Tingley heads Erlanger heart/lung institute
Erlanger Health System has hired Judy E. Tingley as vice president and CEO of Erlanger’s new heart and lung institute.
Dr. Tingley previously served as chief operating officer of HeartSource, a joint program of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.
As administrator for the Columbia HeartSource cardiovascular program, she applied her extensive expertise in cardiology, cardiac surgery, patient care, quality improvement and data management to support business development for Columbia HeartSource and 15 affiliate programs, including community hospitals, newly formed hospital systems and large academic medical centers.
In her new role at Erlanger, Dr. Tingley will lead the overall operations of the institute, quality improvement, program development and clinical education efforts on behalf of Erlanger’s newly launched Heart and Lung Institute.
Dr. Charles Campbell, chief of cardiovascular medicine and co-director of Erlanger’s Heart and Lung Institute, said Tingley’s “extensive experience in strategic planning, team building and performance improvement initiatives will be invaluable to Erlanger’s heart team, as well as to the health of this region.”
Dr. Tingley is a member of the American College of Cardiology’s science and quality steering committee, clinical policy approval committee, surviving acute MI workgroup, patient navigator program task force and the Society of Thoracic Surgeon’s (STS) task force on quality initiatives. She is the founding chairperson of the New York State STS regional data management workgroup.
BlueCross taps Lawrence for behavioral disorders
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has named Scot Lawrence as director of ancillary and behavioral health contracting.
In this new role, Lawrence is responsible for defining and directing state-wide contracting strategies and negotiations for ancillary providers, including lab, home health, skilled nursing and dialysis providers, as well as behavioral health providers such as psychiatrists, psychologists and behavioral health facilities.
“Scot has been a key part of BlueCross’s efforts to implement new behavioral health networks for our members,” said Marc Barclay, vice president of provider networks and contracting. “His knowledge and skill make him well-suited to lead the development of our ancillary strategic provider partnerships.”
Based in Nashville, Lawrence has more than 20 years of experience in managed care and health insurance. He joined BlueCross in 2014 as principal for behavioral contracting, where he successfully led the implementation of new behavioral health networks to serve commercial, Medicare and Medicaid members.
Before joining BlueCross, Lawrence served as vice president of network strategy for UnitedHealthcare’s Community Plan of Tennessee. Lawrence earned a bachelor’s in sociology and a master’s in urban affairs from Virginia Tech.
Bales opens Bridgeworks divorce financial planning
Chris Bales, a certified financial planner formerly with Morgan Stanley, has opened Bridgeworks Divorce Financial Planning, LLC, in Chattanooga to provide financial guidance to individuals and couples who are considering, in the process of or have finalized their divorce.
Bales is a certified divorce financial analyst and a certified financial planner.
“At Bridgeworks Divorce Financial Planning, we help determine the short-term and long-term financial impact of a proposed divorce settlement,” Bales said. “We examine and analyze the financial issues of a divorce, providing our clients and their lawyers with data to assist in the understanding of the impact of the settlement in the present and the future and to strengthen their position in the case both during mediation and litigation.”
Bridgeworks Divorce Financial Planning is located in Suite 150 of the Four Squares Business Center, 1200 Mountain Creek Road.
Allison joins Alexian as registered dietitian
Alexian Brothers Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) has added Marybeth Allison to its dietician team. Allison is a registered dietitian providing nutrition care services individually through nutrition intervention, education and counseling. She works in collaboration with PACE doctors, therapists, pharmacists, nurses and other medical staff to determine nutritional needs and dietary modifications for each participant with the goal to achieve the highest quality of life.
Allison received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Georgia and completed her dietetic internship through Morrison/Chartwells. She previously worked at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where she gained valuable nutrition experience in an array of medical conditions. She also worked for WIC (Women, Infant and Children) in Northwest Georgia, where she was able to provide nutrition and breastfeeding support to underprivileged women, infants and children.
Before joining Alexian Brothers PACE, Allison worked at Alexian Village retirement community on Signal Mountain providing nutrition care, classes, counseling and education to senior residents.
DeLeonardis joins CHI as physician assistant
Elizabeth “DeDe” DeLeonardis has joined CHI Memorial Medical Group as a physician assistant. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from South College in Knoxville. She is a certified physician assistant by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
DeLeonardis joins Beth Casady, D.O., at CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates in Spring City, Tenn.
Henderson appointed to housing authority
Longtime civic leader and CPA Carl Henderson was named to the Chattanooga Housing Authority’s board of commissioners by Mayor Andy Berke. Henderson replaces the unexpired term of outgoing board member Jim Steffes, who is also a CPA. He will serve until 2020.
Serving as past managing partner for HHM CPAs, Henderson has vast experience in multiple services and industries. As a former revenue agent for the IRS, Henderson is well versed on tax laws and will bring that expertise to the housing authority. In addition to his professional service, Henderson is an active member of the community serving in volunteer leadership roles at the Mountain City Club, Siskin Foundation and Friends of North Chickamauga Creek Greenway.
In addition to Henderson’s appointment, the City Council also approved staggered board terms for several members of the CHA board. Board Chairmen Eddie Holmes and Jim Levine will serve terms ending on May 31, 2021. Wilbert Roberts and Edna Varner will serve terms ending on June 1, 2019, while Vice-Chairman Jim Sattler will serve a term ending June 1, 2018.
Wright joins Floyd as donor coordinator
Casey Wright has joined Floyd Healthcare Foundation as the donor relations coordinator. She will assist with all giving plans and work with foundation employees, board members and donors in an effort to raise funds to help Floyd Medical Center.
Wright earned a bachelor of science degree in nonprofit management from Auburn University in Auburn, Ala.
Before coming to Floyd, she was volunteer coordinator with Auburn University College of Agriculture’s Community Garden program in Auburn, Ala., and the after-school enrichment program coordinator with the YWCA of Central Alabama in Birmingham.
Rodriquez is CSCC foundation chairman
Dr. Maricela Rodriguez, a Chattanooga State Community College graduate and local dentist, has been elected for a two-year term as chairwoman and president of the Chattanooga State Foundation.
She succeeded Alan Cates as head of the foundation, which was started in 1977 to help fundraising, support and scholarships for Chattanooga State Community College.
Other officers for the foundation include Edna Varner as vice-chairwoman and chair-elect, John Germ as treasurer, Britt Tabor as assistant treasurer and Roberta Miles as secretary.
New board members for the foundation include Rowena Belcher, TVA retiree and community volunteer; Scott Mattice, senior vice president of Morgan Stanley; Reggie Piercy, senior vice president of Vision Hospitality; Keith Sanford, president of the Tennessee Aquarium; Britt Tabor, chief financial officer of Erlanger Health System; and Tom White, senior vice president of investor relations at the Unum Group.
Founded in 1977, the Chattanooga State Foundation fosters a philanthropic community in support of the mission of Chattanooga State Community College. Gifts to the Foundation help support needs across campus for things not covered by tuition and fees, including scholarships for deserving students and professional development for faculty and staff.
Erlanger’s Crowe gets Presidential Citation
William C. Crowe Jr., a medicine service line administrator at Erlanger Health System, has been selected to receive the Society of Critical Care Medicine, (SCCM,) Presidential Citation Award.
The Society established the Presidential Citation Award in 1995 to honor members who have made outstanding contributions to the organization.
At Erlanger, Crowe oversees the adult hospitalist program at four facilities, pulmonary critical care, advanced practice, and correctional health care. In addition to his full-time position as an administrator, he also serves as a clinical instructor for the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and works collaboratively with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing as the AG-ACNP concentration coordinator. Dr. Crowe is the Chattanooga site coordinator and co-chairman of the membership committee for the Southeast chapter of SCCM.
Local FastSigns wins three national awards
FastSigns of Chattanooga has won three national awards from among nearly 650 locations worldwide at the 2017 FastSigns Convention.
The locally owned and operated business was recognized with the Sales Achievement Award for highest volume centers, which recognizes the top five centers in the FastSigns network with the highest total sales volume; the CEO Circle Award, which recognizes the top 25 centers with the highest sales volume in the U.S. and Canada last year; and the Million Dollar Award for achieving more than $4 million in annual sales.
“We are truly honored to be recognized as a top performing center in the country,” said franchisee Phil Bacon, who owns FastSigns of Chattanooga with his wife, Cindy.
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