Memphis must aspire to be a “city of choice” – not just as a tagline or slogan, but as a way of life, Mayor A C Wharton said Thursday.

And to make Memphis more of a city where people happily opt to live, government must treat businesses and citizens in a helpful, responsive manner, he said.

Appearing before a group of 300 people assembled for the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Breakfast Forum at the Hilton Memphis, Wharton said Memphis can be “a city that rolls with the big dogs.” But to do it, he said, “we have to put some real money on the table.”

He joked: “If you are not a big dog, then stay on the porch with all the other puppies, because I am tired of running with puppies.”

As attendees laughed at his down-home colloquialisms, Wharton intrigued the audience with his boastful list of Memphis bragging rights – reminding the group of the many outstanding companies, educational institutions and health care facilities located here.

He also highlighted all the many encouraging characteristics related to Memphis International Airport, which includes Delta’s strong presence here and that Memphis is a critical part of FedEx’s “three world hub” strategy, with Guangzhou, China and Paris being the others.

Meanwhile, Wharton said, his efforts as mayor will continue to focus on uplifting the city’s middle class. This group, he said, has the greatest impact on moving our city’s economy forward.

“There may be some people in this group who want to live in Memphis, but may not have the resources to grow or move forward,” he said. “I want them to know the mayor is here to help them, so we can all move up.”

He continued: “In the words of Sen. Bill Cohen of Maine, ‘Government is an enemy until you need a friend.’ Well, I want my administration to be a friend all the time.”

This approach must apply to the relationship between city government and business as well, he said.

“In the words of Luther [Vandross], ‘Sometimes you just have to buy a lady a rose to show her your love and appreciation.’ Well, we need to buy some of our companies a rose as well to show them we value their business here in Memphis - and then maybe they will build a 100 more companies.”

Breakfast Forums are routine events held for the community by the Chamber, and feature some of the city’s most notable personalities and leaders. To learn more about upcoming events, visit events.memphischamber.com or call the Chamber at 901-543-3500 for more information.