John M. Barzizza, Executive Director Memphis Chapter
Retired President & Owner Southwestern Distributing Co., Memphis
Mr. Barzizza is a native of Memphis surburb Germantown TN, graduated from Christian Brothers High School, Memphis 1966, Regis University, Denver Colorado, received a BS degree in Marketing in December, 1969. Served in the Student Government General Assembly 2 years.
He served in the United States Navy Reserve from 1969 – 1975.
He is a member of the Christian Brothers High School Alumni Association (President 1992-1993), served on the Christian Brothers High School Board of Directors in 1993-2002 and was inducted into the Christian Brothers High School Hall of Fame in 1993 (President 1998-2000). Selected as the Distinguished Aluminus at CBHS in the Fall of 2016.
Mr. Barzizza also was a member of Board of Directors of the Germantown High School Football “Touch Down” Club (President 1992-1993).
He coached basketball and baseball from 1973-1984 in the Germantown Youth Athletic Association and at basketball at St. Georges School Germantown in 1983-1984.
He joined the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame through the Memphis Chapter in 1984, served as President 1999 and currently the Executive Director of the Chapter since 2009.
Mr. Barzizza joined the Memphis Quarterback Club in 1992, then joined the Memphis Touchdown Club in 1999, served as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors 2007-2014.
He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors at SRVS (Shelby Residential and Vocational Services) in 1995 (Chairman of the Board for two 2 year terms). SRVS is a Non Profit organization to benefit the intellectually disabled. from 2008-2011 chaired the SRVS Capital Campaign until the financial goals were achieved in 2011.
He started volunteering for the Liberty Bowl starting in 1977 and was elected to the board of the Liberty Bowl in 1984 and served various offices and as committee chair on various events. He joined the Executive Committee of the AXA Liberty Bowl (now AutoZone Liberty Bowl) in 1995 and served as President in 2000 and Chairman of the Board in 2001. He served as the AZLB Luncheon Chairman 1990-93, and has Co-Chair of the Pre-Game Buffet since 1994 and a member of the President's Gala Committee.
A career business man was he owned with his brother Southwestern Distributing Co. starting his career in 1969, elected President 1977, retired 2012 after 43 years in the wholesale wine, spirits and beer business. Mr. Barzizza served on the Board of Directors for the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee from 1984 – 1994, & 1999 – to the December 2012 retirement and also served on the Board of Directors for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America in 1988 to December 2012 retirement.
In November, 2014 Mr. Barzizza was elected Alderman, Position 1, City of Germantown, TN.
Married to Wanda Freeman Barzizza, 5 grown children, 4 grandchildren.
Ryan Groves
Consultant and Compliance Program Manager
Mr. Groves graduated from Montgomery Central High School in 1996 where he was an All-Region Tackle for the Indians. Passing up the chance to play football at a Division II school, he pursued and received a Bachelors and Masters of Science degree in Industrial Engineering as well as an MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Ryan is married to Christine Chapin Groves and they have two boys, Gracen (15) and Grant (13). Gracen is an upcoming junior at Christian Brothers High School and Grant will be a 8th grader at St. Louis School. Christine is a science lab teacher at Christ Methodist Day School. Both boys are great students and avid athletes, competing in football, basketball, lacrosse and swimming.
After completing graduate studies in 2003, Ryan moved to Memphis and was hired by Aon Hewitt as a Project Manager where he managed global HR projects to transition new clients to their shared service delivery model and implement best in class Enterprise software programs and processes. In 2007, he went to work for the Chapin Group, a Memphis employee benefits and financial planning firm, as an account executive and consultant leveraging corporate strategies from Aon to smaller markets. In 2010, he joined MLGW as a senior project engineer working on large scale projects and was promoted in 2017 to Ethics & Compliance Program Manager that oversees the division’s adherence to federal, state and local regulations. Ryan earned his professional engineering (PE) license in 2014 and is an active board director and president-elect for the Engineers Club of Memphis, past president and board member of the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers and past president and board member for the Memphis Joint Engineering Council (MJEC).
In Ryan’s spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He volunteers as a youth athletics coach and is involved in various charity organizations in Memphis including the National Football Foundation, Carnival Memphis Children Charities (Board of Directors Emeritus), the Autozone Liberty Bowl and the United Way. At work, he annually chairs the MLGW/United Way Charity Golf Tournament that raises more than $20k each year. Ryan is also an active alumni of the University of Tennessee, having served on the local alumni chapter since 2015 and serving as treasurer, vice president and president during his tenure. In 2016, he helped found the Big Orange Gala in Memphis that annually brings alumni together with University leaders for a night of festivities and to raise money for local scholarships. Since 2016, proceeds from the Big Orange Gala have helped award $24k in scholarships and amass an endowment of over $100k.
Ryan has been an active volunteer and board member for the Autozone Liberty Bowl over the last 12 years having assisted with hospitality, golf tournament and press box activities.
Toni Parker
Parker Law Firm
Mrs. Parker is married to Greg Parker, they have twin daughters, Abby and Shelby. and are member of Independent Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee.
She atttended Law School at the University of Mississippi Law Center, received her Juris Doctor, 1979, she is an undergraduate: University of Mississippi with a Bachelor Of Public Administration, 1977 and Juris Doctor: University of Mississippi 1979
Mrs. Parker is a member of the Memphis Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section of Memphis Bar Association (Past Chairman and Current Board of Directors), Tennessee Bar Association, Section on Bankruptcy, Banking and Commercial Law, Tennessee Bar Association, Mississippi Bar Association, American Bar Association and American Bankruptcy Institute.
She is a Certificate Holder and Board of Directors of the Mid-South Fair, Past President of Mid-South Fair, (2000-2001), a member of the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame, (Member, Board of Directors and 2013 President of Memphis Chapter), Member of the Grand Krewe of Luxor (Board Member), Memphis Mothers of Multiples Club, Past President of Memphis Mothers of Multiples Club, Committee on National Convention For National Association of Mothers of Twins; Past Adjunct Professor for Southwest Community College.
Chuck Molinski
Goodwill Excel Center Midsouth – VP of Education
He is a member of the Board of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl which is the nation’s seventh oldest bowl in America. His involvement with the bowl extends back over twenty years.
Molinski’s interest in football carried over to the Memphis chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1990 when his father, Dr. Ed Molinski was inducted after a college career at the University of Tennessee as an All-American guard in 1939 and 1940.
A family tradition was started with his mother, Geneva Molinski, becoming a board member for the Memphis chapter as well as his daughter, Jenna, who currently serves on the Board. Chuck served as president of the board for the 2011-2012 year.
David Boston
Sr. Sales representative, Cummins-Allison Corp.
Mr. Boston received his degree from Louisiana Tech University and works as a senior sales representative for Cummins-Allison Corporation. He is married and has two daughters.
A member of the Knights of Columbus, David’s interests and community activities are varied but lean heavily toward the sport of football. His work as a football official ranges from officiating Conference USA college games in the past to his present day officiating at area high school football games.
Mr. Boston is a very active member of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Board of Directors where he chairs the Players and Coaches Luncheon held during Festival Week.
He has also been heavily involved with the Memphis chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame for twelve years serving as a board member and a past president.
Greg Cotton
Attorney, Cotton Law Firm, Collierville TN.
Mr. Cotton is a 1978 graduate of the University of Alabama and a 1981 graduate of Cumberland School of Law.
A Sunday school teacher and trustee of his church, he is also on the following boards: Collierville Chamber of Commerce also serving on the Chamber's Government Relations Committee, Collierville Planning Commission, long term board member and President of the Touchdown Club of Memphis from 2013-2020, Board member of Family Promise, Board Member NFF Memphis Chapter since 2008, Board member of Collierville Literacy Council.
Mr. Cotton is a member of the Memphis-Shelby County Bar Association, Birmingham Bar Association, Alabama Bar Association, and member of various U. S. Circuit Courts of Appeals (Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh). Mr. Cotton has also served as a special judge, is a lecturer for the National Business Institute and a Rule 13 Certified Mediator.
Mr. Cotton is also a Mason and a Shriner.
Married to Debbie Cotton, she and Greg have four grown children and 5 grandchildren.
Kimbal Gordon II
Graduated from East High School 1970 and University of Tennessee 1974 with Business Degree Majoring in Accounting.
Worked in Surety Bond Business for over 37 Years all in Memphis and with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company since 2014.
Married to Nancy Counce Gordon with 7 Grandchildren.
Member of Touchdown Club since 1975, President in 2000 and Treasurer since 2005.
Board of Directors NFF&CH of Memphis since 2019