Nashville entrepreneur Will Newman is no stranger to good barbecue and Southern hospitality. Born in Memphis and raised in McMinnville, Tenn., Newman grew up admiring the generosity and hard work of his grandfather, Edley Newman, and always wanted to find the perfect way to honor him. After graduating from The University of Tennessee and continuing on to earn a law degree from The University of Alabama, Newman soon realized his true calling was in hospitality and opened an ice cream franchise. With an entrepreneurial spirit and his grandfather’s legacy in mind, he began dreaming of a barbecue joint built on Southern soul, and in 2011, along with his wife and business partner Catharine, opened the first Edley’s Bar-B-Que in Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood.

Newman and his ‘que quickly gained recognition in Music City and beyond, with honors such as being named the “Best Bar-B-Que in Nashville” by readers of the Nashville Scene four years in a row and features with national publications like Southern Living, USA Today, Garden & Gun and CBS This Morning. Home to Nashville-style barbecue, a spicy pork dish inspired by the city’s famed hot chicken, Edley’s now has over five Tennessee locations and a new franchise location in Illinois, with no plans on stopping.

Will currently resides in Nashville, with his wife, Catharine, and their children George and Bo. In his free time, Will enjoys golfing, fishing, exercising, reading and spending time with his family and their English Lab, Dolly.