Women of Distinction event to honor 10 female leaders
Ten female executives and community leaders will be recognized this fall as Women of Distinction for Greater Chattanooga.
The community honor, which has been presented to women leaders in Chattanooga each year for more than 35 years, recognizes women who give of themselves through their time, energy and talents to make a difference in the Chattanooga community and beyond.
"We are thrilled to continue this tradition of honoring remarkable women in our community," said Lynda Minks Hood, a steering committee member for the Women of Distinction of Greater Chattanooga. "This year's exceptional honorees have set themselves apart through their civic, cultural, philanthropic and environmental commitments."
The women being recognized this year include Rebecca Ashford, president of Chattanooga State Community College; Cynthia "Cindy" Hall Chandler, an attorney for Spears Moore Rebman & Williams; Patti Lamsey Dungan, a retired human resources consultant; Angeline Betty Fairchild, a community volunteer; June Hanks, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Martina Sherese Harris, interim dean of nursing and applied health at Chattanooga State Community College; Renee P. Nail, executive director of Scenic City Women's Network; Janelle Reilly, chief executive of CHI Memorial Hospital; Jody Bethea Riggs, a private wealth advisor for Ameriprise Financial; and Mary Anne Kaiser Williams, development manager for the Tennessee Aquarium.
The 10 women will be recognized during a benefit luncheon Oct. 22, Hood said.
Sandberg steps down as COO for Facebook
Sheryl Sandberg, the No. 2 executive at Facebook owner Meta, is stepping down, according to a post Wednesday on her Facebook page. Sandberg has served as chief operating officer at the social media giant for 14 years. She joined from Google in 2008, four years before Facebook went public.
Meta did not immediately respond to a message for comment.
"When I took this job in 2008, I hoped I would be in this role for five years. Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life," Sandberg wrote on her Facebook page. She did not say what she planned to do.
Sandberg has led Facebook - now Meta's - advertising business and was responsible for nurturing it from its infancy into a more than $100 billion-a-year powerhouse.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in his own Facebook post that he doesn't plan to replace Sandberg in the company's existing structure. Javier Olivan will serve as Meta's new COO.
UAW organizing Ohio battery plant
The United Auto Workers said it's moving forward with attempts to unionize a joint-venture battery cell plant after pushback from Ultium Cells LLC, a company General Motors Co. and partner LG Energy Solution own.
UAW-GM leadership attempted to establish a card-check agreement with Ultium Cells that would give the union access to the facility to collect cards as a way to organize the plant, UAW Vice President Terry Dittes told local leaders in a letter Tuesday obtained by The Detroit News.
"If the majority is established by an independent third party, the union would be recognized and negotiations would commence," Dittes said. "This process has been agreed to by many employers for a smooth and peaceful recognition of the UAW. Ultium has flat out rejected those simple, basic features of a card check recognition we proposed."
Ultium Cells employees are not covered by the national GM/UAW national contract.
- Compiled by Dave Flessner