Halftimer Stories

Building Into Others

Kemmons Wilson

Almost every time I fly into Memphis, Tenn., Kemmons Wilson graciously picks me up at the airport and we drive to the Rendezvous, a restaurant off a downtown alley, for some of the best dry ribs this side of heaven.

This story is really not about finding the best BBQ ribs this side of heaven, although I think Kem and I have found them. It’s about building a life of significance from the inside out. Kem’s father started Holiday Inns, and rather than coast through life, Kem has built on that legacy and helped launch more than 20 effective ministries in Memphis while still growing his companies. Norma is a quiet, loving and Godly woman who has not only made Kem’s success possible but has built the most important asset in Kem’s life – their family. What they have is not flashy, it’s real. If their wealth disappeared overnight, what they value most would not be lost.

Connect with Kem's second-half passions: