Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland honored by Municipal League with Municipal Champion Award
The Tennessee Municipal League is pleased to announce Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland as the recipient of the 2023 Municipal Champion Award.
The award was created to recognize individuals that have worked tirelessly to advance municipal interests and the citizens they serve. Strickland was presented with the award at the 83rd Annual Tennessee Municipal League Conference in Nashville.
Strickland has served the city of Memphis as an elected official since 2007 and has spent the past seven years as the city’s mayor. Known for his genial nature, enthusiasm, and commitment, Memphians know Strickland for both being quick with a smile and welcoming a good laugh as well as his unwavering compassion and ability to lift, affirm, and comfort in times of need.
As mayor, Strickland has prioritized government transparency and launched several initiatives in Memphis to more effectively communicate and engage residents in a direct, honest manner about the issues, challenges, and opportunities the city faces. He also works to ensure the people’s government reflects the diversity of Memphis’ citizenry.
Strickland has focused on strengthening core city services like public safety challenges, investing in parks and neighborhoods, improving infrastructure and transit, and pursuing smart growth and fiscal health. Additionally, he focuses on investing in individuals by supporting initiatives and opening avenues to reliable employment, giving citizens a sense of independence and self-worth.
Beyond the Memphis city limits, Strickland has helped foster a new level of cooperation and collaboration among his fellow Shelby County mayors and often ventures into surrounding counties to meet with local leaders to emphasis collaboration, consensus, and encourage participate in the Tennessee Municipal League.
Outside of city hall, Strickland meets with state leaders and has traveled across the state to meet with individual legislators in their home districts to extoll the virtues of preserving local authority and promote the restoration of the historic state-shared sales tax relationship. Strickland has cultivated vital relationships advocating not just for the best interests of Memphis or the state’s largest cities but all municipalities in Tennessee.
Known for his ability to speak plainly and voice disagreement without being disagreeable, Strickland has earned the demonstrated respect and cooperation of Tennessee's political leadership. He freely invests his own time and energy to build relationships that he then shares to the benefit of other municipalities.
A strong, compassionate municipal leader who is dedicated to the citizens he serves, Strickland has elevated his city and reflected well on municipal government and public service as a whole. By actively working to foster greater cooperation, consensus, and unity in the Memphis region and beyond, he has also forged relationships and nurtured alliances that have positioned him to educate others about shared municipal issues that has benefited not only TML but all municipalities in Tennessee.
The inaugural winners of the TML Municipal Champion award in 2022 were Tennessee State Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) and Tennessee State Rep. Dale Carr (R-Sevierville).