Austin Gatewood was sold on nothing more than a vision. There were no uniforms to wear, no stadium to play in, no veteran teammates to guide him.

2. Renasant Bank Opens Branch In Bartlett, Completes Acquisition - Saturday, September 15, 2018

Tupelo, Mississippi-based Renasant Bank (NASDAQ: RNST) officially opened its newest branch in Bartlett on Thursday, Sept. 12, as a strategic entry into one of Memphis’ oldest neighborhood communities.

3. Is Your Brand Trusted? - Wednesday, September 12, 2018

If you haven’t seen Nike in the news lately, it’s time to catch up. Regardless of your stance on the controversial spokesperson of the brand’s 30th “Just Do It” campaign, it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of brand authenticity.

4. The Week Ahead: Sept. 10-16 - Monday, September 10, 2018

The big Cooper-Young Festival, a much-anticipated annual event in the Midtown neighborhood, will be held on Saturday. The day-long celebration includes several pre-events in the days preceding it, including an artists’ show and 4-mile race to raise funds for the Cooper-Young Community Association. Have a great time, Memphis!

5. The Seam Eyes Growth With New Personnel, Technologies - Saturday, September 8, 2018

With nearly 20 years of software development for commodities industries like cotton and peanuts, local fintech company The Seam is looking to the future, developing new technologies supporting sustainable agriculture initiatives.

6. Vols’ Johnson Helping Young Fans Excel in Classroom - Friday, August 31, 2018

Kids don’t usually go rushing to school on Mondays to gush about watching an offensive linemen play football on TV. That status is mainly reserved for more glorified positions like quarterback or wide receiver.

7. Rhodes’ Football Team Relying On Defensive Changes, 3-Year Starting QB - Saturday, September 1, 2018

Parker Rye can’t help but smile when he watches his Rhodes College teammates, most of whom came from elite private schools around the country, get Memphis-ized. More specifically “North North North North” Memphis-ized.

8. How Memphis Can Learn from Detroit: Creating an Inclusive Comeback Story - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The City of Detroit intends to create the most inclusive comeback story America has ever told.

Detroit is the largest African-American majority city in the country with a population over 400,000. Memphis is the second largest.

9. Texan Says He's Selling 3D-Printed Gun Plans, Despite Ruling - Wednesday, August 29, 2018

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The owner of a Texas company that makes untraceable 3D-printed guns said Tuesday that he has begun selling the blueprints through his website to anyone who wants to make one, despite a federal court order barring him from posting the plans online. 

10. County Commissioners Approve Quinn Road Development - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – with one key amendment change during their meeting Monday, Aug. 27.

11. Strategic Planning Rights and Wrongs - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Strategic planning is one of those phrases like creativity or innovation. It means something different to each person who hears it based on his or her experiential application of the concept.

12. Even with Questions and Injuries, Alabama Has Rich People’s Problems - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

See if any of this sounds like cause for concern: The team has an ongoing quarterback controversy. It lost four defensive leaders to the NFL Draft, injuries have cut into the depth at outside linebacker, the secondary had a lousy scrimmage a couple of days ago, and the leading returning receiver only made 14 catches last season.

13. Even with Questions and Injuries, Alabama Has Rich People’s Problems - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

See if any of this sounds like cause for concern: The team has an ongoing quarterback controversy. It lost four defensive leaders to the NFL Draft, injuries have cut into the depth at outside linebacker, the secondary had a lousy scrimmage a couple of days ago, and the leading returning receiver only made 14 catches last season.

14. Firestone Fallout - Saturday, August 18, 2018

The red letters grow fainter as the years pass in North Memphis. The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. plant’s smokestack, once a symbol of the industrial base that defined North Memphis, has become a different kind of symbol in the 35 years since the tire plant closed.

15. U.S. Newspapers to Trump: We're Not Enemies of the People - Friday, August 17, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Newspapers from Maine to Hawaii pushed back against President Donald Trump's attacks on "fake news" Thursday with a coordinated series of editorials speaking up for a free and vigorous press.

16. Black Americans Aren't Buying Omarosa's Turn Against Trump - Thursday, August 16, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Omarosa Manigault Newman stood at Donald Trump's side, making her deeply unpopular with African-Americans who see her as a sellout for aligning herself with a president who has hurled one insult after another at black people.

17. Fundraising and Awareness - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Should a nonprofit invest in marketing, communications and public relations activities? Should desperately needed funds be “diverted” to non-mission-critical tasks? What about the allocation of time: should board members and an organization’s paid leaders schedule time to focus on building awareness for the organization? Our answer is yes. Here’s what we have learned through our work with nonprofits.

18. Retiring Stephen Bush Supports DOJ Continuing to Monitor Juvenile Court - Monday, August 13, 2018

Stephen Bush, the chief public defender for Shelby County, said he supports the U.S. Department of Justice continued oversight over Juvenile Court, becoming the latest official to weigh in on the hotly debated issue.

19. 4 More Historic Tennessee Sites Added to National Register - Monday, August 13, 2018

MEMPHIS (AP) — Four more sites in Tennessee, including one in Memphis, have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The National Trust Life Insurance Co. Building in Memphis was completed in 1963. The five-story structure is made of concrete, marble, metal and glass. The property is awaiting redevelopment.

20. Precious Minutes - Friday, August 10, 2018

Old football bromide: “A team makes its biggest improvement between the first game and the second game … ” But for Memphis Tiger seniors Sam Craft and Jackson Dillon, it’s more like, “Getting from the first game to the second game would be a HUGE improvement.”

21. Vacancy at Okhissa Lake: Group Hopes to Buy Land From Feds - Monday, July 30, 2018

BUDE, Miss. (AP) — He put in around noon on a Friday.

Nearby, the women sprayed sunscreen and hung floaties on the children, and the boys threw rocks into the duckweed. Onboard, they had grocery bags, a propane grill and not one fishing pole.

22. Second Chance - Thursday, July 26, 2018

Four years ago Amber Pettis went to the doctor for what she believed was a stomach virus, one of those health-related speed bumps everyone hits from time to time before the smooth ride of their everyday life continues.

23. Trump Slams Rate Increases by Independent Federal Reserve - Friday, July 20, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday cast aside concerns about the Federal Reserve's independence, saying he was "not happy" with the Fed's recent interest rate increases.

24. Former Vol OL Munoz Now Protecting Game - Friday, July 20, 2018

Loving football just wasn’t enough. The game didn’t love Michael Munoz back at times.

25. Big Attraction Not Key to Remaking Mud Island River Park, N.Y. Expert Tells Memphis Group - Thursday, July 19, 2018

Mud Island River Park doesn’t need a master plan or a new big attraction, the former director of Governors Island in New York City told a Memphis group this week.

Leslie Koch said she had neither during her tenure as president and chief executive of the Trust for Governors Island, the organization created to manage the former military base that was turned over to the city of New York as park land.

26. Three Ways to Win at Geofencing - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Mobile marketing tactics are do-or-die for companies that want to remain relevant. According to Pew Research Center, 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone. The breakdown by generation is 92 percent of Millennials, 85 percent of Gen Xers and 67 percent of Baby Boomers.

27. The Daily Memphian to Launch in Fall as Memphis' Definitive News Source - Monday, July 16, 2018

A new seven-days-a-week news outlet called The Daily Memphian will make its debut this fall, with many of the biggest names in Memphis journalism and a unique not-for-profit funding model. The ambitious effort’s goal is to become the city’s definitive news source with reporting of, by and for Memphis.

28. Review of Mud Island Museum Begins as River Museum Closes Early for Season - Friday, July 6, 2018

The former director of Governors Island in New York and the head of a Colorado company that helps develop outdoor adventure businesses are coming to Memphis this month as part of the process of rethinking the 36-year-old Mud Island Mississippi River Museum.

29. Redbirds Rolling Toward Another Playoff Berth - Tuesday, June 26, 2018

The only potential negative to having the special season the Memphis Redbirds did in 2017 when they won 91 regular season games and were Pacific Coast League champions? All that success has the potential to morph into quiet satisfaction, which eventually can devolve into ease and comfort.

30. Last Word: Rebranding and Self Identity, The Many Legs of CTE and Draft Recap - Monday, June 25, 2018

What’s in a name? Plenty when it comes to tourism. The Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau is now Memphis Tourism – a name change that has been in the making for a while before last week’s unveiling at the CVB’s annual meeting where it flipped the switch on the new identity. There are a couple of key ingredients in the change – soul and home – according to Memphis Tourism president Kevin Kane.

31. Duffy-Geiger Named CFO At Monogram Foods - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Cheryl Duffy-Geiger has joined Monogram Foods as chief financial officer. In this role, Duffy-Geiger will be responsible for developing strategic business plans, partnering with operations and supply chain, building relationships with banking partners and overseeing accounting, among other duties. She joins Monogram from Kellogg Co., where she was chief financial officer for its largest global business unit, U.S. domestic snacks.

32. Dream Redux - Saturday, June 16, 2018

On a recent afternoon at AutoZone Park, manager Stubby Clapp’s team had a two-run lead going into the ninth inning. Assigned the task of getting the last three outs: veteran big league closer Greg Holland, he of 186 career saves and three All-Star appearances, and on this day pitching for the Memphis Redbirds on a rehab assignment.

33. Schowen Named Manager Of Baptist Ambulance - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Greg Schowen has been named general manager of Baptist Ambulance, a member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies that currently serves 10 Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities with interfacility transport, as well as six communities with 911 response. Schowen brings 25 years of experience overseeing operations for emergency medical service providers in high-performance 911 service areas, including Los Angeles County, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

34. Poll: Americans Want More of What Journalists Want to Report - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – There's substantial agreement on what Americans want from the news media and what journalists want to report, according to a pair of studies that also reveal a troubling caveat: a nagging feeling among both the ideal isn't being met.

35. Back in Memphis, Alice Johnson Thanks Trump for ‘Mercy’ in Commuting Sentence - Friday, June 8, 2018

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – A woman whose life sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump thanked him on Thursday for "having mercy" and said reality TV star Kim Kardashian West saved her life.

36. Tennessee to Buy Out Ousted Chancellor for $1.33 Million - Monday, June 4, 2018

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The University of Tennessee has reached a deal that would buy out ousted chancellor Beverly Davenport for $1.33 million.

37. Self-Accountability Key to Sales Success - Wednesday, May 30, 2018

I’ve always contended that there are few business professions as challenging as a career in sales, which is why it’s not at all surprising that more than 45 percent of salespeople don’t meet their annual quota, according to a CSO Insights performance management study.

38. Paraham Joins DCA As PR, Social Media Coordinator - Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Wesley Paraham has joined Memphis-based creative communications consulting firm as PR and social media coordinator. In this role, Paraham supports DCA’s public relations and social media strategies for clients including Explore Bike Share, Memphis Greenspace, Memphis Public Libraries and Big River Crossing, with a special emphasis on research and content development.

39. Blockchain Tech ‘is the Shiny New Penny’ - Monday, May 28, 2018

During the General Assembly session that just ended legislators debated a number of hot-button issues: guns, abortion, Confederate statues and medical marijuana.

But tucked among the headline-grabbers was a brief bill, less than 300 words long, that attracted no controversy whatsoever.

40. Memphis Rox New Experience - Thursday, May 24, 2018

Climbing mountains, metaphorically speaking, has become my preferred lifestyle. The exhilaration of the climb, whatever the challenge, I find inspirational. However, I have never considered actually scaling a mountain, even a large boulder, until last week when I visited Memphis Rox, a premier rock climbing facility that opened two months ago in Memphis.

41. Faropoint, Belz Sell of Part of Retail Portfolio - Monday, May 21, 2018

7501 Goodman Road, Olive Branch, MS 38654 and 7685 Hacks Cross Road, Olive Branch, MS 38654:  Faropoint Ventures continues to remain active in the Greater Memphis Area with the sale of two Olive Branch retail centers for a combined $9.24 million.

42. Jernigan Capital Names Chief Investment Officer - Saturday, May 19, 2018

Jernigan Capital Inc., a Memphis-based real estate investment trust that provides debt and equity capital for self-storage facilities, has named Jonathan Perry executive vice president and chief investment officer. He is expected to join the company in early June.

43. Drafting at No. 4, the Grizzlies will look at Michael Porter Jr. with reservations about his health - Friday, May 18, 2018

If the Grizzlies had landed in the top three of the NBA Draft Lottery, it’s pretty clear they would have been choosing from among DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic and Marvin Bagley. But even with the second-worst record last season, the Grizzlies fell to No. 4. And that could change the conversation in a major way.

44. Big Heart - Thursday, May 17, 2018

When Yolanda Dillard decided she wanted to be a foster parent 27 years ago, she figured she would be better suited to have girls in her home. “I thought I’d be able to nurture girls better than boys,” said Dillard, who was 34 when she became a foster parent and is now 61. “I was the only girl in my family.”

45. Jernigan Capital Names Chief Investment Officer - Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Jernigan Capital Inc., a Memphis-based real estate investment trust that provides debt and equity capital for self-storage facilities, has named Jonathan Perry executive vice president and chief investment officer. He is expected to join the company in early June.

46. Fizdale: Lessons Learned in Memphis Will Help in New Job With Knicks - Friday, May 11, 2018

It seems like a long time ago now — or maybe it doesn’t — but back in the middle of David Fizdale’s rookie season as an NBA head coach he had the Grizzlies 11 games over .500 (36-25). Back then, it seemed logical and likely that he would put down roots here.

47. Two Large Industrial Portfolios in Southeast Memphis Sold - Monday, May 7, 2018

4049 Willow Lake Blvd., Memphis, TN 38118 (portfolio)

Sale Amount: $21.8 million

Buyer: Faropoint Ventures

Buyer Rep: Brian Califf, NAI Saig Co.

48. Just Right: Fed Official Says US Living 'Goldilocks' Economy - Monday, May 7, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – With steady growth, low unemployment and tame inflation, the U.S. is experiencing a "Goldilocks" economy: Not too hot. Not too cold. But just right.

So says a top Federal Reserve official, who on Friday suggested that the unemployment rate could fall further to 3.5 percent with inflation modestly overshooting the Fed's target for a time without raising concerns.

49. 3D Realty Plans to Bring Additional Mixed-Use Communities to Memphis - Saturday, May 5, 2018

Fresh off the Shelby County Board of Adjustment’s April 25 unanimous vote to advance 3D Realty’s mixed-use community underneath the iconic Broad Avenue water tower, James Maclin says the company doesn’t intend on slowing down anytime soon.

50. Editorial: TNReady Problem Reopens Debate on Testing Culture - Saturday, May 5, 2018

If there’s a better way to measure academic achievement and growth than testing, we wish someone would name it. Until then, we need a reliable way to objectively determine where students are and what they need to go further. And we can’t change that test so drastically on a regular basis that teachers and school leaders must start over from square one.

51. University of Tennessee Chancellor Being Forced Out of Post - Thursday, May 3, 2018

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee chancellor Beverly Davenport is being forced out of her post after less than 15 months at the helm, a tenure that included a tumultuous search for a head football coach and other controversies.

52. Events - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust (MOST) will host a reception honoring its 17 high-school scholarship recipients from the class of 2018 Tuesday, May 1, at 6 p.m. at Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 4339 Park Ave. Dr. Mary McDonald, a National Education Consultant and columnist for The Daily News, will be the guest speaker. Visit memphisscholarships.org.

53. Gibson Building Owners to Partner with Orgel Family - Monday, April 30, 2018

The new owners of the Gibson Guitar Factory building in Downtown Memphis have partnered with a prominent local family to bring the prime parcel of land back to life. 

On Monday, April 30, New York-based real estate investment firm Somera Road Inc., which purchased the 150,000-plus-square-foot building and showroom located at 145 Lt. George W. Lee Ave. for $14.4 million in January, announced it would be partnering with Billy and Benjamin Orgel’s Orgel Family LP to redevelop the guitar factory.

54. Events - Monday, April 30, 2018

The Shelby County Mayor’s Office and the Division of Community Services will host a community meeting to gather community feedback on the development of a youth assessment and resource center Monday, April 30, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Knowledge Quest (Universal Parenting Place), 990 College Park Drive, suite 104. Visit shelbycountytn.gov/calendar.aspx for details.

55. Should You Fix Up or Break Up With Your Car? - Monday, April 30, 2018

You're looking at a $1,200 repair estimate for your ailing car when an ad catches your eye: a brand new set of wheels for a mere $450 a month.

At first, dumping your old car might seem like a no-brainer – and you can't help picturing how good you would look in that new car. But automotive experts say you'll almost always come out ahead – at least financially – by fixing old faithful. There are, however, other important considerations when deciding whether it's time to say farewell.

56. Student Loan Company Tells 16,500 Borrowers of Data Breach - Monday, April 30, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A student loan services company recently notified 16,500 borrowers that files containing personal data were released to a business that wasn't authorized to receive them.

57. Events - Saturday, April 28, 2018

“Toward Justice: A City-Wide Upstanders’ Project” kicks off with a keynote by longtime civil rights leader Bob Zellner on Wednesday, May 2, at 7 p.m. at the Memphis Jewish Community Center, 6560 Poplar Ave. The monthlong “Toward Justice” project is presented by nearly a dozen local organizations and features exhibits, installations and more. All events are free and will be held at MJCC. Visit jccmemphis.org for a schedule.

58. RegionSmart Summit Brings Out Best of the Mid-South - Friday, April 27, 2018

Though the Mid-South is made up of a many different neighborhoods, cities and even states, many of the ties that bind the region together were on display at the third annual RegionSmart Summit.

The Thursday, April 26 conference held at the Halloran Center for the Performing Arts & Education, featured a convening of the are area’s mayors followed by a trio of national speakers all with the intent to strengthen the intra-regional dialogue.

59. Schools’ Success Too Dependent on Weak Vendor - Thursday, April 26, 2018

The “debacle” called TNReady, a standardized test ruling the lives of students, teachers and administrators, is the predictable result of brain drain – not by students but by Tennessee’s leaders.

60. RegionSmart Summit To Focus On Fourth Bluff - Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Since its inception, Memphis and The Fourth Chickasaw Bluff on the Mississippi River have been bound together.

So as Memphis is going through its latest growth spurt, so too is the Fourth Bluff as it was selected to be a part of a $40 million national initiative known as Reimagining the Civic Commons.

61. Cumberland Trust Surpasses $3B in Assets Under Administration - Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Cumberland Trust, an independent corporate trustee serving clients in 48 states with nine offices, including one in Memphis, has surpassed $3 billion in assets under administration.

It’s a major milestone for the firm, which opened a Memphis office in 2003.

62. Regional Win - Saturday, April 21, 2018

In an increasingly interconnected world, having a cohesive economic regionalism strategy is becoming more of a must-have for successful metropolitan areas.

To facilitate this, the Urban Land Institute held Memphis’ first RegionSmart Summit in 2016 to gather all of the area’s government, economic development and community leaders in one place to collectively address some of the region’s most pressing planning and development issues.

63. Richards Focused on Customers and Employees - Friday, April 20, 2018

Chris Richards knows the value of a chance encounter.

As a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Iowa, Richards traveled with her college roommate to Memphis, intending to stay for the summer and explore a new city.

64. Sex Week Seems Tame Compared to Session Antics - Thursday, April 19, 2018

Why should UT Knoxville be limited to its annual Sex Week when Tennessee legislators are celebrating year-round?

Based on the scurrilous reports published in these parts over the last couple of years, state legislators are doing more than collecting per diems in Nashville, and there’s plenty of evidence to prove it.

65. Trump, Abe to Meet Despite Strain Over North Korea, Tariffs - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Top Trump administration officials say that major concessions, including a possible exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs, could be on the table for Japan as President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meet in Florida to discuss trade issues and Trump's potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

66. Rajun Cajun Festival Returns Sunday - Saturday, April 14, 2018

The annual Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival benefiting Porter-Leath returns Downtown Sunday, April 15, from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. at Wagner Place and Riverside Drive, between Union Avenue and Beale Street.

67. 150-Year-Old Marx-Bensdorf Cites Culture as Key to Firm's Longevity - Saturday, April 14, 2018

Memphis real estate firm Marx-Bensdorf Realtors is celebrating a storied 150 years of business this year and looking back at the core values that have contributed to their longevity in an ever-changing industry.

68. UT Board of Trustees Appointees Go Awry - Friday, April 13, 2018

NASHVILLE – One of Gov. Bill Haslam’s main legislative pushes ran afoul of a Legislature angry about everything from Sex Week at the University of Tennessee to the handling of the football coach hiring at the Knoxville campus.

69. UT Board of Trustees Appointees Go Awry - Friday, April 13, 2018

NASHVILLE – One of Gov. Bill Haslam’s main legislative pushes ran afoul of a Legislature angry about everything from Sex Week at the University of Tennessee to the handling of the football coach hiring at the Knoxville campus.

70. Rajun Cajun Festival Returns Sunday - Thursday, April 12, 2018

The annual Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival benefiting Porter-Leath returns Downtown Sunday, April 15, from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. at Wagner Place and Riverside Drive, between Union Avenue and Beale Street.

71. Ryan Bowing Out, Sending Ripples of Uncertainty Through GOP - Thursday, April 12, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Wednesday he will retire rather than seek another term in Congress as the steady if reluctant wingman for President Donald Trump, sending ripples through a Washington already on edge and spreading new uncertainty through a party bracing for a rough election year.

72. ‘I'm Sorry’: Zuckerberg Opens Senate Hearing With an Apology - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg began a two-day congressional inquisition Tuesday with a public apology for a privacy scandal that has roiled the social media giant he founded more than a decade ago.

73. Jones Named Managing Partner of Fisher Phillips’ Memphis Office - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Fisher Phillips has appointed David S. Jones regional managing partner of its Memphis office. Jones, who has 18 years’ law experience, represents clients exclusively in immigration-related employment and compliance matters, and that will continue to be his primary focus as regional managing partner. In addition, he will oversee development of the office, attorneys and staff, and will play a greater role in the management of Fisher Phillips as a whole as a member of the operations group. Jones takes the reins from Jeff Weintraub, who served in the role for six years, as part of a routine leadership rotation.

74. Facebook's Zuckerberg Meets With Lawmakers Ahead of Hearing - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg sounded contrite in prepared congressional remarks and said Facebook didn't do enough to prevent its tools from being used for harm.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee released his opening testimony Monday, as Zuckerberg was also meeting privately with lawmakers ahead of his first time testifying on Capitol Hill.

75. Duran Arrest Highlights Uncertain Immigration Nexus - Monday, April 9, 2018

Nine people were arrested by Memphis Police last week during MLK50 protests. One of those arrests has focused new attention on the nexus between federal immigration policies and local law enforcement.

76. Strickland Jeered Over Duran Arrest During MLK50 Event - Saturday, April 7, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland was jeered Saturday, April 7, and called a “coward” and “liar” at a rally as part of a “Cathedral to City Hall” MLK50 event outside City Hall.

77. State of Flux - Saturday, April 7, 2018

Anyone paying attention to recent news headlines alone should have a pretty good indication that health care in the U.S. – really anywhere you look, on local, state or national levels – remains a byzantine, expensive proposition. Health care keeps getting more expensive. It involves navigating a lot of paperwork with bureaucratic legalese that bears the fingerprints of a tangle of stakeholders, including insurers, doctors and lawmakers.

78. Lawmakers See Conspiracy In UT Board Alterations - Thursday, April 5, 2018

It’s not that hard to light a fire under some state lawmakers, but the University of Tennessee FOCUS Act raised blood pressure considerably in the House of Representatives before barely passing with 51 votes.

79. Last Word: MLK 50 Arrives, Heritage Trail and Medical Marijuana's Comeback - Monday, April 2, 2018

This will be a big week in the national spotlight for the city. But whenever someone with a megaphone like a newspaper or a television station says that in Memphis there is something that happens that gives me pause and I think gives a lot of other Memphians pause. Some of us start to open the floodgates of our long-held need to please at all costs.

80. Nashville-based Trust Company Opening Memphis Office - Monday, April 2, 2018

Pendleton Square Trust Co., a Nashville-based independent trust and family office company, has hired an executive away from First Tennessee Bank to help launch and open an office in Memphis in the coming months.

81. Last Word: The RDC's New Leader, Potter on 100 North Main and FedEx Moves - Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Is Memphis big enough for FedExForum and some kind of event space on the Graceland campus in Whitehaven? The city administration thinks that could be the case. But it requires an “honest broker” between Graceland and the Grizz – who run the forum for the city and county – to quote city chief legal officer Bruce McMullen – if there is a deal to be had.

82. Innovating Human Resources - Tuesday, March 27, 2018

If you boil down the function of human relations to logical extremes, you end up with polar opposites.

On one hand you have the traditional view of HR: a place to fill out all of your essential employee paperwork, ask questions about benefits, send out messages about birthdays, and a place to be heard if you have an issue with a manager or boss.

83. Pinnacle Continues to Ramp up Memphis Presence - Monday, March 26, 2018

Pinnacle Bank is continuing to accelerate its growth in the Memphis banking market, with the opening in recent days of two new loan production offices, a new mortgage office, plus another mortgage office on the way soon in Southaven.

84. State Lawmakers Pass ‘In God We Trust’ Bill - Saturday, March 24, 2018

Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill to require public schools to prominently display the national motto, “In God We Trust.”

It would take effect immediately if Republican Gov. Bill Haslam signs it. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House in an 81-8 vote, with both chambers controlled by Republicans.

85. State Lawmakers Pass ‘In God We Trust’ School Bill - Friday, March 23, 2018

Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill to require public schools to prominently display the national motto, “In God We Trust.”

It would take effect immediately if Republican Gov. Bill Haslam signs it. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House in an 81-8 vote, with both chambers controlled by Republicans.

86. Can Zuckerberg's Media Blitz Take the Pressure Off Facebook? - Friday, March 23, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – In the wake of a privacy scandal involving a Trump-connected data-mining firm, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg embarked on a rare media mini-blitz in an attempt to take some of the public and political pressure off the social network.

87. Facebook Crisis-Management Lesson: What Not to Do - Thursday, March 22, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The crisis-management playbook is pretty simple: Get ahead of the story, update authorities and the public regularly, assume responsibility and take decisive action. Crisis-management experts say Facebook is 0-for-4.

88. Walker Named President Of Black Swan Digital Forensics - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Jim Walker has been named president of Memphis-based Black Swan Digital Forensics, the only forensics lab in the U.S. that focuses exclusively on data recovery from digital devices such as cellphones, vehicle systems, computers and social media accounts. Walker comes to Black Swan after more than 30 years of military and public service at the federal, state and local level, including eight years as Alabama’s director of homeland security and more than 20 years in the U.S. Army, where he was an Airborne Ranger and retired as a lieutenant colonel.

89. Extreme Collaboration - Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Collaboration, as a concept, can be used by those seeking control of a culture for their own purposes. If collaboration becomes a form of groupthink or censorship, watch out. I’ve seen many different professional cultures’ versions of collaboration – and have left some feeling as if I were in a governmental public input meeting where very little actual input is allowed by design. 

90. (Re)building Your Leadership One Person at a Time - Tuesday, March 20, 2018

A special column for emerging nonprofits and those who are “struggling.”

What do you do if you are a nonprofit board chair or executive director, and you know in your heart of hearts that your current board can’t do what needs to be done? 

91. Without Toys R Us, 30,000 Jobs, A Black Hole for Toy Makers - Friday, March 16, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The demise of Toys R Us will have a ripple effect on everything from toy makers to consumers to landlords.

The 70-year-old retailer is headed toward shuttering its U.S. operations, jeopardizing the jobs of some 30,000 employees while spelling the end for a chain known to generations of children and parents for its sprawling stores and Geoffrey the giraffe mascot.

92. Smart Travel Planning - Friday, March 16, 2018

Ray’s Take: It’s been a long, cold, rainy winter here in the Bluff City, and everyone is looking forward to Spring Break, sunshine, warmer weather and possibly making plans for a summer vacation.

93. Triumph Adds Bankers, Expands Into Nashville - Tuesday, March 13, 2018

As its annual meeting approaches, Triumph Bank finds itself in a protracted growth spurt, with activity encompassing everything from a pickup in mortgage activity to the addition of new bankers and an expansion into Nashville.

94. Insurers Get Into Care, But is it Good for Your Health? - Monday, March 12, 2018

In the not-too-distant future, your health insurance, your prescription drugs and some of your treatment may come from the same company.

Insurers are dropping billions of dollars on acquisitions and expansions in order to get more involved in customer health. They say this push can help cut costs and improve care, in part by keeping the sickest patients healthy and out of expensive hospitals.

95. Digest - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis Grizzlies Suffer 15th Consecutive Loss

The Grizzlies lost their 15th straight game, 119-110 at Chicago, on Wednesday, March 7.

The team has not won since defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum on Jan. 29.

96. Finding God In the Midst Of Cancer - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Anthony Maranise walked into my office to take over my job that day. He was 8 years old and had been battling cancer for the past three years of his young life. He carried an attaché case almost half his size and had a smile as wide as his face.

97. Nashville Mayor Resigns After Affair, Pleads Guilty to Theft - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Mayor Megan Barry, a one-time rising star in the Democratic Party with big plans to remake Nashville, resigned Tuesday after pleading guilty to cheating the city out of thousands of dollars as she carried on an affair with her bodyguard.

98. Is Facebook Still Relevant? - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Expected to lose nearly 2 million users younger than 25 in 2018 to growing social platform Snapchat, many are wondering whether Facebook will remain a prominent business partner beyond 2018.

Interestingly, Snapchat, a photo-sharing platform, has established itself as a lucrative business partner for building strong consumer connections that grow ecommerce. In fact, you may have recently heard of Snapchat’s latest update; a controversial algorithm said to personalize user content with more precision than any other platform.

99. Trey Carter Honored Among Top 35 Millennial Influencers - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Patrick “Trey” Carter III has been named one of the Top 35 Millennial Influencers in the Country by the Next Big Thing Movement, a global network of more than 20,000 young professionals and creatives. Carter, president of Olympic Career Training Institute and an active community volunteer, is the only Tennessean to be included on the list. He will be honored Saturday, March 10, at NBTM’s Forward Conference in New York City alongside other influencers, including “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, Teen Vogue editor Elaine Welteroth and YouTube vlogger Tyler Oakley.

100. The Bigger the Back End, The Stronger the Backlash - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Be careful. When innovation gets real, people react in unpredictable ways.

People whom you thought were forward thinking recoil in reactionary conservatism. Others are willing to move a step forward, but vigilantly cautious. The more concrete you get in detail, the stronger the reaction you receive internally.