Dr. Richard MoodyRichard Moody elected president of Chattanooga Medical Society
Dr. Richard Moody has been selected as the 2023 president of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society. He is the 140th president in the organization’s history.
Moody, an internal medicine physician, is a partner at Chattanooga Family Practice Associates in East Ridge. He succeeds President Dr. Marijka Grey with Common Spirit. Other officers are Dr. Harish Manyam with Erlanger Cardiology as president-elect and Dr. Melanie Blake with Lifestyle Medicine at Galen as secretary-treasurer.
“We have a strong record of farsighted vision and health promotion in our community,” Moody said in a statement about the Medical Society. “I am impressed with how the Society bridges or, better yet, obliterates the typical silos in which we operate. It is important that we continue to pursue the common causes that called us to this profession in the first place.”
New members of the 2023 Medical Society board are Dr. Robert Magil of Parkridge Health System and Dr. Todd Thurston of Refined Looks Plastic Surgery.
Charriet WombleBlueCross promotes Womble to Medicare compliance officer
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has named Charriet Womble as director of regulatory compliance and Medicare compliance officer. Womble has served as an ethics and compliance manager for the BlueCross Medicare Advantage program since 2020.
In her new role, she is responsible for designing, developing and overseeing all aspects of the regulatory compliance assurance process for Medicare Advantage products. This includes monitoring and coordinating both internal and external audits, overseeing day-to-day operations of her team, and working with regulatory agencies and business partners to ensure BlueCross meets all internal and government guidelines.
“Charriet has over 20 years of experience in this field and has already proven her value to the Medicare Advantage team during a challenging time,” said Julie Boerger, vice president and chief compliance officer for BlueCross. “I know she’ll do an excellent job leading compliance efforts for this line of business.”
Womble is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and earned her MBA in healthcare management from the University of Phoenix.
Dr. Harsha ShanthaShantha starts his own practice for pulmonary and sleep medicine
Dr. Harsha Shantha has opened his own medical practice at the Pulmonary & Sleep Institute, PLLC, 5109 Brainerd Road.
Shantha, who has practiced medicine in Chattanooga for more than 15 years, is triple board certified in pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine and sleep medicine, and he treats all lung disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, shortness of breath and lung cancer. He also performs comprehensive pulmonary evaluation and testing onsite including pulmonary function tests, six-minute walk tests and home sleep studies. He also evaluates, diagnoses and treats sleep disorders such as snoring, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy.
Shantha’s new office also features the most technologically advanced pulmonary function test machine.
Shantha is a graduate of Bangalore Medical College in Bangalore, India, and he did his medical residency at East Tennessee State University.
James VaughnFood City honors local store volunteer
Food City has recognized three area employees for their volunteerism through the Claude P. Varney Volunteer Recognition Program.
Jim Vaughn, a stock manager in Cleveland, Tennessee, was recognized for his work with veterans and first responders through his Facebook page, The Dark Side of Service, and its nonprofit. Gail Chapman, a front-end manager in Red Bank, won the award for dedicating her time and money to provide home-cooked meals for the homeless through her work at New Covenant Fellowship Church. Shelly Roach, a food service clerk in Lafayette, Georgia, was honored for her work with families struggling with the problems of drug addiction through her work with Unified in Recovery.
Gail ChapmanThe Food City award program is named in memory of Food City’s former president and board vice-chairman of 47 years, Claude P. Varney, who was known for his compassion and humanitarian services. An independent panel of judges review associate nominations. The winners are selected based upon outstanding achievements in the areas of health, education, environment, cultural arts, recreational, heritage/history and public service.
Shelly Roach“Food City is committed to the communities we serve,” Steven C. Smith, Food City president and CEO, said in a statement. “Many of our associates volunteer their time and talents to assist civic organizations throughout the region and we’re proud to formally recognize their efforts.”
Dr. Prabhu VijayvargiyaVijayvargiya joins Memorial Buz Standefer Lung Center
Dr. Prabhu Vijayvargiya has joined the Buz Standefer Lung Center and CHI Memorial Lung Care Associates.
Vijayvargiya earned his medical degree from S. M. S. Medical College, University of Rajasthan in Jaipur, India. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Englewood Health, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Englewood, New Jersey. Vijayvargiya completed a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at Bronx Lebanon Hospital in New York, a fellowship in critical care medicine at George Washington Medical Center in Washington and a fellowship in shock trauma critical care at Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems in Baltimore.
Vijayvargiya is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal, pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. He has 30 years of experience in caring for patients in clinic and hospital settings.
Lane FordLane Ford teams up with Market Street Partners
Market Street Partners PLLC, a Chattanooga-based accounting firm, is teaming up with Lane Ford of Ford Consult to expand its business consulting services.
With more than 25 years of experience, Ford has served as chief financial officer of companies in every life stage. From high-growth start ups to established family-owned businesses, Ford has provided financial leadership during early-stage funding processes, rapid growth phases, ownership transitions and successful exits. Now he brings that expertise to Market Street clients.
“Our goal at Market Street Partners is to do whatever we can to help our clients succeed,” Market Street Partners Co-Founding Partner Kyle Bryant said in an announcement of the new service. “Business leaders have to continuously navigate critical impasses as they grow their organizations, and it is always nice to have a guiding light during those moments. Thanks to Lane, we can be that light, enabling our clients to make informed decisions that will move them toward continued success.”
Ford said “it is the perfect time to team up with Market Street Partners,” to help serve a growing list of clients.
“Our services dovetail nicely, giving us the ability to address a wide range of needs seamlessly in-house,” Ford said in a news release.
Jody B. RiggsForbes names 3 local women as top women wealth advisors
Three local financial advisors have been named to the new Forbes list of “Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors” for 2023.
The list recognizes financial advisors who have demonstrated high levels of ethical standards, professionalism and success in the business and is developed each year by Shook Research.
The Chattanooga women on the list include Jody B. Riggs, a private wealth advisor with Ameriprise Financial Inc.; Carla Donina, a senior vice president of wealth management for UBS Financial Services, and Betsy Gibson, vice president of investments at Gibson Wealth Management of Raymond James.
Riggs is part of Riggs & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services LLC. She graduated from Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Riggs has 31 years of experience with Ameriprise Financial.
Donina has been providing wealth management advice for over 30 years. She is a graduate of Indiana University in Pennsylvania and holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst designation. Donina also serves as the chairperson of the board of directors for the AIM Center and serves on the advisory board for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s College of Business.
Gibson is a graduate of UTC and has worked at Raymond James since 2004.
Information about new hires, promotions and business awards should be sent to onthemove@timesfreepress.com.