Thirty-three local business professionals graduated from the Greater Jackson Chamber’s 47th Leadership Jackson class on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the Carl Grant Events Center at Union University.  

Leadership Jackson, the Chamber’s premier adult leadership development program, provides business professionals employed by Chamber-member companies the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the community—its strengths, its opportunities and the challenges it faces. Throughout the three-month program, class members visited key community landmarks, met with area leaders and participated in weekly sessions on topics shaping Jackson-Madison County, including education, healthcare, government and economic development. 

“The 47th Leadership Jackson class’s commitment to growth and leadership has been remarkable,” said Mike Bryant, Leadership Jackson 2025 Chair. “They built meaningful connections, strengthened their understanding of our community and developed thoughtful solutions to local challenges. Our community now has 33 individuals who are empowered to make Jackson better for years to come. Witnessing their success—and learning from it—has been uplifting. I’m grateful to have served alongside Vice Chair Mari Hakim this year.” 

During the graduation ceremony, class members were recognized for their achievements and received their Leadership Jackson certificates of completion. The class selected Dr. Robert Stacey, Head of School at Augustine School, as their spokesperson to share reflections on the program and how it will shape their continued leadership. The class also chose Whitney Billingsley, City of Jackson Parks and Recreation Department, as the 2025 class social chair. 

Lindsey Crowder, Aspell Recovery Center, was selected as the 2026 Leadership Jackson Vice Chair and will serve alongside Mari Hakim, who will assume the role of 2026 Chair. 

Five class members were recognized for their extraordinary commitment and personal growth throughout the program. Dr. Robert Stacey, Augustine School, received Leadership Jackson’s highest honor—the Diamond Award—for surpassing all program requirements.

Jewel Award recipients were: 
• Gary Benton, City of Jackson Police Department 
• Greg Hammond, Jackson-Madison County Schools 
• Chandra McCorkle, Habitat for Humanity of Jackson 
• Stacey Reeves, Le Bonheur Children’s Outpatient Center 

Leadership Jackson alumni were also honored during the ceremony. 
• Emerging Leader Award – Don McCorry, Jackson Madison County African American Chamber of Commerce, Class of 2023 
• Community Observance of Personal Excellence (COPE) Award – Alan Brown, Alan Brown State Farm Insurance, Class of 2017 
• Harbert Alexander Award for Servant Leadership – Carolyn Vaughn, Class of 2015 

“It has been an honor to witness the 2025 class fully embrace ‘servant leadership’ over the past 13 weeks,” said Lauren Saliba, Vice President of Education and Leadership Development for the Greater Jackson Chamber. “The more they learned about Jackson-Madison County, the more they invested in it for the greater good. I look forward to seeing their continued impact as they lead and serve our community.” 

The Leadership Jackson Class graduates include:  

Gary Benton, Jackson Police Department 
Whitney Billingsley, City of Jackson Parks & Recreation Department 
Wesley Brown, Edward Jones 
Shea Brown, Leaders Credit Union 
Matthew Coffman, Jackson Energy Authority 
Jared Counce, Tim Ferguson  
Michelle Cozine, University of Memphis-Lambuth 
Lindsey Crowder, Aspell  
Haley Fortune, Community Foundation of West Tennessee 
Walker Gorman, White & Associates Insurance 
Greg Hammond, Jackson Madison County Schools 
Peter Holmquist, Marsha Blackburn for US Senate  
Brian Johnson, Christian Brothers Automotive 
Cole Johnson, MG Construction 
Delita Johnson, Jackson Arts Council 
Will King, Grounded Financial Planning 
Billy Lones, Jackson Christian School 
Amy Mallette, Paris Creative Agency 
Andrew Massie, Carroll Bank & Trust  
Chandra McCorkle, Habitat for Humanity Jackson 
AJ Merriweather, AJ Merriweather Construction 
LaTrina Morman, Lifeline Blood Services 
Veronica Perry, Union University 
Matthew Presson, Madison County 
JacQuene Rainey, Tennessee College of Applied Technology 
Stacey Reeves, Le Bonheur Outpatient Center 
Robert Stacey, Augustine School 
Paula Terry, West Tennessee Healthcare  
Alexander Thornton, Toyota Motor Manufacturing 
Scott Thorson, Dream Center of Jackson 
Chad Webster, Gerdau 
Jodie Wood, CRS CPAs 
Taylor Young, Jackson State Community College 

For more information on Leadership Jackson, visit its website at LeadershipJackson.com.

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