While we have no data to back this up, it is highly unlikely that any elementary school in Memphis can boast three, count ’em, three parents on the recently announced Memphis Business Journal Top Forty Under Forty list. The 15th annual edition of the list was released earlier this month by the editors of the Journal after sifting through over 250 nominees. The final 40 were selected based on their professional contributions, accomplishments and community service.  And when all was said and done, a whopping 7.5% of the list was made up of Peabody parents!  

Our mighty threesome are among Memphis’ best lawmakers, physicians, bankers, lawyers, teachers, restauranteurs . . . the list goes on. But enough of that. Let’s meet them, shall we?

Monica N. Wharton, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Regional Medical Center at Memphis

Joann Massey, Business Development Consultant, State of Tennessee Economic and Community Development

Lurene Cachola Kelley, Assistant Professor, University of Memphis (and creator of and contributor to this web space)

Congratulations are in order for each of these wonderfully successful women for being one of Memphis’ Top 40 Under 40. But we suspect that if you asked them, they are most proud of another title altogether: Mom!