Michelle Sutter is the new executive director for The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence in Chattanooga. She oversees daily operations at the Alzheimer’s memory care community located at 7620 Shallowford Road. Sutter previously served in senior living for three years as an executive director in Florida. She is CORE-certified with the American Health Care Association and is also a certified pharmacy technician in Tennessee. Prior business experience also includes human resources and executive management for more than 20 years, including owning a couple of small businesses in the Chattanooga area.
Meredith Corey Lee is promoted to membership in Miller & Martin. Lee is a member of the firm’s litigation department and her practice is heavily focused on product liability litigation defense, including mass-tort actions and class actions. She represents clients in complex business disputes, including breach of contract, noncompete litigation, and business torts. Ms. Lee practices in state and federal courts and has represented clients at the trial court and appellate levels. In addition to litigation defense, Lee represents clients with respect to the development and marketing of consumer products. This includes advising clients with respect to the FDA’s regulation of food, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and drug products sold to consumers. She earned her Juris Doctor from University of Georgia School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia. She joined Miller & Martin in 2014 after practicing at a large international law firm and is licensed in Tennessee and Georgia.
Ken Jones is promoted to senior director of procurement, vendor relations and minority and women-owned business efforts, a new position responsible for leading EPB’s overall purchasing and materials management as well as minority and women-owned business program. Jones started at EPB in 2000 as a network technician and has worked for EPB in a range of roles and leadership positions including fiber optics, project management, engineering, strategic planning and, most recently, procurement. He invites both local companies and groups that can help promote contracting opportunities to contact him. He attended Chattanooga State Technical Community College, where he earned an associate degree in electrical electronics engineering technology, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he graduated with a B.S. in business entrepreneurship and an MBA in business analytics.
Kirsten Ert is the new city manager for Lakesite. Ert is a native of Germany, and moved to the United States in 2014. She is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and worked at the Hawaii legislature as a Senate research coordinator. After moving to Chattanooga, she earned her master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in local government management. During that time, Ert worked at Chattanooga State Community College in the Center for Academic Research and Excellence. Ert was formerly a senior community planner for the city of Collegedale. During her tenure, she served as the city liaison for all planning and community development projects and programs.
Ryan Henn is promoted from business and commercial services manager to assistant vice president of business and commercial services for Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union. In this role, he supports the vice president of business and commercial services and oversees TVFCU’s business and commercial lending team. Henn joined TVFCU in 2015 as a business lender. Prior to that, hetaught business owners the keys to succeed as a senior small business counselor with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. Before moving to the Scenic City, he started his career at a community bank in his hometown of Winchester, Tennessee. Henn holds a degree in business management from Bryan College, and has continued his professional development by graduating from the Southeast School of Banking in 2015. In addition, he is entering his third year at the CUNA Commercial Lending School with an expected graduation in July 2022.
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EDGE on the move
Patrick C. Walsh joins Chambliss Law firm in the areas of business, real estate, commercial lending and financial transactions, commercial contracts, financial institutions and financial services. Walsh specializes in real estate and focuses on the disposition of commercial real estate across various sectors. He regularly represents buyers, sellers and lenders in transactions, and often assists them in offering or obtaining financing. Walsh also reviews and negotiates commercial leases and navigates lease disputes for his landlord and tenant clients. He graduated cum laude with departmental honors from the University of Kentucky. He earned his juris doctor degree from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, where he also graduated cum laude. Walsh is licensed to practice in Kentucky, and is pending admission in Tennessee.
Jessica Latour Stack is promoted to the position of partner with the architecture and design firm, Tinker Ma LLC. Stack’s project experience spans many industry sectors and states, including Tennessee, South Carolina, Kansas and Alabama, according to a news release announcing her promotion. Her recent projects include the award-winning renovation of the McMahan Law Firm and renovations for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the UT Space Institute near Tullahoma. Stack holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture, construction science and management from Clemson University and a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Kansas with an emphasis in health care design.
Daniel Gregory is named vice president, controller and chief accounting officer for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. In the position, Gregory oversees the development, implementation and maintenance of the company’s accounting processes and systems. His role includes accounting, external financial reporting, tax compliance and payroll functions for the company. Gregory has been with BlueCross for five years, serving most recently as interim chief accounting officer. In 2017, he joined the company as director of accounting policy and research, where he led coordination efforts with external auditors on testing for the implementation of new accounting standards and complex transactions. Before joining BlueCross, Gregory spent 10 years with Unum Group, where he served as assistant vice president of business planning and analysis. He is a certified public accountant and graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
Michael Brown is the new president and CEO for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. Following a national search, Brown, whose nonprofit career began more than 30 years ago when he answered a need in his hometown community of Nashville, was the choice of the Ronald McDonald House Charities selection committee and approved by its board of directors. Brown created a summer youth camp in Nashville and prioritized the voices and pulse of the community, knowing that empowering those with lived experiences was a key to success. He successfully planned and initiated the merger and acquisition between a local Tampa office and the National Epilepsy Foundation. He also created and implemented a YMCA swimming program, and led a Tampa initiative to support under-resourced Title 1 schools with free after-school programming. He holds undergraduate degrees in behavioral science and theology, two master’s degrees in nonprofit management and leadership and is nearing completion of a doctorate in human and social services.
Lorraine (Lorri) Lipski joins the staff of the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga as the director of social services. With a background in case management, Lipski has worked for the Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System, Maple Valley Food Bank and Emergency Services and Sound Mental Health in Tennessee and Washington respectively. Lipski has also worked with youth at risk youth and adolescents in North Carolina and Mississippi. With offices located at the Jewish Cultural Center, the Jewish Federation’s Social Services Department provides case management, delivered meals, transportation and additional support services primarily to seniors and families after individual receive a Care Plan. The Jewish Cultural Center, funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, offers programs, classes and exhibits, social services, and a preschool-all rooted in Jewish values.