Pierce, Schaffer open law practice
Chattanooga attorneys Martin L. Pierce and Jodi Harris Schaffer have opened their own law practice on Access Road in Hixson under the new name of Pierce & Schaffer, Attorneys at Law.
The new practice will focus upon wills and trusts, probate, elder law, Medicaid and V.A. planning, asset protection, corporations, nonprofits, family law and retirement plans, among other legal fields.
Pierce, in his 31st year as a lawyer, was formerly a partner of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C., and of Husch and Eppenberger, LLC. He is licensed in Tennessee and Georgia. He is certified as an Estate Planning Law Specialist by the ABA-accredited National Association of Estate Planners & Councils and by the Tennessee Commission on Specialization. He is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council, the Chattanooga Tax Practitioners and the American, Georgia, Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar Associations.
Pierce has been a co-founder of several local ministries and organizations, including First Things First and Paraclyte Ministries, and he has served on a number of boards, including those of the Chattanooga Christian School, Chattanooga Resource Foundation, Bethel Bible Village, Student Venture of Chattanooga (a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ), and the Chattanooga Optimist Club. He is also the chairman of the Alpha Fund, a component fund of the Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation; a member of the Christian Legal Society; and a teacher/counselor with Crown Financial Ministries. He is a charter and qualified member of Kingdom Advisors.
Pierce and his wife, Debbie, who is the office and financial manager for Pierce & Schaffer, reside in Hixson.
Harris Schaffer received a bachelor of science in business administration, summa cum laude, from Lee University in 2004 and a juris doctor degree, with a certificate in family law, from Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2007.
She has been licensed to practice law in Tennessee since April 2008. She was formerly the executive coordinator of estate planning and a vice president for the Church of God Foundation. She has taught as an adjunct professor of business law at Lee University. While in law school, she interned at the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, and she also worked for the Shumaker, Witt, Gaither and Whitaker law firm of Chattanooga prior to attending law school.
Harris Schaffer currently serves on the board of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and the Dream Center of Chattanooga. She is married to attorney Darald Schaffer and is the daughter of Rev. Terry Harris, pastor of The Crossing in Chattanooga.
Hollis to manage Hampton Inn
Vision Hospitality Group Inc. has appointed Jeff Hollis as general manager of the company's 134-room Hampton Inn & Suites on Chestnut Street in downtown Chattanooga. The six-story, $18.2 million dollar property opened in April as the first Hampton Inn in the country to pursue Silver LEED Certification.
Hollis joined Vision Hospitality in June of 2008 as the assistant general manager for the Hilton Garden Inn Chattanooga Hamilton Place. After just over one year training with General Manager Tim Haynes, Hollis was promoted to general manager for the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott I-24/Lookout Mountain.
"Jeff has consistently risen to any opportunity he has been presented with," said Aman Patel, executive vice president for Vision Hospitality Group. "His success illustrates our Vision culture in action."
Hollis graduated from the University of Georgia and began his career in retail management with Kmart Corp. He also spent 10 years with Office Depot.
He is a member of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of the Southside Chamber Council.
Dental Society elects officers
The Chattanooga Area Dental Society recently installed new officers for the 2011-2012 cycle.
Dr. Hal Jones will serve as president of the society during the coming year, with Dr. Jill Hodges serving as president-elect. Other officers include Dr. Ernie Oyler Jr. serving as secretary and Dr. Mike Johnson as the treasurer.
The Chattanooga Area Dental Society is a local component of the Tennessee Dental Association. The objective of the society is to encourage the improvement of the health of the public, to promote the art and science of dentistry and to represent the interests of the members of the dental profession and the public which it serves.
Little Caesars franchise honored
Little Caesars franchisees, Tom and Karol Getz, won the outstanding marketing award at the company's recent annual awards banquet in Las Vegas. The Getzes own and operate 13 Little Caesars restaurants in the Chattanooga/North Georgia area.
Bert heads Shared Health Inc. sales
Shared Health Inc., a leader in the health information technology industry, has named veteran sales executive Hedge Burt as vice president of sales.
Burt, who has 20 years of sales experience including 16 years in the health care industry, will lead the company's overall sales initiatives throughout the Southeast, including the launch of Shared Health's enhanced Clinical Xchange platform.
"We are glad to add Hedge to our team as we continue to strengthen our position in the health information technology industry," said Jana Skewes, chief executive officer of Shared Health. "His leadership will bolster these efforts and strengthen our brand in the marketplace."
Burt previously served as senior vice president of sales for Entrada, a Nashville-based health care dictation and transcription development firm.
Prior to that, he was vice president of provider sales for Kryptiq Corp., a Franklin, Tenn.-based health care connectivity company, where he was a top revenue producer and set company sales records for five products. Burt has also held senior sales roles with Censis Technologies Inc. of Franklin, and IFCA, headquartered in Nashville.
He is a member of the Health Information Management Systems Society and Leadership HealthCare. Burt has served on the University of Tennessee Alumni Association board of directors and currently serves on the Christ Presbyterian Academy board of trustees.
Ward, Poole win Marriott honors
McKibbon Hotel Management Inc. announced that Marriott International has honored two hotel team members at the Courtyard by Marriott Chattanooga Downtown.
Sales Manager Cindy Ward was named 2010 Director of Sales of the Year, and Guest Service Representative Tony Poole earned 2010 Associate of the Year. Ward and Poole were selected from nominees at over 750 Courtyard properties throughout North America for this honor.
Ward joined the McKibbon team in 2008 as a front desk associate, and moved into a sales role in 2009 as a sales and service coordinator. She was promoted to sales manager in February 2010.
Poole began his career at the Courtyard Chattanooga Downtown as a cook and server, and then transferred to the front desk in December 2006.
"Both Cindy and Tony set the example when it comes to serving our guests," McKibbon President Vann Herring said.