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About Us

Firm Accomplishments


  • Acting in the capacity as executive director, developed foundation and corporate resources to support new work by the Mayors' Institute on City Design, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the American Architectural Foundation.

  • Moderated dynamic case study dialogues over two and a half days with mayors and top designers and planners for the Mayors' Institute on City Design.

  • The Young and the Restless is a collaboration with Portland-based economist Joe Cortright to determine where educated 25-34 year olds are moving in America and why. Participating cities in the project's initial phase are Philadelphia, Portland, Providence, Richmond, Tampa Bay and Memphis. Smart City Consulting led the qualitative research portion of the project, conducting focus groups, interviewing recruiters and analyzing civic sales materials in the six cities. Together with Joe Cortright, we developed strategies that help clients attract and retain talented young people.

  • Advise Memphis-based Hyde Family Foundations on its strategic initiatives including launching and publicity for the national New Leaders for New Schools project, The New Teacher Project and local and statewide charter school programs and research.

  • Developed strategies for strengthening the communications and mission of Partners in Public Education (PIPE), Memphis' public education fund, including creation of an online newsletter, Connections.

  • Developed and executed a marketing plan to create increased public and political support for Friends of Shelby Farms Park, an advocacy group dedicated to protecting and preserving 4,800 acres of parkland.

  • Organized and moderated the FedEx Marketing Millennium Series, a monthly video conference for the FedEx marketing staff with world-class experts in business and marketing, including Stanford University professor Robert Sutton, business strategist Gary Hamel, British business philosopher and author Charles Handy, Silicon Valley marketing guru Regis McKenna, Hispanic market expert Arlene Davila, Fast Company founder Alan Webber, permission marketing pro Seth Godin, technology expert Patricia Seybold, Free Agent Nation author Daniel Pink, China expert Ming-Jer Chen and world commerce authority Daniel Yergin.

  • In cooperation with the Williams Company, developed new strategic and organizational plan for Leadership Memphis.

  • Developed and led new nine-month program for Leadership Memphis consisting of video conferences with national and world leaders, field trips and live debates.

  • Conceived and organized the Memphis Manifesto Summit, a groundbreaking conference convening the most creative minds in North America to create the Memphis Manifesto -- the definitive call to action for city leaders who want to attract and retain members of the highly-desirable "Creative Class."

  • Launched the Memphis Talent Magnet Project, a community process to develop strategies that attract and retain young talented knowledge workers, which has become a national model for cities.

  • Organized the first Smart Growth initiative for the Memphis region -- Shelby Country Mayor A C Wharton's Alliance for Equitable Growth Initiative and Summit.

  • Organized and facilitated Mayor Wharton's Community Cabinet, a team of citizens selected to help in Mayor Wharton's transition into office by identifying pertinent issues facing the county with recommendations for improvement.

  • Developed original messaging and presentations for funders and legislators for Memphis Biotech Foundation.
  • Conducted research on major contemporary theories of urban development for Center for Houston's Future.
  • Led strategic planning for Lakeland City Commissioners and staff for two consecutive years.
  • Conducted numerous research assignments for foundations in fields of education, economic development and other civic issues.
  • Instrumental in starting EdPac, the Coalition for A+ Schools in Memphis, involving more than 150 citizens and prominent community organizations in an effort to attract new leadership to the city's school board. Initial effort raised $110,000 and succeeded in electing two candidates. Served as the organization's executive director and campaign manager for school board candidate.
  • Instrumental in start-up of the Riverfront Development Corporation, a public-private partnership to transform the Memphis riverfront. Developed and executed a communication strategy to win control of riverfront parks and secure funding for a $1 million master plan. Responsible for leading public processes to determine future uses of riverfront.
  • Developed Memphis' first-ever online public meeting to engage citizens in discussion of the riverfront master plan. The site became one of the nation's most active online public meetings.
  • Led strategic planning and marketing for Ballet Memphis, which has garnered national attention and set itself apart in the arts and dance world with its "Memphis Project," a series of works inspired by the region's music, history and heritage.
  • Developed numerous strategic community investment initiatives, both local and national in scope, on a variety of public issues including education (Teach for a Day, America Goes Back to School), public safety (Drive Out Crime), the arts (First Bravo Awards, Tennessee Celebrates), volunteerism (Leadership Service Awards) and youth (The Memphis Youth Initiative).
  • Developed a communication strategy and wrote pivotal speeches for Memphis Mayor W.W. Herenton to defeat legislation that would have prevented the orderly growth of Tennessee's major cities.
  • Headed numerous community planning and economic development initiatives including The Community Compact and the Midtown Initiative.
  • Developed and managed a comprehensive, coherent approach to strategic community investment for large multi-location consumer companies, including The Home Depot and Toys R Us.
  • Addressed national business audiences on the topic of strategic community investment.
  • Executed media relations campaigns for numerous clients and coached clients in handling tough media situations.
  • Assembled a package of land and tax incentives and gained public and political support for the Gibson Guitar Corp. to locate in downtown Memphis.
  • Conducted ground-breaking research to quantify and determine the need for local youth services.