In The Spotlight

Ted Townsend
Regional director, Tennessee Dept. of Economic & Community Development
Premium content from Memphis Business Journal Date: Friday, October 5, 2012, 5:00am CDT - Last Modified: Thursday, October 4, 2012, 11:09am CDT Enlarge Image

ALAN HOWELL | MBJ Townsend grew up in the Bartlett area and knew early on that he enjoyed the creative process from a blank-slate perspective. Whether helping to build market share for someone elses enterprise or building his own business in Memphis, he has always felt his strength was launching new ideas. Living in Atlanta for five years provided him with perspective on how Memphis truly is a leading community well-positioned for growth. Biography Age: 40 Hometown: Bartlett Education: B.P.S. healthcare administration, University of Memphis First job: Grocery packaging specialist at Big Star (OK, I bagged groceries)

Family: Wife, Leslie, of 16 years; daughter, Sophie , 11 years; cat, LuLu, 5 years What do you do: I serve Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties as the single point of contact for all activities related to economic and community development. True confessions Like best about job: Carrying out and seeing the success of Governor (Bill) Haslams Jobs4TN regional strategies Like least about job: When, for various mitigating factors, a prospective industry elects not to relocate to the Greater Memphis region Pet peeve: Not realizing a teachable moment for myself before it passes Most important lesson learned: Never be afraid of success Person most interested in meeting: George Washington Most respected competitor: Given the competitive dynamic of economic development, I respect every one of them that has an equal tenacity to create jobs and to deliver business growth advantages the way Tennessee does. Career goals: To lead by example, to always be a pupil and to seize the most out of every opportunity afforded me First choice for a new career: Jazz trumpeter Predilections Favorite quote: Never trust a writer who has written more than he has read. Most influential book: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner Favorite cause: Any outreach ministry of Saint Johns Episcopal Church Favorite status symbol: Peace of mind Favorite movie: The Godfather II Favorite restaurant: Iris Favorite vacation spot: NOLA Favorite way to spend free time: With family and friends and playing tourist in Memphis

Favorite stress reducers: Yard work and museum trekking Favorite musicians: Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, Lyle Lovett Automobile: Mazda Tribute LS What do you know How does the Memphis region play in to the states overall economic development strategy?: Home to the worlds busiest cargo airport, the second-largest inland port on the Mississippi River, the nations third-busiest trucking corridor and third-largest rail center, the Greater Memphis region is truly Americas crossroads to commerce. Comprised of four rapidly growing counties with a population of 1.3 million, the region includes four of the largest 25 cities in Tennessee and boasts numerous world-class research institutions, small, medium and large corporate luminaries, and an exceeding entrepreneurial ecosystem. As a result, the Greater Memphis region has become a driver for diverse economic commerce and will continue to be an anchor for making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high-quality jobs.