Robert Philips

Through RIVERROADGROUP and prior firms, Robert Philips has helped countless, far-flung Chambers, CVBs, CDCs, cities, counties, states, and international companies with strategic planning, branding, communications strategies, and creative implementation of ideas.  

Previously, in 2003 Philips co-founded Thompson Philips Community Branding.  The boutique firm developed strategies, publications, and new media to help launch regional initiatives relating to industry sectors such as biotech, healthcare, logistics, intellectual property, venture capital, tourism and relocation.  Prior to being acquired in 2006, the firm’s work contributed to significant international awareness and precipitated investments in client regions.  

In 1999, Philips established Philips Communications, a Chattanooga and Memphis Tennessee-based investment, management and consulting company that has launched, owned, operated or otherwise participated in a wide gamut of community-related media properties including alternative newsweekly, magazine, hardback, business directory, relocation guide, trade publication, video & film, online, digital screen narrowcast, and other new media formats.  

Throughout the 1990’s Philips traveled the United States developing Towery Publishing’s Urban Tapestry Series, the pre-internet-era pioneer and industry leader in corporate-sponsored, community-branding coffee table books. Combining civic vision with stakeholder marketing dollars, gallery-quality photography, and writing by world leaders like President Jimmy Carter, this series of upscale publications enabled cities to powerfully communicate their unique regional assets & true grit to Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, families and other target audiences.  

In 2005 Philips was the Founding Board President of the Midtown Memphis Development Corporation, a volunteer organization he led for three years.  In Memphis, Philips also served on the Founding Boards of the Memphis Regional Design Center and the New Ballet Ensemble.