MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Downtown Memphis Commission on Tuesday selected Paul Young as its new president and CEO following a national search.
Young served as division director for the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development, where he was responsible for guiding community and economic development projects, including the Downtown Tourism Development Zone and the $30 million capital investment for the South City Choice Neighborhoods implementation, the city said in a release. He holds master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Business Management from the University of Memphis.
“Over my five-plus years as mayor, Paul has been an invaluable leader of our Division of Housing and Community Development,” Mayor Jim Strickland said. “He has been instrumental in the development of quality affordable housing, including South City and Tillman Cove; our investments in long-forgotten treasures, like Historic Melrose High School and Collins Chapel; the community effort to reduce homelessness; and the establishment of the City’s first-ever Affordable Housing Trust Fund.”
Young begins at the DMC on April 1, taking over for interim leader Ray Brown. Jennifer Oswalt, the previous CEO, left the DMC for a job with the Haslam family foundation.