Business Digest: Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce names Miles Huff to head talent initatives

Miles Huff has joined the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce as senior director of talent initiatives.

Huff previously oversaw corporate social responsibility, including volunteerism, community engagement and corporate giving, for Unum’s Chattanooga and Glendale, California campuses, as well as Unum field offices. He serves on the regional advisory council for Susan G. Komen and acts as a host for Dining Out for Life benefiting the Cempa Community Foundation. Huff is a Leadership Chattanooga alum and the previous Business & IT Industry Council Chair for the Hamilton County Schools Future Ready Institutes.

“Miles brings deep knowledge of our community and experience connecting people to achieve mutual goals. We look forward to welcoming him to our stellar team as we build a future-ready workforce,” said Molly Blankenship, executive director of Chattanooga 2.0 and Chamber vice president of talent initiatives.

An eastern Kentucky native, Huff studied at Lee University and holds a graduate degree in mental health counseling. He worked in the mental health field for nearly a decade before moving into employee benefits, human resources and talent development.

Attorneys Gwen Kennedy, Kane Shepherd join Grant, Konvalinka and Harrison, P.C.

Attorneys Gwen Kennedy and Kane Shepherd have joined the law firm of Grant, Konvalinka and Harrison, P.C. as associates.

A native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Kennedy graduated from Mississippi State University in 2014 and earned her law degree in 2017 from the University of Mississippi School of Law, cum laude.

While in law school, Kennedy was a member of the Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court team and served as business manager on the Moot Court Executive Board. Kennedy participated in the Mississippi Innocence Project clinic and was a member of Phi Delta Phi. He previously practiced as a defense attorney in Tupelo, Mississippi and at Grant, Konvalinka will specialize in Family Law and Health Law.

Shepherd is a native of Montana and graduated with high honors from the University of Montana. He earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 2018. While attending law school, Mr. Shepherd served on the editorial boards of the Tennessee Law Review and Transactions: the Tennessee Journal of Business Law, and worked as a student attorney in the Business Law Clinic. Kane’s areas of practice include Business and Corporate Law, Real Estate, and Financial Services and Transactions.

Kane previously clerked at the Hamilton County Chancery Court for the Judges Pamela A. Fleenor and Jeffrey M. Atherton.

Shannon Alvey to lead Garden Plaza

Shannon Alvey, who has 25 years of experience in health care and senior living communities, has been appointed executive director of Garden Plaza of Collegedale.

The announcement is made by Esmerelda Lee, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Century Park Associates, which manages the facility.

Alvey is a licensed residential home-for-the-aged administrator through the Tennessee Department of Health. Prior to Garden Plaza, she was as executive director at Legacy Village of Cleveland and The Harbor at Legacy Village. Before that assignment, she was executive director at Dominion Senior Living of Athens. She also has worked with Erlanger Health System from 2011 to 2017, including the role of regional manager of UT Erlanger Cardiology.

“Shannon is a servant leader who continues to distinguish herself by her kindness, attention to detail, and love for people,” Lee said. “Century Park Associates is honored and excited to have a professional like Shannon leading our team at Garden Plaza, Collegedale, and we look forward to her continued growth.”^

James Brown joins Pinnacle as financial advisor

James D. Brown has joined Pinnacle Financial Partners as a financial advisor based in the firm’s Broad Street office. He brings 18 years of financial services experience in the Chattanooga market, including roles at Synovus Financial Corporation and Regions Bank.

“James has developed deep relationships in Chattanooga’s business community by providing financial services solutions to his commercial clients,” said Kenny Dyer, Pinnacle’s Chattanooga president. “That’s prepared him well for delivering the kind of distinctive service and effective advice Pinnacle is known for.”

Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga with a concentration in finance and marketing. He serves on the board of directors of the YMCA Hamilton and is an alumnus of Leadership Chattanooga. He is also a member of the Hamilton Place Rotary Club and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga Alumni Association.

Compiled by Brandi Dixon, Business News is published each Sunday. Information about new hires, promotions and business awards should be sent to onthemove@timesfreepress.com.