By Richard Locker - The Commercial Appeal -

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 -

NASHVILLE – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam returns to Memphis Wednesday for two days of talks with business and civic leaders to help him develop a “Memphis-specific strategy to address the city’s unique challenges and opportunities."

The tour includes meetings with executives of airline, logistics and medical device industries, the Regional Medical Center at Memphis and charter school leaders.

Haslam, the mayor of Knoxville, will be joined by former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker at the opening of his Memphis campaign office at 11:15 a.m. Thursday at Eastgate shopping center. And he also plans one of his neighborhood door-knocking visits on Lorece Lane, south of White State Elementary School in East Memphis, from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The mayor is vying with state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Haslam announced plans to create a Memphis strategy during a statewide “jobs tour” in March and the visits to Memphis are focused on learning more about what state government can do to help the city in such areas as education, health care, economic development and public safety.

“Every city and region in the state has its own unique strengths and challenges. There’s nowhere that this is truer than Memphis, and the next governor must not let the state capitol become insular or try to address issues across the state uniformly,” Haslam said.

“Twenty-nine years ago I married my wife Crissy, a native Memphian. I’ve spent a lot of time in Memphis over the years, and not only is the health and vibrancy of Memphis of personal importance to me and my family, I recognize how critical it is to the success of the entire state. Historically, culturally, and economically Memphis is critically important to Tennessee, and that’s why I will continue to hone in on Memphis issues as a candidate and later, hopefully, as governor,” he said.

Haslam returns to Memphis May 13th to discuss public safety with Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons, Sheriff Mark Luttrell and local police chiefs. Since launching his run for governor in January 2009, Haslam has spent 28 days in Shelby County and conducted nearly 100 meetings and events with community leaders and residents, his campaign says.

Wamp toured the justice center with Gibbons last week.

Haslam mayor said the city has momentum that the next governor must help the city capitalize on, citing the Gates Foundation’s $90 million investment and partnership with Memphis City Schools, the local Teach For America chapter and the “impressive work of General Gibbons and Sheriff Luttrell in addressing violent crime.

“Between the opportunities being created right now and significant existing assets including FedEx and the medical device industry, I believe there is much to build on in Memphis. However, it’s going to take the right strategy in order to address the city’s unique challenges and effectively capitalize on its strengths, and I am committed to working with local officials to develop a specific strategy to help Memphis do just that,” Haslam said.

This week’s tour includes:

--Wednesday: Meet with Pinnacle Airlines executives and tour. Roundtable discussion at Memphis Bioworks Foundation with members of the medical device industry. Various campaign meetings in Memphis.

--Thursday: Meet with leaders of The Med. Open Memphis campaign office at 845 White Station Road. Meet with logistics industry leaders in a roundtable discussion at the FedEx Institute of Technology. Tour Power Center Academy and discuss education area charter school leaders. Knock on neighborhood doors on Lorece Lane, 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.