Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Erik Houston, Executive Director of the Wolf River Conservancy, who highlights the nonprofit local land trust and the organization's mission and efforts dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the Wolf River and its watershed as a sustainable natural resource.

During the interview, Erik shares how the organization was formed in 1985 and discusses their role as an accredited land trust working with landowners and the community to conserve land by accepting donations of land, purchasing land, negotiating private, voluntary conservation agreements on land, and stewarding conserved land through the generations to come. The Wolf River Conservancy works to preserve and protect the 522,000-acre Wolf River watershed, which includes the recharge zones for the Memphis Sands Aquifer, which supplies residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural water needs across the Mid-South area. The organization has protected over 20,000 acres and educates 6,000 students annually through field trips and educational programs. Erik spotlights their programs and some of the many events the organization hosts, including the Wolf River Restoration Series, Discover the Greenway 5K race, and the Greenway Soiree, a major fundraising event being held November 8, 2025, featuring live and silent auctions, signature cocktails, dinner and immersive moments that bring the organization's mission to life. Erik then discusses the Wolf River Greenway, a 14-mile trail system with plans to expand to 26 miles by 2030, and how it serves as a key asset for Memphis. The Conservancy seeks community support through donations and volunteer opportunities to continue its mission of land protection, educational programming, and water quality preservation.

Visit https://www.wolfriver.org to learn more and to get involved with the Wolf River Conservancy.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Ryan Campbell, keynote speaker, author of "Born to Fly," owner of a 1960 pink Cadillac, and the youngest pilot to fly solo around the world, who shares his journey and a recap of his recent cityCURRENT signature speaker series presentation in Nashville focused on the life changing power of prioritizing joy.

During the interview, Ryan talks about saving up for flying lessons at a young age to achieving his Guinness World Record, highlighting the teamwork and support that made the achievement possible despite its solo nature. He then talks about facing tragedy with a plane crash at 21 that left him paralyzed, and his pursuit of rehabilitation to walk again and return to flying, reflecting on how these experiences shaped his understanding of purpose and identity. Ryan shares the story of visiting Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, and how a miniature pink Cadillac from the gift store inspired what would become a life-changing symbol of prioritizing joy and something that would lead him to connect with people around the world on a much deeper level through his keynotes. Ryan wraps up by recapping his keynote in Nashville and sharing his framework and tips focused on finding joy and fulfillment, emphasizing the importance of identifying and prioritizing activities that bring genuine happiness through a JOY Audit process, which he encourages others to implement in their own lives.

Visit https://ryancampbell.co to learn more about Ryan Campbell and to access his JOY Audit.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with cityCURRENT Nashville partner, Chris White, Founder and Principal of Harvest Family Wealth, who highlights the firm he founded in 2007 that specializes in deep, technical financial planning, efficiency, and care, aiming to help clients achieve their financial goals, particularly across multiple generations. The conversation covers Chris' collaborative approach with business owners, including valuation and sale readiness, as well as current trends in the financial system and their impact on investment strategies. The discussion concludes with insights on global liquidity trends, philanthropic giving through donor-advised funds, and Chris's personal commitment to charitable giving and community service.

Summary

Harvest Family Wealth's Financial Philosophy

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with cityCURRENT Nashville partner, Chris White, Founder and Principal of Harvest Family Wealth, who highlights the firm he founded in 2007 that specializes in deep, technical financial planning, efficiency, and care, aiming to help clients achieve their financial goals, particularly across multiple generations. Chris explains their collaborative approach and how it involves understanding clients' current financial situations, working with teams of experts to handle specific complexities, addressing emotions around money, and developing plans to meet their future aspirations.

Business Valuation and Investment Trends

Chris discusses his collaborative approach with business owners, emphasizing the importance of a specialized team for business valuation and sale readiness. He highlights the complexity and diversity of business value assessments, noting that overestimation is common. Chris also addresses current trends in the financial system, including the impact of AI, blockchain, and cryptocurrency, while emphasizing the growing demand for diversified investment portfolios incorporating private equity, real estate, and M&A opportunities.

Global Liquidity and Philanthropy Trends

Chris discusses the current state of global liquidity, highlighting trends such as quantitative easing, dropping interest rates, and government money printing, which generally benefit equity markets. He emphasizes the importance of addressing the U.S. debt and deficit problem. Chris and Jeremy also talk about philanthropic giving, with Chris explaining how donor-advised funds are increasingly popular and effective for charitable contributions. Chris shares a client example where using a donor-advised fund helped reduce tax implications from a Roth IRA conversion.

Donor-Advised Funds: Tax-Efficient Giving

Chris discusses the benefits of donor-advised funds for tax-efficient charitable giving, emphasizing their impact on nonprofits and the importance of long-term tax planning. He shares his personal commitment to philanthropy, driven by a sense of gratitude and a biblical principle of stewardship. Chris highlights the significance of giving back through time, talents, and treasures, and encourages others to engage in community service. He provides contact information for further conversation, including his email, chris@harvestfamilywealth.com, and website, www.harvestfamilywealth.com.

To learn more about Harvest Family Wealth visit https://www.harvestfamilywealth.com

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Sean Lee, President of Porter-Leath, who highlights the nonprofit organization's 175-year history as a children's services provider in Memphis, Tennessee, including their evolution from an orphanage to early childhood education, early literacy, foster care, caregiver services, and other programs that have evolved to meet today's needs. The conversation covers various initiatives such as home visitation services, early Head Start programs, and their Books from Birth program, while highlighting the importance of third-grade reading proficiency and community support. Sean shares Porter-Leath's expansion plans, foster care program details, and opportunities for community involvement, emphasizing their commitment to quality education and data-driven decision-making for future growth.

Summary

Porter-Leath's 175-Year History

Sean Lee, President of Porter-Leath discusses the organization's 175-year history of serving children in Memphis. Sean explains that Porter-Leath began as an orphanage in 1850, founded by Sarah Leath, and has since evolved to focus on early childhood education and development. The organization now provides various programs including home visitation, early Head Start, and Head Start services to promote school readiness and reduce infant mortality rates in the community.

Early Childhood Education Improvement Initiatives

Sean and Jeremy discuss the importance of third-grade reading proficiency, highlighting that only 26% of children meet this target, and emphasizing the need for community support to improve this statistic. They also talk about the Books from Birth program, which has been mailing age-appropriate books to children since its inception 20 years ago, and its positive impact on early learning and parental engagement. Additionally, they discussed the Teacher Excellence Program, which aims to professionalize preschool educators by providing them with training and development opportunities, ultimately improving the quality of early childhood education in Shelby County.

Porter-Leath's Early Childhood Expansion

Sean discusses Porter-Leath's collaborative approach to early childhood education, highlighting their work with nonprofit partners, foundations, and board members to provide kindergarten readiness programs. He explains that the organization has expanded significantly in recent months, growing from 6 sites with 300 employees to an expected 20 sites with 650 employees across Shelby County, including 40 childcare partners. Sean also describes their foster care program, which provides training and support for 50 foster homes in Shelby County, caring for children from infancy to age 17.

Becoming a Foster Family Process

Sean explains the process for becoming a foster family through Porter-Leath, emphasizing that interested individuals can contact them through their website or by phone to learn more without any initial commitment. He highlights the importance of volunteerism, mentioning various opportunities such as reading with children in the Books from Birth and Head Start programs, assisting with maintenance, or working in the office, and noted that they welcome help from youth groups with adult supervision.

Porter-Leath's Vision for Quality

Sean, reflecting on his 27-year tenure as president of Porter-Leath, emphasizes the importance of a culture of quality and data-driven decision-making. He outlines his vision for the future, focusing on improving community outcomes through the Head Start grant and enhancing kindergarten readiness rates from 30% to 60%. Sean also highlights the value of transparency, even in failures, and encourages organizations to prove their worth through data and storytelling.

Porter-Leath's Community Support Update

Sean discusses Porter-Leath's major events, including the Raging Cajun Crawfish Festival in April and a holiday campaign after Thanksgiving. He highlights that they now support 2,920 more children than last year and encourages community involvement through their website, porterleath.org. Sean also mentions that you can find volunteer opportunities and make financial contributions through their website.

Visit https://www.porterleath.org to learn more and get involved with Porter-Leath.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Pam Reynolds, CEO of TASC, which is the flagship entity of TCB Enterprise and celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, along with Abby Schulz, Community Investment Administrator for the Family Office within TCB Enterprise, who both highlight the importance of corporate philanthropy and making individual charitable giving as easy as possible to support nonprofits and communities.

During the interview, Pam explains that TASC was founded by Don Rashke in 1975 to provide tax advantages for small employers, and has since grown to serve over 1 million individuals nationwide through a wide range of employee benefits and third-party administration services. Abby discusses TCB Enterprise, the family-owned business ecosystem that includes TASC, as well as other operations in financial technology and payroll services. Pam discusses TASC's mission to improve health, wealth, and well-being through innovative financial services, including employee benefit offerings that enable charitable giving. She highlights trends in employee benefits, such as rising healthcare costs and the importance of attracting top talent through philanthropic programs. Abby emphasized the strategic value of philanthropy for TCB Enterprises, including their 10-year $15 million commitment to United Way Dane County. Both encourage employers to start small and integrate giving opportunities into the workplace, noting the positive impact on employee engagement and company culture.

Visit www.tasconline.com to learn more about TASC.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Graham Thomas, Chief Community and Government Relations Officer at tnAchieves, who highlights the nonprofit organization's efforts and mission "to enhance post-secondary opportunities and outcomes by providing holistic student supports rooted in community and accountability."

During the interview, Graham explains the organization's partnership with the TN Promise scholarship and discusses their mentorship program and model, which over the years has created impressive success metrics, including increased college graduation rates from 11% to 41% and the completion of over 5 million hours of community service. He shares how the program has now surpassed the milestone of 50,000 graduates and how tnAchieves is connecting students to meaningful careers, with 85% choosing to stay in Tennessee.

Graham then introduces their new Workforce Mentorship program, aiming to pair adult volunteers across the state with college students to provide guidance on job search, resume building, and interview skills, focusing on career interests. Jeremy and Graham discuss the impact of mentoring programs, focusing on the ROI for employers and the importance of mentorship in guiding students through academic and career challenges. Graham highlights a specific example of a student who received guidance from a mentor, which led to their academic success and career path. He emphasizes that small interventions, such as helping students navigate campus life, can significantly impact student retention and long-term success.

Graham explains how community members can get involved with tnAchieves by visiting tnachieves.org and selecting the "I want to become a mentor" tab, which leads to a simple form and online training webinar. He outlines the program's goals, including helping students find meaningful employment and making informed decisions about their credentials and careers. Graham emphasizes the support provided to mentors, including weekly updates and access to staff, and encourages listeners to learn more and get involved through the website and social media platforms.

Visit https://www.tnachieves.org to learn more and to get involved with tnAchieves.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with TD Smyers, CEO of BoardBuild, who highlights the technology platform that connects board candidates with nonprofit organizations through a certification course and matching system. The platform offers nonprofit board training and continuing education credits to help open access and democratize nonprofit board service by overcoming geographic and demographic barriers, while providing companies with professional development opportunities. BoardBuild is working heavily in states like Texas and Tennessee and in collaboration with organizations, including the Tennessee Nonprofit Network. Their expansion strategy involves establishing deep roots in multiple states through partnerships with regional organizations and financial support, with plans to expand their influence to eventually become nationwide.

BoardBuild: Board Candidate Matching Platform

Jeremy and TD discuss BoardBuild, a platform that equips and matches board candidates with nonprofit organizations. TD explains that BoardBuild started as a way to diversify boards but evolved into a comprehensive solution that includes a robust certification course that is not just educational but entertaining, as it is presented by improv comedians. The platform now offers continuing education credits through a partnership with UT Arlington, making it beneficial for both individuals seeking board positions and nonprofits looking for qualified candidates.

Nonprofit Board Service Platform Overview

TD explains how BoardBuild.org helps nonprofits and companies by democratizing nonprofit board service, enabling access to a diverse pool of candidates regardless of geographic, socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, or age barriers. The platform offers free services to nonprofits through donations, while providing companies with affordable professional development opportunities and community engagement solutions. Jeremy highlights how Higginbotham has empowered their employees to participate in community service through BoardBuild's certification and matching program.

Leader Development and Nonprofit Matching

TD explains that companies can easily sign up and manage cohorts of participants through the platform, which provides automated notifications and recommendations. The platform facilitates matches between participants and nonprofits in three ways: individual searches, company searches, and automated recommendations, with over 140 opportunities available. The platform has expanded beyond North Texas to Tennessee, and TD shares positive testimonials from users.

Board Build: Expanding Nonprofit Boards

TD shares an example of a Missouri-based veteran entrepreneur support nonprofit that successfully recruited a board candidate from Boston through BoardBuild, highlighting how the platform enables diverse board compositions. Jeremy emphasizes how BoardBuild helps organizations "open up the floodgates" for new board members with untapped potential, while TD notes that this approach aligns with the growing trend of "open source board recruiting" discussed in a recent Stanford Social Innovation Review article.

BoardBuild's Regional Expansion Strategy

TD discusses BoardBuild's expansion strategy, aiming to establish deep roots in its current states, including Texas, Washington, Nebraska, Tennessee, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and Virginia. The company plans to collaborate with regional energy companies and banks to expand its influence across multiple markets. TD highlights the importance of donations, financial contributions, and partnerships with nonprofits and leadership organizations to support BoardBuild's mission. The platform offers packages and pricing options to accommodate various needs, and TD emphasizes the success of collaborations with organizations like Junior League chapters and Leadership North Texas.

Visit https://www.boardbuild.org to learn more about BoardBuild. If you are in Tennessee, you can visit the Tennessee Nonprofit Network (under the Resources tab) to connect with and access BoardBuild: https://tnnonprofits.org.