Chantel PittsFirst Horizon names Pitts to head downtown office
First Horizon Bank has named Chantel Pitts as the banking center manager of its downtown Chattanooga office.
In her role, Pitts is responsible for developing new business and expanding on existing client relationships. Pitts first joined First Horizon as a teller in 2011 and has served as a financial services representative and a senior relationship banker at the bank prior to accepting her new role.
“I never could have imagined almost 13 years ago starting as a part-time teller that I would eventually become a banking center manager,” Pitts said in an announcement of her appointment.
Pitts “is a wonderful example of how far hard work can take you,” said Jay Dale, Chattanooga market president for First Horizon.
“She has proven her exemplary leadership skills in her many years with First Horizon, and we couldn’t think of a better person for this this role,” Dale said in the announcement.
Pitts has served on the family selection committee of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga and is the chair of the First Horizon Chattanooga Women’s Initiative. She is also a graduate of Women Mentoring Women with the Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute and Protégé Chattanooga with the Young Professionals of Chattanooga.
Comcast Storm-Ready WiFi keeps connections during outages
Comcast became the first internet service provider to offer a product designed to maintain connectivity when a storm hits with the introduction last week of its Storm-Ready WiFi.
For $7 a month for 36 months, Comcast customers can purchase Storm-Ready WiFi that comes backed with Wi-Fi extending capabilities that stretch speeds to all corners of the home, a backup cellular connection, unlimited cellular data and a four-hour backup battery to maintain internet service even when the power goes out.
“With so much of our daily lives dependent on Wi-Fi connectivity, we knew our customers needed a product that could help keep them connected no matter what life throws at them — even during a storm,” Emily Waldorf, a senior vice president of consumer internet services for Comcast Cable, said in an announcement of the new product. “Not only does Storm-Ready WiFi extend coverage to deliver our best-in-class Wi-Fi to hard-to-reach corners of the home, but it also gives customers the peace of mind that their connection at home can continue even when the power is out.”
Comcast’s new Storm-Ready WiFi device is equipped with cellular backup and a four-hour rechargeable battery, more than enough power to keep customers up and running for the average power outage in the U.S. of two hours, Waldorf said. When the power goes out, the customer’s network is automatically transitioned to cellular backup so they can continue the use of their internet.
Storm-Ready WiFi also doubles as a Wi-Fi extender to deliver a strong Wi-Fi signal to those hard-to-reach corners of the home, Waldorf said. Storm-Ready WiFi is also Wi-Fi 6 capable, elevating the Wi-Fi experience in the home with faster speeds, lower latency and increased bandwidth to power more devices.
The new device is available for purchase at Xfinity stores and xfinity.com.
Taplin to talk on innovation in Chattanooga on Sept. 18
Nationally acclaimed author Jonathan Taplin will unveil excerpts from his new book, ‘The End of Reality: How Four Billionaires Are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto,” at the Chattanooga Whiskey Hall on Sept. 18 during a public event hosted by The Company Lab, in partnership with EPB.
The appearance is part of Taplin’s nationwide book tour, where Taplin has chosen Chattanooga as a key stop to discuss the thought-provoking themes presented in “The End of Reality.”
“We are thrilled to host Jonathan Taplin in Chattanooga,” Co.Lab CEO Tasia Malakasis said in a news release. “As a leading organization committed to fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurs, we believe it’s crucial to engage in conversations that critically examine the technology and business landscape.”
Taplin is known for previous work like “Move Fast and Break Things” and “The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-and-roll Life.” He was appointed to the California Broadband Task Force and the city of Los Angeles Technology and Innovation Council. He was named one of the 50 most social media savvy professors in America by Online College and one of the 100 American Digerati by Deloitte’s Edge Institute.
“When it comes to the evolving technology landscape, we need to discuss the proper ways to create useful technology for the greater good,” Taplin said in the release. “Unfortunately, the richest leaders in the tech industry aren’t doing that. This is something that can’t be overlooked; it needs to be analyzed. On top of that, we need to be putting a deeper focus on the smaller tech leaders who could make a genuine impact in our society.”
Taplin will be at the Chattanooga Whiskey Hall from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 18.
— Compiled by Dave Flessner
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