The Commercial Appeal · 24 Sep, 11:01 · Business briefing

Memphis People in Business for Sept. 24, 2026

The Commercial Appeal has published its annual recognition of Memphis professionals, highlighting individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and community impact.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

26%average salary uplift after a professional certificate

2.7xfaster promotion for certified professionals

71%of leaders prefer candidates who upskill continuously

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

The Commercial Appeal has published its annual recognition of Memphis professionals, highlighting individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and community impact. This feature, dated September 2024, spotlights key figures across various sectors within the local business ecosystem. The report serves as a definitive record of regional business achievements, identifying those who have driven economic growth and fostered professional development in the area. For industry observers, it provides a factual overview of current power structures and emerging talents within the Memphis commercial landscape, offering insight into who is shaping the local economy.

Employer demand for Leadership skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This recognition signals a shift towards valuing holistic leadership and community integration in your career trajectory. Professionals in Memphis must prioritise visible stakeholder engagement alongside technical competence. To remain competitive, focus on developing soft skills that enhance collaborative potential and civic responsibility. Analyse the commonalities among honourees to identify trending competencies within your sector. Use this data to refine your personal brand, ensuring your contributions align with broader economic goals. Engage actively with local industry groups to build the network necessary for such recognition. Ultimately, position yourself as a leader who drives both business results and social value.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Leadership, Business And Management, Strategic Marketing and Project Management — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.