Greater Memphis Chamber names new President & CEO

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Greater Memphis Chamber has selected Joshua Gunn as its next president and chief executive officer following a nationwide search, the organization announced Friday.

Gunn brings extensive chamber and municipal economic development experience to the role. Most recently, he served as the Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for the City of Durham, North Carolina. Before his time in Durham, Gunn served as president and CEO of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce in Arizona and previously led the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce in Illinois.

His appointment comes six months after former CEO Ted Townsend resigned on April 30, following a leave of absence that began in mid-March. Board Chair Duncan Williams had stepped in as interim leader during the transition.

“Memphis carries a corporate and logistics identity few regions in the world can match, combined with genuine entrepreneurial grit, a rich cultural heritage, and rapidly expanding leadership in advanced computing and modern digital infrastructure,” Gunn said in a statement. “I have spent my career at the intersection of corporate growth, public policy, and community building, and Memphis is the exact city built for that work.”

“I am deeply honored to join the Greater Memphis Chamber at such a pivotal time,” Gunn added. “I look forward to working closely with Chairman Williams, our Board of Directors, our corporate investors, and our local small business community to accelerate investment and innovation, strengthen our global competitiveness, and ensure that more Memphians share in the prosperity we create.”

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