The non-profit also announces its board of directors line-up
CONVERGENCE Memphis, an initiative led by the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, has announced a new executive director under its newly launched non-sprofit organization CONVERGENCE Memphis Inc.
The new organization, created to advance its mission of increasing Black homeownership in the Memphis area, tapped Phyllis Robinson as executive director. Robinson, who most recently served as project coordinator for CONVERGENCE Memphis, brings over three decades of experience in federal government service, including 15 years in senior leadership.
“We’re pleased to have someone of Phyllis’s caliber to lead CONVERGENCE Memphis,” said Dorothy Cleaves, chairman of CONVERGENCE Memphis Inc. “She has a proven track record in collaborating and leveraging resources, which will allow CONVERGENCE Memphis to have continued success throughout the Memphis market.”
In addition to Robinson’s appointment, CONVERGENCE announced the members of its board of directors, which is comprised of affordable housing leaders and local stakeholders in Memphis:
- Dorothy Cleaves (Chair), Truist
- Jeremy Less (Treasurer), BancorpSouth
- Brody Wamble (Secretary), Simmons Bank
- Steve O’Connor (Director), MBA
- Manuel Boyadjian, Mortgage Investors Group
- William Chase, Jr.
- Gwyn Fisher, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
- Regina Hubbard, Fast Track Realty
- Jeff McEvoy, Home Surety Title and Escrow
- Ralph Perrey (ex-officio), Tennessee Housing Development Agency
- Marty Regan, Lewis Thomason
- Lauren Taylor, Hyde Family Foundations
- Ted Townsend, Greater Memphis Chamber
- Keith Turbett, First Horizon Bank
- Paul Young, Downtown Memphis Commission
“CONVERGENCE Memphis Inc. will build new relationships and strengthen existing ties with key stakeholders in the community,” said MBA president and CEO Bob Broeksmit. “This new organization is another strategic step toward the goal of developing equitable and accessible housing finance solutions to help close the racial homeownership gap in Memphis.”
Launched in 2020, CONVERGENCE Memphis aims to promote affordable housing and increase Black homeownership in Memphis by hosting homebuyer fairs, offering financial education courses, and providing affordable housing practitioners the tools they need to improve their overall outreach strategy.
