 Green Eyeshade Awards - Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News claimed 11 Green Eyeshade Journalism Awards in the annual regional competition whose 2012 winners were announced Wednesday, May 8.

Sports commentary and sports reporting in The Memphis News by Don Wade claimed two first place awards in the 63rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for the 11-state Southeastern region of the Society of Professional Journalists that includes Tennessee.

42. Both Sides Win in ‘Battle of the Brains’ - Wednesday, May 08, 2013

If you have ever engaged someone in a discussion about left- and right-brain thinking they almost always take a side. Sometimes it seems that the two sides are incompatible and unbending in their view of how one should see the world. The right-brain people are typically labeled “creative” and “artistic” with a unique ability to see things intuitively and as a whole. The left-brain people are “analytical” and “detail oriented” utilizing linear process and logic to solve problems.

43. Engaging Employees in the Community - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

This week, let us extend the Giving Back conversation by exploring ways that a company can provide incentives to encourage employees to volunteer with nonprofits and get more engaged in the community.

44. That's the Spirit: Booze From Local Crops Booming - Monday, May 06, 2013

GARDINER, N.Y. (AP) – With all the orchards and corn fields that dot the Hudson Valley landscape, Tuthilltown Spirits doesn't have to look far for the grains and apples to make their whiskey, vodka and gin.

45. The Daily News Takes Two TAPME Awards - Saturday, May 04, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News took two awards at the annual Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors competition.

The publications placed first in the competition for best editorial among Division 3 publications, which includes a daily circulation of up to 15,000, for an editorial in the July 27 Memphis News edition on the state of local green initiatives that also ran on the daily website.

46. - Saturday, May 04, 2013

47. Beyond the Numbers - Saturday, May 04, 2013

It’s that time of year again when thick budget books dominate life for those in the Memphis and Shelby County governments.

But this year’s budget season on both sides of the Civic Center Plaza is more than line items and bottom lines on paper. The deliberations that ultimately determine how much you will pay in property taxes and at what rate go beyond the plans in the books of estimates, projections and the recurring and one-time revenue sources.

48. The No-Growth Rally - Friday, May 03, 2013

Over 200 S&P 500 companies have now reported earnings. While 70 percent or so have beaten expectations, the blended earnings growth rate has basically flat lined. Using revenues as a purer gauge adds little encouragement. Revenues have also flat lined over the last year. Without an uptick in global economic activity or the ability to pass on price increases to customers, US earnings look winded. How can the rally persist without growth?

49. One End to the Other - Friday, May 03, 2013

GET IT TOGETHER. Cooper is on fire. From the cougars in the zoo to the cougars in Alchemy, the viewing is best at feeding time. From the lions at the zoo to the lyonnaise salad at 1912, this is a stretch to strut in.

50. Nobody Wins the Low Price War - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

We get asked about pricing all of the time. Usually, the inquisitor is looking for a simple answer but the topic is vastly complex due to the many variables involved.

Pricing is a key element of market strategy and a powerful lever in your arsenal. It is intrinsically tied to your position in the market and is only as effective as your strategy as a whole.

51. The Daily News Takes Two TAPME Awards - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News took two awards at the annual Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors competition.

The publications placed first in the competition for best editorial among Division 3 publications, which includes a daily circulation of up to 15,000, for an editorial in the July 27 Memphis News edition on the state of local green initiatives that also ran on the daily website.

52. - Saturday, April 27, 2013

53. Editorial: Grizzlies Resemble Other City Successes - Saturday, April 27, 2013

The NBA’s postseason, in which the Memphis Grizzlies now figure prominently, is a chance to look at the larger season we are in after emerging from a stubborn winter.

Spring finds us emerging from a recession – the likes of which many of us have never seen – with more confidence than the tentative steps taken and taken back as the economic downturn held on just as stubbornly as the winter did.

54. Public Defender Role Lets Bell Help Others - Thursday, April 25, 2013

For assistant federal defender David Bell, the urge to be a lawyer was precipitated by the urge to help people.

55. If You Can’t Win, Change the Game - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

In today’s dynamic world it is imperative for companies to continually realize growth through a sustainable competitive advantage. The trouble is that every innovation is just one new innovation away from becoming obsolete. How do proactive companies stay one step ahead?

56. Don’t Let Zeal Kill the Sale - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Passion is a vital skill for entrepreneurs, but did you know it can actually kill a sales call? While it may seem counterintuitive, an overzealous spirit can simply overwhelm a prospect.

While asking for the sale is an essential selling skill, you have to earn the right to ask by first building trust with your prospect. While you’ll never land a sale if you don’t ask, sales is a process versus a question. If your enthusiasm gets the better of you, and you ask too soon, you’ll certainly get an answer – just not the one you want.

57. A Look at the Bills That Passed, Failed in 2013 - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Here is a look at some of the top pieces of legislation that passed or failed during the first session of the 108th Tennessee General Assembly.

WINNERS:

– GUNS IN PARKING LOTS. Allows people with handgun carry permits to store firearms in their vehicles no matter where they are parked. SB0142.

58. Governor Declares 'Absolute Faith' in CEO Brother - Monday, April 22, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is urging people to reserve judgment about an FBI raid of his family's Pilot Flying J chain of truck stops.

An affidavit unsealed Thursday alleges that members of the Pilot sales team withheld rebates for trucking companies to boost company profits and their own commissions.

59. PR in the Not-For-Profit World - Monday, April 22, 2013

One of the things we take a lot of pride in is the number of not-for-profit clients we work with. I currently handle five not-for-profit accounts, and each is unique and exciting in its own way. If you can’t intern at an agency, one of the best ways to get your “PR feet” wet is to do an internship at a not-for-profit in college.

60. Deal With the Stress Before the Mess - Monday, April 22, 2013

When I get curious, I read a lot. Last week I got very curious about a form of ineffective behavior that seems all too common these days.

The behavior in question relates to ineffective listening habits, especially in situations fraught with stress or other forms of heightened emotions. So, I plowed through four books on the topic last week. Thank goodness for that Evelyn Wood speed-reading course I took 24 years ago.

61. - Saturday, April 20, 2013

62. The New Beale - Saturday, April 20, 2013

Over the last four years, the next chapter in the development of Beale Street has been a stop-and-go affair. First would come announcements followed by silence from official channels.

Along with that silence, though, was quiet activity on the side, a movement that culminated with the March announcement of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s strategic planning committee’s report, “A Framework for Beale Street.”

63. Understanding the Importance of a Getaway - Friday, April 19, 2013

THE TIME TO GET AWAY IS CLOSE. One morning last week. Anderson’s dogs were running, impossibly fast, circling a field of new wheat, impossibly green, and then through the woods and past the ponds, Snuffy bounding just ahead of us and Bow Wow off to our right in the trees. Their eyes were bright and their joy obvious, impossibly happy.

64. Bank of America Closes One Mortgage Lawsuit, Another Lingers - Thursday, April 18, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) — As soon as Bank of America puts one mortgage-related lawsuit behind it, another always seems to rear its head.

The bank announced Wednesday that it would pay $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit led by pension funds and other investors who say they were misled about mortgage-backed investments they bought from Countrywide, a mortgage lender Bank of America bought in 2008. The bank portrayed the settlement as good news because it resolved the bulk of securities claims related to residential mortgage-backed securities.

65. Selling the Business: Games Buyers Play - Thursday, April 18, 2013

Entrepreneurs work years building up the value in their business only to give a big chunk of it away when it comes time to sell. Why? Savvy acquisition teams have a method for them wearing down so they sell at a steep discount.

66. Riding the Rails - Thursday, April 18, 2013

By some estimates, America’s railroad companies are in the midst of the largest investment boom since the Gilded Age – when America’s railroad track mileage tripled between 1860 and 1880.

This year, North American’s freight railroads plan to invest $24.5 billion in intermodal terminals, new track, bridges and tunnels, safety equipment and rail cars, according to the Association of American Railroads.

67. The Heart and Soul in Sports - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Last week we spotlighted St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is a world leader in the fight against childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. This week let us discuss an organization that is making a positive, and eternal, impact in the arena of athletics: the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

68. The Comeback Club - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Hi-Tone is a few weeks away from coming back. At the end of March, owner Jonathan Kiersky signed a lease for new space in the Crosstown neighborhood that will resurrect the recently shuttered music venue into a facility that’s essentially two connected spaces.

69. Companies Post More Jobs But Fill Them Slowly - Saturday, April 13, 2013

U.S. employers advertised the most job openings in nearly five years in February, but they boosted hiring at a much slower pace. The figures suggest that companies remain too cautious about the economy to quickly fill open jobs.

70. - Saturday, April 13, 2013

71. The Ultimate Gift: Family Raises Donor Awareness - Monday, April 15, 2013

On Rachel Escue’s 16th birthday, she went with friends to take her driver’s license test. She also signed up to become an organ donor.

72. Tony Bennett Kicks Off New Live at the Garden Season - Thursday, April 11, 2013

Tony Bennett, Robert Plant and Foreigner are among the top-drawing acts scheduled to perform at Memphis Botanic Garden during the Live at the Garden 2013 concert season, which kicks off June 1.

Rounding out the list of performers for the annual outdoor music series this year is R&B funk band Earth, Wind & Fire as well as the up-and-coming country group The Band Perry.

73. Probate Judge Gomes Chose Legal Career to Help Others - Thursday, April 11, 2013

It was no joke when, on April 1, Kathleen Gomes was appointed by the Shelby County Commission to take the seat being vacated by retiring Probate Court Judge Robert Benham.

74. IRS Takes Steps to Combat Identity Theft - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The 2014 budget proposal to be released by the White House on Wednesday will include new steps to combat what the Internal Revenue Service says is an exponential growth in tax refund-related identity theft.

75. Southeastern Asset Management Favors Recent Dell Buyout Offers - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

MEMPHIS (AP) – A major Dell shareholder is urging the slumping personal computer maker's board to scrap a $24.4 billion deal to sell the company to a group including CEO Michael Dell and pursue two competing bids instead.

76. White House Celebrates the Sounds of Memphis Soul - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A White House celebration Tuesday night of Memphis soul music is an affirmation of the decades of hard work that went into making it a classic American music sound, said some of the artists tapped to perform.

77. Companies Post More Jobs but Fill Them Slowly - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

U.S. employers advertised the most job openings in nearly five years in February, but they boosted hiring at a much slower pace. The figures suggest that companies remain too cautious about the economy to quickly fill open jobs.

78. The Psychology of Pricing - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

As much as we buyers hate to admit it, we’re emotional creatures, at least when it comes to decision making. We make a decision to buy based on emotional factors first, and afterward seek rational justification for the decision we’ve essentially already made. This same principle applies to how we assess your brand’s price points as well – whether you sell products or services.

79. The Anatomy of a Habit - Monday, April 08, 2013

As humans, we would have a hard time getting through the day without our strongly ingrained habits. But as you know, some habits produce good results, some produce undesirable results.

In the case of workplace habits, it’s a good idea to consider your current inventory of habits and determine the results they are producing. Think about all the daily routines that are driven by your habits. For example, how do you handle incoming emails, phone calls, pieces of paper that flow into your office, meetings, boredom, anxiety and other triggering events with the potential to influence or alter your behavior?

80. The Peabody Names Additions, Promotions - Saturday, April 06, 2013

The Peabody Memphis has made a few additions to and promotions within its sales department.

Angus Blair, a long-time Peabody associate, has been promoted to director of revenue management, where he is charged with driving overall revenue and forecasting future business.

81. - Saturday, April 06, 2013

82. Then and Now - Saturday, April 06, 2013

Jay Bailey pictured marching bands and floats when his mother told him he was going on a march.

“We thought of it as a parade,” said Bailey, who was 6 years old in March 1968. “We thought of it as something fun.”

83. Mississippi Lawmakers Finish Their 2013 Session - Friday, April 05, 2013

The Mississippi Legislature has ended its three-month session.

The House and Senate adjourned Thursday after finishing last-minute business, including confirmation of several nominees to lead agencies and serve on state regulatory boards.

84. Making the Ask – Part Two - Friday, April 05, 2013

Fundraising provides nonprofits with the money they need to deliver on their missions. When you ask others to join you in giving you become part of the nonprofit’s success team.

In part one of this series we discussed how to prepare to solicit a gift. In this column we cover setting the appointment and what to say when asking.

85. Social Resumes and the Job Search - Friday, April 05, 2013

As an adjunct accounting professor at the University of Memphis, I am constantly trying to prepare my students for their future. Part of that preparation is exposing the students to tools that will assist them in their search for employment.

86. Conley Proving Adept at Stealing the Show - Friday, April 05, 2013

The question came at Lionel Hollins as a compliment, the way many questions after dramatic victories do.

The Grizzlies had just beaten the San Antonio Spurs, 92-90, at a rowdy FedExForum on a driving layup by point guard Mike Conley for the team’s 50th win – tying the franchise record. So the coach was asked to explain his team’s “resiliency.”

87. ‘Keep the Keyhole Clean’ - Thursday, April 04, 2013

In a Paul Greenberg column I met the word “mitteleuropaish” for the first time. Greenberg (winner of a Pulitzer in 1969) was discussing a recently released book, “Kafka: The Office Writings.” He wrote, “A combination attorney, actuary and all-around bureaucrat, (Kafka) seems to have carried out his duties with a combination of mitteleuropaisch flair and German efficiency.”

88. The Peabody Names Additions, Promotions - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

The Peabody Memphis has made a few additions to and promotions within its sales department.

Angus Blair, a long-time Peabody associate, has been promoted to director of revenue management, where he is charged with driving overall revenue and forecasting future business. Blair has worked at The Peabody Memphis since 2003 and held management positions in several departments.

89. Home of the Blues – Literally - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Last week we discussed Baptist Memorial Health Care and their collaborative community efforts, like Baptist Operation Outreach. This week let us highlight the Memphis-based organization dedicated to preserving our blues music history, supporting blues education, and ensuring the future of this uniquely American art form: The Blues Foundation.

90. Panther Properties Buys Two Cordova Apartments - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

2350 N. Houston Levee Road and 2323 N. Houston Levee Road

91. Panther Properties Buys Two Cordova Apartments - Monday, April 01, 2013

Woburn, Mass.-based Panther Properties Investment LLC has bought a pair of Cordova apartment complexes – the Villas at Grays Creek and the Carrington at Houston Levee – for a combined $44.8 million.

92. - Saturday, March 30, 2013

93. Making the Ask – Part One - Friday, March 29, 2013

How do you ask someone to make a gift to a nonprofit that you believe in? What do you say? When do you ask? What if the person says “yes?” What if she says “no?”

When it comes to soliciting a gift for a nonprofit here’s what you need to know. First off, if you are new to fundraising, it is natural – and healthy! – to feel a bit nervous. One way to reduce nervousness is to prepare and rehearse. Think about what might encourage a potential donor to give, and what his or her objections might be. Be prepared to overcome potential objections with information. And don’t worry – the most important thing is to ask. You can’t predict the response, but you can prepare your presentation. And, once you start getting a few “yeses” you may get addicted to fundraising: it is fun to secure resources for organizations and institutions you believe in.

94. The Means to be Mean - Friday, March 29, 2013

PIECE OF CAKE. Lately, and this is disturbing, I’ve been thinking about Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, as Marie Antoinette, complete with a powdered wig and a cute little stick-on beauty mark, running up and down the halls inviting the poor to eat cake when they run out of bread. But these are not the halls of her Petit Trianon in Versailles at the time of the French Revolution. These are the halls of the state capitol in Nashville at the time of the super majority.

95. The Cyprus is Falling! - Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Cyprus economy is $23 billion. (The Vermont economy is $26 billion.) Bank loans in Cyprus are eight times the size of GDP, compared with 3.5 times in the Eurozone and 1 times U.S. GDP. With leverage ratio’s that high, a small deterioration in loan performance can render the banking system insolvent.

96. Stories of the Street - Thursday, March 28, 2013

On a frosty Monday afternoon in late March, Cynthia “Cee Cee” Crawford stood at the intersection of Park Avenue and Getwell Road waving copies of Memphis’ new street newspaper, The Bridge.

97. - Saturday, March 23, 2013

98. The Power of Women Fundraisers - Friday, March 22, 2013

Women are role models in so many sectors of our economy, and the nonprofit sector is no exception. In honor of women’s history month we salute women who step up to the challenge of raising money for nonprofit organizations and institutions they believe in. Their leadership and vision impact the lives of individuals, families, communities, regions and our nation as a whole.

99. The Duck, The Dog, The Farm - Friday, March 22, 2013

GOING TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. My column last week prompted a number of you to share your memories of the creatures that came home with you from the cages at Katz Drug Store. My friend Bill Haltom, attorney and storyteller, sent me this:

100. Grizzlies Proving Their Brand is Winning Games - Friday, March 22, 2013

The long-term benefits of the Grizzlies’ 90-89 overtime win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, if there are any, won’t be known for a while. The Western Conference playoff standings are ever-changeable.