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Business Digest: TVFCU promotes Chestnutt for lending

TVFCU promotes Chestnutt for lending

The Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union has promoted Belinda Chestnutt to assistant vice president of consumer lending with oversight over the organization’s indirect and consumer lending programs.

“Belinda has been extremely instrumental in growing our indirect lending program,” said Todd Fortner, president and CEO of TVFCU.

Chestnutt joined TVFCU in 1978 as the first call center employee after working at American National Bank. She has worked in TVFCU’s central lending department since it was established in 1992. Most recently, she served as the indirect lending manager and helped to create TVFCU’s indirect lending platform.

Chambliss law firm on BTI honor roll

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. has earned a place on BTI’s Honor Roll of most recommended firms. BTI’s Brand Elite 2016: Client Perceptions of the Best-Branded Law Firms independent report states that corporate counsel see Chambliss standing out for its client recommendations.

“From negotiating significant business transactions to defending complex claims, our team is committed to building relationships with clients by providing cutting-edge legal knowledge and consistent quality service,” said Mike St. Charles, managing shareholder of Chambliss. “The recognition as a top-recommended firm confirms that we are effectively assisting our clients with their business and personal objectives.”

BTI’s analysis measures recognition of more than 420 law firms based on unbiased, direct feedback from 639 in-depth interviews with corporate counsel at the world’s largest organizations.

Leitner, Williams adds attorney Frank Clark

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, PLLC has added attorney Frank P. Clark to its Chattanooga office.

Clark graduated from the Mississippi College and earned his law degree from the University of Mississippi. His areas of practice include general liability and insurance coverage and defense. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi.

Prior to coming to Leitner Williams, Clark was a career prosecutor. He prosecuted felony cases for more than 13 years, starting in his home state of Mississippi, and then in the Atlanta area. He has tried nearly 100 jury trials involving cases from small drug possessions to violent crimes such as rape and murder featured on Court TV, ABC’s 20/20, In Session, Investigation Discovery’s Blood Relatives, and the Oxygen Channel’s Snapped.

Karin Kennedy moves practice to Hixson

Dr. Karin Kennedy has relocated her podiatry practice to 4841 Hixson Pike, Suite G, in Hixson.

Kennedy has been in podiatry practice for 15 years. She graduated from Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, and served her residency at the Veteran Administration hospital in Huntington, WV.

Giffin is sales leader for Alliance Brands

Jennifer Giffin, sales manager at Allegra Design, Print, Mail in Chattanooga, has been recognized as one of the Top 10 sales performers in North America by the Alliance Franchise Brands network.

The recognition is based on providing an outstanding level of customer understanding and service, as well as sales volume. Giffin also received a Gold Milestone Award for the fifth consecutive year in recognition of her sales and customer service excellence.

Giffin, a resident of Soddy- Daisy, joined Allegra 18 years ago.

Teter new executive director for symphony

The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera has appointed Samantha Teter as executive director effective. Teter had been serving as interim executive director since former executive director Molly Sasse French went on medical leave in November and ultimately announced her resignation effective Jan. 31, 2016. Sasse French had served as executive director since 2007.

Teter will work with the CSO board on a new five-year strategic plan, improve financial and organizational processes and procedures, continue work on increasing audiences and build upon the CSO’s current donor, corporate and foundation relationships.

Teter has most recently served as the director of marketing and corporate partnerships for the CSO, a role she has been in since August 2012. Prior to that, she served as director of marketing and sales for the Colorado Symphony from 2010-2012, and as director of marketing and public relations for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic from 2006-2010.

Vital named Fellow for American Bar

Patricia Best Vital, principal of Vital Law Office & Dispute Resolution Services in downtown Chattanooga, was recently named as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation [ABF].

Membership in The Fellows is limited to 1 percent of the lawyers admitted to practice in the United States and its territories and to a limited number of lawyers in jurisdictions outside of the United States.

Tim Watson, assistant director of The Fellows, said Vital was recognized for her professional achievements and efforts to improve the legal profession in the areas of mediation, arbitration, and other forms of dispute resolution. Her efforts in those areas include her listing as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 General Civil/Family/Domestic Violence Listed Dispute Resolution Neutral and as a Certified Mediator in the Eastern and Middle Tennessee Federal Mediation Programs.

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