by Jennifer Casey
a fundraiser for the Collierville Arts Council. Pictured,
(from left), wife Melanie Duncan, daughter Meredith Duncan, John Duncan, daughter Heather Duncan Smeltser and son-in-law Johnathan Smeltser.. Courtesy Photo
You know John Duncan is in the building before you even see him.
John is usually singing, sometimes along with music playing through his phone, and it could be anything from Burt Bacharach to Waylon Jennings. All along the way, he says hello and shares compliments, asks about your weekend, and spreads his infectious energy throughout Town Hall.
It’s no wonder that site selectors wanted to travel to Collierville to meet this jovial person they spoke with on the phone. Of course, John knows his Town facts inside and out. If you have ever had the pleasure of listening to him speak, you likely heard his sales pitch: “Collierville is accessible! We are organized for success with a prime location, strategic access to markets, transportation assets, award winning schools, vibrant and safe neighborhoods, and so much more.”
Main and Mulberry, a podcast that shared information about Collierville. Courtesy Photo
He can go on and on sharing data points and telling stories. There is no one who sells Collierville like John Duncan. I know this firsthand, because for the past decade, I have had the pleasure of working next door to John. I heard his enthusiasm seep out of his office and saw him land some impressive wins. He played a crucial role in bringing numerous corporate headquarters to Collierville, including Orgill, Mueller, IMC, and he was a leader among his peers serving as the Tennessee State Director of the Southern Economic Development Council.
He has helped shape the restaurant, retail, and office landscape in Collierville we see today, and come February 1st, he will take his last call as the Economic Development Director. For many of us in Town Hall, accepting his retirement has not been easy. I believe I can speak on behalf of his network outside of the Town who feel the same way. His presence was much bigger than a person fulfilling what was needed for a job.
He made you laugh. He listened when you shared a story. He cared about what was going on in your life.
He was a friend.
I just happened to be in an office near him, so it was easy to have daily conversations and share about our families, college memories, or exciting things we did on a recent vacation. What is so special about John is that he made this kind of connection with practically everyone.
One of my favorite stories, that makes me laugh just thinking about it, is about a party he once attended where he met the man who invented the grapefruit spoon. He said the man even carried the spoon in his pocket. What made the story even more wild, is that at the same party, John also met the man who invented the twisty ties on items such as loaves of bread. Now sometimes, these stories were embellished, or perhaps, not even real at all. However, you really aren’t sure because he tells the story so well! He also enjoys playing pranks on his coworkers and friends. For example, if you come to work the next day with a voicemail from a man with a deep Southern drawl complaining about a family of raccoons living in the Johnson Park restroom, you may want to double check the caller ID.
As friends do, they aren’t always there to make you laugh. When I was going through a hard time, John asked how he could help. I timidly brought up babysitting, and he immediately scheduled the date. To this day, the time Mr. John came over to babysit is one of my family’s favorite memories. He enjoyed it as well and continues to keep up with my kids as they’ve gotten older – even honking at my 13-year-old son riding his bike to school in the morning.
Family means the world to John, and with a second grandchild on the way, the timing is perfect for him to spend more time with them. He and his wife of 37 years, Melanie, moved to Collierville in 1994 to raise their two daughters Heather and Meredith. Over the years, their family was actively involved in everything in Town from recreational sports to church events. Melanie is a member of the Collierville Arts Council, and John has already mentioned becoming a thespian as one of his retirement plans. From listening to my own collection of prank voicemails, I think he would make a great actor.
He’s spent much more time as a resident in Collierville than working for the Town. While ten years of service is a significant milestone, his resume includes working for Johnson and Johnson, Mobil, Bryce Corporation, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, and ALSAC St. Jude. It’s an impressive history that clearly played a role in his ability to connect with corporate partners who now call Collierville home.
What I find to be most inspiring about his work and contributions to the Town, is that he completely embodied his mission. His goal was to foster jobs, generate tax revenue, and stimulate the economy. In turn, the Collierville community would continue to have a high quality of life.
Well, my quality of life improved not just because of all he has done for Collierville. It improved because I had the chance to get to know John Duncan, and the halls of Town Hall are not going to be the same.
