The following article appears in the summer edition of Crossroads, the Chamber's quarterly magazine, available free at the Chamber's downtown offices and at select locations across Memphis, including Schnuck's markets. The fall edition of Crossroads will be available in mid-September.

Most days, the lunch hour finds Ted Ferris two blocks east of the Chamber’s downtown offices for a workout at the YMCA.

“I do endurance races, triathlons,” he says. And he’s good at them. In April, he won his age group (40 to 44) in the Los Locos Duathlon held just outside of Memphis; the event required participants to run two miles, bike 15 miles, and run an additional two miles.

Ferris joined the Chamber in February 2006 after serving as chief financial officer for The Wonders Series, an annual art and cultural exhibition which ran in Memphis for 14 years. An Ohio native, he played baseball at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He and his wife, Chris, came to Memphis in 2000 to be near her parents, who had relocated here. Their children are: Nicole, 12; Kristina, 10; Nathan, 4.

As someone who has shepherded entities through hard times, what is your personal business philosophy?
In a bad situation, be honest. Don’t hide anything. Make sure you’re doing things the right way all the time so people trust you. Communicate, communicate, communicate. If you’ve got investors expecting money and you’re not forthright – even to the point of opening the books – it’s going to be a bad situation. If investors understand you are managing their money as well as possible in the situation, a) They will respect you; b) They’ll trust you. (and) c) They won’t sue you.

How does one prove that everything possible is being done?
Put your words into action. Put it down in a plan, execute the plan and show the results or show the measurements used to try to achieve results. Then, whether you succeed or fail, it’s transparent.

The Chamber was in distress when you came aboard. Then came the recession. Now, the Chamber is financially stable and economically active. How was that accomplished?
It really boils down to planning: Planning for the future, forecasting expected revenues and managing funds. When I got here, the Chamber was on the brink of bankruptcy. By the end of my first year, invoicing was regular, sponsorships had been raised and events were programmed. Externally, the city and county and other partners reconnected with the Chamber.

How has MemphisED – the economic development program that’s part of the Memphis Fast Forward initiative – contributed to that stability?
Over these past several years, funding for MemphisED allowed the Chamber to grow and execute an economic development plan that was designed for the future of our city and county. We are very conscious of managing the funds we have.

How have your years in Memphis affected your views?
For a period if somebody asked where I was from, I said, “I’m from Cincinnati but I live in Memphis.” Now it’s, “Memphis.” For myself and my family, I want to make sure the position I am in, small or large, will make this community a better place to live. There are so many good things here.

Yet Memphians are notoriously critical.
Yes, and we’re trying to change that with MemphisED and Memphis Fast Forward: positive news, positive information. Memphians should realize what great assets we have in this area and enjoy them. Memphians need to finally believe that Memphis is a good place to live.

You work downtown, but do you play there too?
I’ve worked downtown 10 years. I work out every day at lunch, so I’m down at the river, I’m running through the city, I’m riding my bike, I’m on the (downtown) mall. With the kids, we go watch Redbirds games, the Tigers and Grizzlies.

You joined the YMCA board this year. Why is the Y a good fit?
I’m active and maintain a healthy lifestyle; the YMCA goes hand-in-hand with that. The Y teaches children to live a heathly lifestyle and provides opportunities for disadvantaged children. If I can, in some way, help a child learn a skill or experience something he may not have had the chance to do, I would be thrilled.

With three children, is life hectic?
You have to be very well organized in your family. My wife, Chris, works full time. I work full time. And we’re on the go all the time. I’m very involved in my kids’ lives, with schoolwork and coaching -- basketball, softball – and at home teaching them any sport. As my wife says, she really has four kids.

How would you know if you’re doing too much?
You have to have good communication and you have to be realistic. If outside sources are pulling you in too many directions, come back to your core; that is, make sure your family is being taken care of. If you have extra time, you coach, do charity work. Family comes first.