John Duncan has worked in the corporate world with the Bryce Corporation and in the nonprofit realm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its fund-raising arm, /ALSAC. All has given him the unique perspective it takes to manage member development for the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce. It’s taken him less than a year become one of Memphis’s most avid cheerleaders. We sat down with Duncan recently to discuss his new Chamber role, for-profits vs. non-profits, pressing the flesh and, of course, barbecue.

Explain what the vice president of development and member services does every day.

Every day around these offices, and in the marketplace, is different and that is what I absolutely love about this opportunity. My days could be filled with planning for our 15th Annual Chairman’s Luncheon in December by exploring video content or program features like food, lighting, programs or messaging. I might be discussing a membership affinity program with Office Depot, Humana or Onvia. I meet with our economic development and community development teams to understand what they are working on… and how I can relay that message, passion and benefit to our member investors.

I get involved with business development, being it attending a ribbon cutting, making a client visit with one of my business development professionals or working with prospective members on how this economic development machine called the Greater Memphis Chamber can help their business, not only grow and prosper, but sustain that growth and success. At the end of the day, everybody around here has to ask themselves, “What did I do today to help a member? What did I do today to move this great city forward? Was I part of the solution today?”

We all know that Memphis is home to the giants – FedEx, AutoZone, International Paper – but what does the Chamber offer for the smaller companies?

The large companies are critically important to us. But over 80 percent of our member investors are organizations with fewer than 100 people. In many cases these smaller organizations, which are vital to the long term growth of this area, do not always have the resources, connections, access, budgets and staff that the key larger companies possess. That is where the Greater Memphis Chamber comes in. Can our Existing Business Team help with a project or a problem? Can our research department provide data and information critical to a decision or strategic plan? Can we introduce you to someone or something that may be critical to your growth strategy? Will participation on one of our special committees, like our Logistics Council, for example, give you deeper understanding and insight into your particular market? The Chamber is an advocate, promoter, encourager, resource, ally and friend to all business, big and small.

What are the greatest advantages that Chamber members have over non-members?

As a Chamber member investor, you are connected to the largest economic development machine, and number one business organization, in the region. You are connected to people in your industry, people who could and will become your clients, friends and partners. You are connected to events and programming that educate, motivate, inspire and inform.

What did you learn through working for ALSAC/St. Jude and Bryce Corporation that has helped you drive Chamber membership?

At ALSAC/St. Jude, I learned a lot about persistence. It typically takes at least seven touches – phone calls, meetings, presentations, e-mails, letters, post cards, notes, etc. – before an individual, client, group or business will begin serious talks about their life-saving connection to St. Jude. The sales cycle at ALSAC is long, but you know you are connecting your client prospect to something that is not only going to change the life of a child but change the client’s life in many ways as well.

This same parallel holds true here at the Chamber in many ways. I know that the pursuit of a new member investor may take some time, some diligence, some sweat, but I know that once that Chamber connection is made, their business life will never really be the same.

Bryce Corporation is a leader in printed flexible packaging materials serving clients such as Frito-Lay and M&M Mars. From the parking lot to the press room floor, from the offices to the warehouse, I have never seen such a clean, organized, crisp, state of the art outfit. That is what we strive for here at the Chamber. We work hard to make every event, program, meeting and interaction first-class, world-class. Oftentimes, be it a potential business relocation to Memphis, a facilities expansion in the area or a gathering of business and governmental officials, that journey and experience starts either at the Chamber offices or with Chamber professionals. A quality experience is first on our minds.

Coming from ALSAC, is there something non-profits can learn from for-profits and vice versa?

Sometimes I feel like non-profits are afraid or reluctant to ask —for help, for resources, for money. I do not mean that in a negative way, but I have found that people want to give and people want to be part of something special, but nobody has asked them. For-profit folks seem a little more comfortable with the close, with the ask. Is your product great? Is your cause worthy? Is this enterprise dynamic? Is there value in a relationship? If the answer is yes, then ask people to be a part of that with passion and confidence.

Relationships are more than a buy-sell scenario. We must be as passionate about our clients’ business as they are, we must know things about our partners that they don’t even know about themselves. You must be in a constant state of asking, “How can I serve my client today?”

I was told you spend a lot of time out of the office. Do you enjoy getting out and meeting people instead of sitting behind a desk?

I am a… “managing by wandering around” guy. The Chamber does a great job in communicating, including connecting and informing internally, and I need to be a part of that. But our clients are out in the market and if we are going to effectively serve them, understand them, connect with them, we have to walk their plant floors, visit their offices or watch their team in action. I am “old school.” It is much more meaningful to look a member or prospect in the eye versus tap out an e-mail. Out is good!

Tell us about your family.

I have been married for 24 years to Melanie, a Kansas City, Kan., girl who I met at a 7/11 in Dallas, Tex. Melanie is a great mom, wonderful singer and performer. In fact, she won a talent contest in 2009 allowing her to sing the National Anthem at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. She tore the house down! We both are proud graduates of SMU and get back to Big D occasionally for some football and tex-mex. We have two daughters. Meredith is a junior marketing major at Auburn, and Heather is a freshman at Auburn as well .

We moved to Memphis in 1994 and have absolutely fallen in love with this wonderful place.

You’re from Dallas, your wife is from Kansas City and now you live in Memphis. All big barbecue regions, so whose is the best?

No doubt about – Memphis, Tennessee. The pig provides so many tasty little morsels!

What do you do when you’re not working?

I love to play golf and get out occasionally but not nearly as much as the good old days. One of the great things about Memphis is that you can tee it up year-round and this is a fantastic golfing town.

I am building a putting green in my backyard so I enjoy tinkering with that. I also enjoy my walks at night. I feel like an old guy, but my body feels better versus if I took a run. With our nest soon to be empty, Melanie and I are going to go on more dates in and around town, there are so many great restaurants we have yet to discover.