Guest column by Harold Collins: Regional economic momentum drawing eyes; let’s seize the moment
There’s something happening in Shelby County and across the greater Memphis region — something bigger than a quarterly data point or a splashy ribbon-cutting.
We are witnessing a shift: from potential to progress, from promise to performance. And for business leaders, the message is clear — now is the time to lean in.
This week, Memphis hosts the Tennessee Business Forum for the first time, bringing together CEOs, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and thought leaders from across the state and country. The response has been nothing short of extraordinary. Public officials, civic organizations, and private-sector partners across West Tennessee have thrown themselves into this moment — not just to impress visitors, but to underscore something many of us have long believed: this region is ready.
As chief administrative officer for Shelby County Government, I’ve seen firsthand the hunger for growth and the willingness to collaborate across traditional lines. Events like the Tennessee Business Forum don’t just provide a platform for discussion — they catalyze action. And in Memphis, that action is already underway.
Look at the economic signals:
The greater Memphis region’s gross regional product exceeded $100 billion in 2023 — a 32% increase over the past five years.
$21 billion in transformative development is underway, including Ford’s BlueOval City; FedEx’s $1 billion World Hub expansion; and infrastructure upgrades across the metro area.
High-wage jobs in advanced logistics and manufacturing are flowing into the region, with Southwest Tennessee Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) stepping up to meet workforce demands.
BlueOval City, located just 45 minutes from Downtown Memphis, is the most consequential economic project in Tennessee history. And it’s not just about the plant itself — it’s about the ecosystem it’s spawning: supply chain integrations, vendor opportunities, and community partnerships across West Tennessee. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with institutions like TCAT and Southwest over the years. Their leadership in upskilling talent for this moment is one of the brightest spots in our regional economy.
These wins didn’t happen in a vacuum. They happened because public- and private-sector leaders showed up, invested in people, and got serious about building a 21st-century economy. That kind of partnership is what the Tennessee Business Forum is all about — and it’s why your voice, your company, and your insights matter now more than ever.
We know the challenges: persistent poverty, workforce gaps, infrastructure in need of modernization. But we also know the formula for moving forward. Over the past few years, Shelby County has worked aggressively to align its internal operations, build transparent partnerships, and support data-driven investments in things that move the needle: workforce training, housing, reentry, education, health care — or all of the above, as with the county-led effort to build a new Regional One Health hospital campus Downtown. From start-of-the-art patient care in an academic medical center to associated homelessness services, the Regional One campus exemplifies the strategic leveraging of public resources to create economic opportunity and stability.
We’re proud of our logistics dominance and cultural vibrancy, but those don’t pay dividends unless we stay aligned on opportunity creation — not just for some, but for everyone in this metro region.
With Governor Bill Lee, Economic & Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, and a wide range of stakeholders in town for the forum, this isn’t just a policy summit. It’s a platform for progress. It’s a space to sharpen the vision, surface solutions, and commit to real, regional economic cooperation.
Greater Memphis and Shelby County matter — and this week proves it. But momentum isn’t permanent. It must be renewed, expanded, and scaled.
That’s why I’m calling on the local business community to seize this momentum to shape the next chapter of West Tennessee’s growth story, and to do it together. It’s about a region redefining itself — one investment, one partnership, one job at a time.
Let’s meet this moment with urgency and unity.
The foundation is solid. The energy is real. Let’s keep building.