The Memphis Business Journal is reporting that the Center City Commission has narrowed its search for a new president to 20 candidates. The CCC has asked consulting firm HRS Inc. to proceed with round two of testing and interviewing. They hope to have the position filled, replacing the retiring Jeff Sanford, in June.
There are some names Downtowners will definitely recognize among the applicants who made the cut. They include
- Andy Kitsinger, current CCC director of planning and development
- Myron Lowery, City Council member and former Mayor Pro Tem of Memphis
- Paul Morris, shareholder at Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC, and past chair of the CCC board of directors (as well as my across-the-hall neighbor at Number 10 for five years)
- Eric Robertson, current CCC chief administrative officer
- Jerome Rubin, former City Council member and current CCC VP of Operations
- “That Other Downtown Guy” Lee Warren, owner and principal of Around Downtown Consulting – you know him from the “Definitely Downtown!” TV show
There are also numerous candidates from economic development agencies in other major US cities. I can’t help rooting for one of the hometowners to get the job, but in the end, may the best candidate win. They’re going to have big shoes to walk in, given the job Jeff has done all these years.
Staying home tonight, probably. I don’t feel like dealing with the storms that are headed this way.