Burger director at Morning Pointe

Tabitha Burger, a licensed practical nurse, has become resident services director at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga.

Morning Pointe is a 63-unit assisted living community and secure Alzheimer’s memory care center at 7620 Shallowford Road.

Ms. Burger will oversee and ensure the delivery of quality resident care services.

She has more than 10 years of nursing and management experience and previously served as charge nurse at The Health Center at Standifer Place.

She lives in Cleveland, Tenn., with her children, Karson and Kaleb.

Morning Pointe is part of Independent Healthcare Properties LLC, which was founded in 1996 by Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow.

Attorneys become firm shareholders

The law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC has announced that attorneys Sheri A. Fox, John M. Phillips and Clinton P. Sanko have become shareholders in the firm.

Ms. Fox, a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, concentrates her practice in the areas of litigation, commercial litigation, medical malpractice and products liability defense. She is immediate past president of the Southeast Tennessee Association of Women Lawyers.

Mr. Phillips, who graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center, has his practice concentrated in the area of eminent domain and commercial litigation. He has served as president of the Chattanooga Young Lawyers Division.

Mr. Sanko concentrates his practice in the area of commercial litigation, including general civil litigation in a variety of commercial matters. He is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law.

Sexton, McDonald join UBS Services

Merrill Sexton and Scott McDonald have joined UBS Financial Services Inc., according to Jeff Cronan, executive director for the Chattanooga market for the firm.

Mr. Sexton is senior vice president-investments and Mr. McDonald is first vice president. They have more than 41 years of experience in the securities industry.

UBS Wealth Management USA serves the wealth management needs of more than two million clients, a news release said. Its Chattanooga office is in the Krystal Building in downtown Chattanooga.

McConnell given State Farm award

State Farm has announced that Chattanooga agent Sherrell McConnell has received its Crystal Excellence award.

The honor goes to agents who align their agencies with the long-term quality growth of all State Farm product lines, a news release stated.

Mr. McConnell has been with insurer for 27 years. He and his team are based at 8703 East Brainerd Road.

Lenoir City facility construction ends

Independent Healthcare Properties has announced its completion of construction for Morning Pointe of Lenoir City, Tenn.

The new Morning Pointe is a $7 million state-of-the-art structure featuring 59 assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care apartments. The Tennessee Department of Health recently approved the 42,000-square-foot facility.

A ribbon cutting is set for June 3 and a public grand opening is scheduled June 7 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Patricia Caron, a veteran health care administrator, is executive director of the new Morning Pointe.

Locally, IHP operates Morning Pointe of Chattanooga and The Lantern Alzheimer’s facility at 7620 Shallowford Road.

Collegedale facilities include Morning Pointe at Greenbriar Cove at 9650 Leyland Drive in the Greenbriar Cove retirement community and The Lantern Alzheimer’s Center at Morning Pointe at 9300 Messinger Lane. Morning Pointe of Hixson at 5501 Old Hixson Pike is currently being built with completion expected in January 2010.

Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow founded Independent Healthcare Properties, LLC in 1996.

Chris Welch named to Excalibur post

Excalibur Integrated Systems Inc. has announced its appointment of Chris Welch as director of systems engineering.

Mr. Welch has more than 15 years of experience in networking, network security, storage and server consolidations.

At Excalibur, he will manage the engineering team and work with the sales staff to design network solutions for customers.

Excalibur services suppliers from multiple industries to design and implement total solutions, a news release said.

Barron’s honors adviser Ron Hart

Ronald Hart, managing director with Citigroup Global Markets Inc./Smith Barney in Atlanta, has been recognized by Barron’s magazine as one of the top 100 financial advisers.

“These rankings aim to raise standards in the financial services industry by shining a light on the best in the business,” said Matt Barthel, associate editor at Barron’s. “The idea is to give advisers a benchmark of excellence for their profession.”

Mr. Hart has been a member of Smith Barney for approximately nine years and has 26 years in the financial services industry. He holds an MBA from the University of Memphis and is a native Tennessean.

Smith Barney is a division of Citigrtoup Global Markets Inc. and is a provider of financial planning and advisory services.

Todd Gross named center manager

W. Todd Gross has been named center manager of Select Physical Therapy.

He has 16 years of experience that includes post-operative rehabilitation, workers compensation injuries, acute/chronic spinal conditions and sports medicine and injuries. He holds a degree in physical therapy from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Select Physical Therapy is an outpatient division of Select Medical Corp., located at 1605 Gunbarrel Road.

Kathleen Nelson joins CBL board

CBL & Associates Properties Inc. has announced the appointment of Kathleen Nelson to its board of directors.

She will fill a vacancy caused by the retirement of Martin J. Cleary.

The new CBL director has more than 40 years of experience in the commercial real estate and financial services.

She is also a former chairperson of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Ms. Nelson is on the board of advisers to the Rand Institute Center for Terrorism Risk Management Policy, advisory board of Castagna Realty Co. and board of the Greater Jamaica Development Corp.

She is a graduate of Indiana University.

“Kathleen is a great addition to our board of directors,” said CBL Chairman and CEO Charles B. Lebovitz. “Her skill set and knowledge will complement and reinforce the strengths of our board.”

CBL is a developer and owner of shopping centers nationally.

Six area residents pass CPA exam

Six area residents were among 83 people who recently passed the uniform certified public accountant exam, according to the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy.

Therese A. Koplan, Kevin R. Massey and Sara M. Merkord, of Chattanooga; Nickson O. Odeny, of Cleveland; Amanda E. Courtney, of Dunlap; and Robert R. Beckett, of Ooltewah, passed the exam.

After passing the exam, the successful candidates became members of the Tennessee Society of CPAs and its Chattanooga chapter.

Gardenhires recognized

Home Instead Senior Care, a provider of nonmedical home care and companionship to older adults, has honored local business owners James and Sandra Gardenhire for outstanding business performance.

The Gardenhires received a Presidential I at the company’s annual international meeting in Omaha, Neb., last month in recognition of superior sales and service satisfaction.