The 2024 Memphis EDGE Awards, hosted Thursday morning at Shelby Farms’ FedEx Event Center, celebrated a wide range of businesses, individuals, and projects that are shaping the city’s economic and cultural landscape. While key leaders like U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen and Memphis Mayor Paul Young were recognized, the spotlight shined brightest on the local entrepreneurs whose hard work is driving grassroots change in the community.
Riko’s Kickin’ Chicken, a well-known favorite for its mouthwatering Southern-style dishes, was awarded the ICED Loan Impact Business of the Year. Owners Riko and Tiffany Wiley took the stage with pride, crediting the journey to the support of both EDGE and his loyal Memphis customers. He also shouted out another award winner, Curtis Givens.
“I want to thank God, my family, my team. And I want to give it up for all my entrepreneurs in the room,” Riko Wiley said. “And Curtis Givens, you motivated me more than a lot. It ain’t easy being a small business and nothing we do is small. Thank y’all!”
Princeton Jones, a 13-year-old entrepreneur, was recognized as Kidpreneur of the Year for his business, Fab Dawgs & More. Jones has already made a name for himself with his gourmet hot dogs, and his ambition impressed attendees.
“Thank you for the EDGE program, for my mom and dad, and my church, The Healing Center,” said the young businessman, decked out in sparkles. “And thank you for my supporters — this would never have happened without your support and thank you for this wonderful moment!”
(Photo: Lee Eric Smith/Tri-State Defender)
Another standout honoree was Curtis Givens, founder of CGI Entertainment, who was presented with the Culture Makers Award. Givens has been synonymous with Memphis nightlife for years, creating spaces and events that have become integral parts of the city’s cultural identity.
“I want to thank you guys for recognizing the arts and entertainment as an important part of building a vibrant city,” Givens said. “And I will continue to do my part for making the city fun and creating jobs.”
Other awards celebrating bigger projects and economic drivers were lauded as well:
-
- Economic Impact Project of the Year: Awarded to the I-55 Bridge Funding project, with Congressman Steve Cohen accepting the honor.
- Leadership Award: Presented to Mayor Lee Harris, Memphis Mayor Paul Young, and Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell for their commitment to the region’s growth.
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Given to Mark Herbison, recognizing his long-standing contributions to Memphis and Shelby County.
The MemX Initiative: A Vision for Memphis’s Future
While the awards celebrated current achievements, the event also offered a glimpse into the future of Memphis’s economic development through the MemX initiative. Andre Fowlkes, President of Start Co., a Memphis-based venture development organization, spoke about the goals of MemX.
Designed to foster greater economic cooperation and innovation, MemX aims to align local talent, technology, and resources to ensure the city remains competitive in the face of shifting job markets.
“We’re talking about the future of work,” Fowlkes said, in laying out a bold vision for MemX. “Over the next five years, 23 percent of Memphis jobs will move away. We need to ask ourselves, are we putting in the right policies? Are we advocating for future change?”
MemX aims to prepare the city by attracting new industries and fostering collaboration between local startups, mid-sized companies, and major corporations.
“Memphis is already a hub for logistics, mobility, and electrification,” Fowlkes noted, highlighting major developments like the new Ford plant in West Tennessee and ongoing research at local universities. MemX will work to connect these industries with local talent and resources, further solidifying Memphis as a center of innovation.
“We’re looking at net job creation and creating better bridges with other regions across the country to support startups, companies that are commercializing new products, and businesses trying to scale,” he said.
By creating an economic development fund to match local grants and fostering public-private partnerships, MemX is aiming to align Memphis’s economic future with the needs of its community. As Fowlkes said, “It’s about capacity building, and it’s about making sure everyone has a seat at the table.”
With the success stories of Riko’s Kickin’ Chicken, Princeton Jones, and Curtis Givens as examples, the 2024 EDGE Awards not only celebrated what Memphis has achieved, but also painted a bold picture of where the city is headed.
The 2024 EDGE Awards were a reminder that while major infrastructure projects and large-scale leadership are crucial, it is the small businesses, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders who truly make Memphis a vibrant, dynamic place to live and work.
You can watch the whole program from EDGE’s Facebook page here:
