Memphis Growth & Culture: Ted Townsend on Economic Wins, xAI & MidSouth Opportunity

Ted Townsend serves as the President and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, a role he assumed in December 2022 following a unanimous vote by the organization's Board of Directors. Prior to this, he held the position of Chief Economic Development Officer for both the Greater Memphis Chamber and the University of Memphis from 2020 to 2022, where he contributed to regional growth initiatives. With over a decade of experience in economic development and government relations, Townsend has been instrumental in attracting significant investments to Memphis, including the multi-billion-dollar xAI supercomputer project, which represents the city's largest capital investment by a new company in its history. He previously served as Chairman of the Board for Life Science Tennessee, focusing on expanding life sciences industry jobs in the region. Townsend earned his degree from the University of Memphis and transitioned to the Chamber after being recruited in the wake of a leadership vacancy in 2018.