Brian mcCurry — development director
Brian McCurry
Brian joined the City Leadership team in January 2024 as our Development Director.
What I do for city Leadership
As Development Director, I am responsible for fundraising and donor engagement for City Leadership. My focus is to expand our capacity to do the work within our five campaigns: Choose901, Serve901, Teach901, Choose901 Alumni and Give901.
I also provide leadership for Give901 which provides Memphians the opportunity to invest one hour of pay and one hour of time monthly to benefit ten partner nonprofit organizations.
CONNECT WITH ME
How I got to Memphis…
After college, my wife Betsy and I worked for a nonprofit ministry focused on college students. That work took us to three different cities - Charleston, SC, Raleigh/Durham, NC and eventually Memphis. We arrived in Memphis in 2004 and worked with college students in Memphis and West Tennessee.
From that time forward, Memphis became home (apart from a 4-year detour back to NC for a season). Being Memphians has become a part of who we are as a family - we love Memphis BBQ, the Grizzlies, and mostly the people of Memphis!
Why I Choose901
Throughout my time living in Memphis, I have been fortunate enough to be able to invest in the city full-time throughout my career. I have worked on college campuses, served in a local church, worked with one of our non-profit partners Memphis Athletic Ministries, and find myself here now on the staff of City Leadership.
In all of those seasons of community investment as my career, I have found these things to be true:
1. There are incredible people, from the city to the burbs, who care deeply about Memphis.
2. There are literally thousands of those same people who are tirelessly and generously investing every single day to make Memphis a great city.
3. We still need more!
Finding and unleashing that “more” is why I continue to Choose 901! I believe that if we all contribute what we have in time, resources, and networks we can be a part of a thriving Memphis.
MEET THE MCcurrys
I love all things Memphis BBQ! I love the history, the culture, the restaurants, the cooking and of course the food! When I took that 4-year detour back to NC from 2008-2012, my Memphis friends gave me a smoker as a going away present. That started my quest to learn to cook Memphis BBQ for myself. It really is my favorite hobby - cooking BBQ for friends and family.
BBQ fun fact 1 - I currently own 7 different smokers, cookers or grills! They all serve a different function. Fun fact 2 - I am a certified Memphis in May BBQ judge. I love Memphis BBQ!
Knowing my love for BBQ, everyone always asks me - what’s the best BBQ in Memphis?. Do you have a minute? There is so much great BBQ in Memphis and I am still finding new spots all the time.
Here are some of my favorites: Best pork ribs: Cozy Corner, Best pulled pork sandwich: Payne’s, Best smoked wings: Central, Best smoked turkey: One and Only, Best “not Memphis” bbq: Bain BBQ, My #1 favorite, best bite of BBQ in the city: Rib Tips from Tom’s BBQ (Sauce on the side).
My family and I also love the Memphis Grizzlies. We moved to Memphis right around the time the team moved into FedEx forum (when Grizz changed from brown to blue!). The Core Four will forever be legends here in the city, but we now love and faithfully support our Next Gen Grizz!
Betsy and I have been married now for 28 years! Wow! All three of our kids have attended UT-Knoxville. Ben graduated in 2023, Bailey will graduate in 2025, and Brooke will enroll there in Fall 2024. GBO!