Tyrone Burroughs

Tyrone Burroughs is a visionary entrepreneur, business strategist, and philanthropist with over three decades of experience in retail distribution, sales, marketing, and business development. As Chairman of First Choice Global, Inc., he leads a diversified portfolio of companies spanning consumer goods, real estate, finance, hospitality, and community impact initiatives. Recognized for his ability to identify growth opportunities, drive innovation, and build strategic partnerships, he has established himself as a catalyst for market expansion and business transformation.

In 1987, Mr. Burroughs founded First Choice Global Sales & Merchandising Company, pioneering innovative retail distribution strategies that have positioned the company as a leader in the $1.7 trillion multicultural personal care market. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, First Choice employs over 100 professionals and has been recognized for its strategic growth solutions, helping global consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, and distributors drive revenue and market expansion. In addition to First Choice, he oversees a portfolio of business ventures and investments, including First Choice Opportunity Fund, South City LP, BeauVentures, LLC, MG Capital Holdings Inc., 115 Union Ave, LLC, The Pocket Bistro, and R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home. In 2019, he expanded his business holdings with the launch of Burroughs Restaurant Group Inc., securing U.S. Mid-South franchise rights for Guthrie’s Chicken Restaurants.

Beyond his business ventures, Mr. Burroughs serves on numerous corporate, civic, and nonprofit boards, where he provides strategic guidance on economic development, financial oversight, and community engagement. He currently holds board positions with the Guaranty Bank & Trust Company, Benedict College Board of Trustees, Greater Memphis Chamber – Chairman’s Circle, Tennessee Lottery Commission, St. Jude Memphis African American Engagement Council, Memphis Theological Seminary, WKNO Board of Trustees, Faith-Based & Community Initiative Foundation, Memphis NAACP Branch Board of Directors, and the Global Beauty Alliance Board. His past board service includes the Federal Reserve Bank – Memphis Branch, Ronald McDonald House, Regional One Health Hospital Board, and the Shelby County Convention Center Board. His accomplishments have earned him a place on the prestigious Memphis Business Journal Power 100, recognizing the most influential business leaders in the Memphis region.

A dedicated philanthropist, Mr. Burroughs is committed to closing the generational wealth gap in underserved communities through education, economic empowerment, and social investment. In 2010, he and his wife, Nelda Burroughs, established The Burroughs Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on financial literacy, workforce development, and higher education access. Through the foundation, he has provided scholarships, mentorship, and funding for students across the country, supported faith-based and social initiatives, and led community investment efforts both domestically and internationally. His philanthropic contributions also include mission work in China, local food distribution programs, and healthcare support for underserved communities.

In recognition of his contributions to business, education, and philanthropy, Benedict College renamed its School of Business & Economics in his honor in 2017, establishing the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship. That same year, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Benedict College. He is a 2021 inductee of The Society of Entrepreneurs and a recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America. Despite his numerous achievements, he considers his greatest success to be the educational and professional accomplishments of his children, all of whom have earned college degrees, postgraduate credentials, and built successful careers.

Born and raised in Lane, South Carolina, Mr. Burroughs earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Benedict College. He pursued graduate studies at the University of South Carolina, where he met his wife, Nelda. The couple married in 1981 and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1985, where they have raised three children and six grandchildren.