EntrepreneurA graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point, Jim Keegan is perhaps best known as a co-founder of Morgan Keegan & Company (now Raymond James), one of the country’s largest investment firms, serving as president and COO until his retirement in 1985. But that was just
the beginning of his entrepreneurial career. Keegan spent the next five years running the investment business for National Commerce Bancorporation, but when he left, he told The Commercial Appeal why: “The corporate world is wonderful, but my real love is entrepreneurial ventures.” In 1996, he found just the opportunity he was looking for, joining his friend Bob Adams who had been running a human-resources outsourcing firm called Staff Line. The firm was rebranded as Adams Keegan, as Keegan — who had been an original Staff Line investor — took on a larger ownership interest and oversight role. This was the catalyst that prepared Adams Keegan for significant growth, and today the various companies that comprise what once was only Adams Keegan have revenues in excess of $800 million and employ about 140 people.
Mr. Keegan is currently a private investor and has been involved in a number of mid-stage financing of young companies over the last 30 years. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Adams Keegan since 1996 and previously served as Chairman. He was a co-founder of Morgan Keegan & Company and served as President and COO until his retirement in 1985. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Association of Securities Dealers (1980) and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of NASDAQ, Inc. (1981-1983) Mr. Keegan served as a Director of AutoZone, Inc. from 1991 through 2004, and a member of the Board of Directors of The Memphis Incubator System, Inc. (Emerge Memphis) (1996-2007). He served on The Regional Medical Center at Memphis Board of Directors in 1983 through 1994 and helped found the MED Foundation in 1987 and served as its’ Chairman until his retirement in 2006. He served on the Advisory Board of Wunderlich Securities since 1996 and the Board of Directors from 2006-2013. Mr. Keegan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The United States Military Academy, West Point, NY.
A professional employer organization (PEO) that provides employee benefits, payroll, workers’ compensation, and other services. Also, an administrative service organization (ASO) that is similar, but does not create a co-employment relationship.
