Spotlight: John Green of John Green & Company

John Green is many things to many people in Collierville. He’s well known as a real estate guru, owning one of the leading real estate companies in Memphis, John Green & Company. In 1979 when he opened his real estate office, John knew he wanted to not only be a business leader, but a community supporter as well.

John’s mother and his first wife, Marilyn, were schoolteachers. He recognized the hard work they put into their careers and the impact they had on children in the community, but saw that impact did not translate directly to needed supplies. His mother and wife would often have to purchase things for their classrooms out-of-pocket.

In 1988, John took the first step toward honoring teachers when he created the annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, an event that still occurs today. But this act of appreciation was not enough for John - he wanted to create something that could tangibly support teachers in their classrooms. In 1996, he started the Collierville Education Foundation.

CEF is known for promoting excellence in Collierville Schools. And since excellence is something John attains naturally and desires to see in Collierville, involvement in the organization has been one of his crowning achievements. John knew the foundation would need significant financial support, so when his first wife passed away, be created the Marilyn Barnes Green endowment in her honor. Since the creation of the endowment in 2002, John Green & Co. has given more than $100,000 to the endowment.

CEF continues to see growth as community members recognize the importance of supporting education through teacher grant programs. John is a gem in our community and was most recently recognized by the Collierville Chamber of Commerce, when his company was awarded the first Spirit of Collierville Award at the organization’s annual Gala. Thanks to the work of people like John Green, the future of Collierville Schools is bright!