TEBA Hosts Memphis Business Roundtable, Presents Senator Brent Taylor with Champion of Business Award

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Tennessee Employer Benefits Alliance hosted a business policy roundtable in Memphis on July 15th, bringing together local business leaders and Senator Brent Taylor for a conversation about the business climate and the future of employer-sponsored benefits in Tennessee. 

Senator Taylor was presented with TEBA’s Champion of Business award in recognition of his continued leadership on policies that protect employer flexibility and preserve ERISA protections for businesses across the state. 

The roundtable, held at the University of Memphis, featured a discussion of legislative proposals that could reshape how employers deliver health benefits to their workforce. Topics included the recent McKee Foods court decision, employer challenges navigating new state mandates, and recent laws in Arkansas that are forcing the closure of dozens of pharmacies, stripping seniors, veterans, and average working people’s access to mail order and in person pharmacy access in Arkansas. 

Senator Brent Taylor with TEBA Chairman Michael Curcio

“Senator Taylor has been a consistent and thoughtful advocate for Tennessee’s business community, and it was a privilege to present him with this award,” said TEBA Chairman Michael Curcio. “Our discussion made clear that employers in Memphis and across the state are feeling the pressure from rising costs and growing policy overreach in how they provide benefits, and they’re increasingly worried about what could come next.” 

Senator Taylor added, “Maintaining a strong business climate in Tennessee includes protecting the flexibility employers need to offer competitive benefits. I’m grateful to have received this award, and I was glad to have the chance to hear directly from business leaders about how state policy affects their ability to care for their workforce and stay competitive in a tight labor market.” 

In attendance:  

• Senator Brent Taylor 

• Michael Curcio, Former State Representative and TEBA Chairman  

• Jonathan Frisch, Senior Vice President, Employee Benefits Decision, McGriff 

• Robert John, Managing General Partner, Benefits Consulting Group 

• Ernest Strickland, President and CEO, Black Business Association of Memphis 

• Meredith Hennessy, Co-Chair, Small Business Council Leadership at Greater Memphis Chamber, Principal and Practice Leader, Consilience Group 

• Larry Robinson, Co-Chair, Small Business Council Leadership at Greater Memphis Chamber, CEO and Founder, Kudzukian 

• Janie Day, CEO and President, Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce 

• Jason Bailey, Vice President of Finance, Frontdoor Inc.

• Tim Finnell, Managing Partner, Alera Group 

• Philip Johnson, Executive Director, NABIP Tennessee 

TEBA will host additional forums and roundtables throughout the summer to explore the future of business policy in Tennessee. Stay tuned for details on our Middle Tennessee Business Forum, hosted in partnership with Benefits Inc. This forum will take place on August 12, at the office of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in Nashville, from 9:00am to 11:00am. If you are interested in joining us, RSVP here. Additionally, we will be hosting member-only events in Knoxville and Chattanooga. If you are not a member but would like to get more information about these upcoming events, register today.