Attorneys Robert M. "Mark" Addison and Bryson M. Kirksey have joined the law firm of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel P.C.

Mr. Addison will focus his practice on estate planning, estate administration and elder law. He received his law degree from Wake Forest University and previously served as a partner in at a law firm in Winston-Salem, N.C., and as a trust officer at Regions Morgan Keegan Trust. He lives in Chattanooga with his wife and son.

Mr. Kirksey joins the firm as an associate, practicing in the areas of tax and estate planning, a news release stated. He received his law degree from Samford University and completed an LL.M. with distinction at Georgetown University Law Center. He and his wife live in Cleveland.

Chambliss, Bahner is a Chattanooga firm with 71 attorneys.

Williams to become head of state group

Priscilla Williams, who is executive assistant to Erlanger Health System President Jim Brexler, has been nominated as the vice chairman of the board of Tennessee Healthcare Executive Assistants, and then will become president of the statewide group. She has been on the THCEA board for two terms as secretary/treasurer and as a district director.

She is a charter member of Executive Women International's Chattanooga chapter.

Mrs. Williams has been a secretary or executive assistant for more than 35 years.

She and her husband, Tom, have three children and five grandchildren.

The THCEA is made up of people who provide support to executives or administrators of Tennessee health care organizations.

City's Payne wins engineering award

Chattanooga city engineer Bill Payne has been honored as the 2009 outstanding engineer of the year for Tennessee by the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers.

He was saluted for his contributions to the organization and the engineering profession.

"Bill has been instrumental in coordinating and overseeing work at the Enterprise South site for the new Volkswagen facility," said Mayor Ron Littlefield. "He is an exceptional employee."

Mr. Payne has been a city employee since 1995 and is a civil engineering graduate of the University of Tennessee. He has been a professional engineer since 1999.

Rick France receives award

Rick France, who grew up in Chattanooga and is an instructor with Applied Software, has been named Autodesk Authorized Training Center Instructor of the Year for the Americas Group.

He won top honors of more than 3,300 other instructors, according to a news release.

Mr. France is an industry veteran with more than 28 years of experience helping clients with a wide range of Autodesk solutions. He is a resident of Woodstock, Ga.

Applied Software is based in Atlanta and is one of the largest Autodesk resellers nationally.

Matt Hullander wins recognition

Matt Hullander, owner of Hullco Exteriors, has been selected by Remodeling magazine to join the Remodeling Big50, according to a news release.

The winners were featured in the May issue of the national trade publication that reaches more than 80,000 remodeling contractors.

The magazine each year selects 50 owners of remodeling companies to be inducted into Remodeling Big50, basing its selections on those who have, a release stated, "set exceptionally high standards for professionalism and integrity through exemplary business practices, craftsmanship and impact in their community or the industry at large."

"We are very honored to receive this distinction," Mr. Hullander said. "The award recognizes excellence and leadership, and we are privileged to be named to this select group of remodelers."

Hullco Exteriors is a Chattanooga-based licensed and bonded home improvement company.

Cabeen Originals celebrates opening

Cabeen Originals last week celebrated its grand opening in the Business Development Center on Cherokee Boulevard.

Aaron Cabeen is the owner of the custom woodworking business, which he said he had been inspired to start by people he met in the construction business and by his father, a carpenter and craftsman.

The business hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Multicultural group honors businesses

The Tennessee Multicultural Chamber of Commerce recently honored nine organizations or businesses during its celebration of 10 years of what it termed economic empowerment.

Saluted at the event were BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee, Cafe Francais, Carniceria LOA, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, Coca-Cola Bottling, EPB, Full Gospel Chattanooga Church, Inter Tribal Sacred Land Trust and J.M. Hanner Construction Co. Inc.

The Chamber also recognized more than 80 "stakeholders" with whom it began the journey more than 10 years ago.

"Their belief in the mission and vision has been the cornerstone of the organization," said Sherrie Gilchrist, who heads the Chamber. "It has allowed us to serve 11,245 individuals and businesses with hands-on-assistance. The economic impact for contracts awarded to small, minority and women owned businesses is $147.5 million."

Bond completes floral design class

Mary Bond of Celebrations Unlimited by Bond in Chatsworth, Ga., recently completed a professional design class hosted by Teleflora in Oklahoma City.

Floral designers from across North America attended the event to enhance their skills and design abilities, a news release stated.

"Many designers create intuitively," said Marie Ackerman, vice president of education for Teleflora. "It's exciting to see them discover the reasons and theories behind why a floral composition looks good and then discover how to apply these concepts to their daily designs."

Eco Waste System celebrates site

Eco Waste System, a private garbage pick-up service, last week celebrated its new facilities at 2515 E. 43rd St.

The firm is a full-service, roll-off container company, specializing in residential size and style containers. The business opened in 2001.

"We believe green is a principle that must be governed in today's real business environ by practicality," said EWS managing partner Dan Craine. "Integrity, with regard to the stewardship of our planet, finds expression in countless ways that all begin with an attitude and inclination to do the right thing."

Eco Waste System serves the Chattanooga area, including Hixson, Soddy-Daisy, Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, East Ridge, Fort Oglethorpe, Ooltewah and Collegedale.

Chattanooga CPAs to head committees

The Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants has named three Chattanooga-area CPAs to chair statewide committees.

John D. Houston, an individual practitioner, will lead the federal taxation committee for a second year, a news release stated.

William H. Taylor II, a principal with Physician Practice Resources, will be chairman of the health care conference committee for a third year.

Louis S. Wright, chief financial officer of the Hamilton County finance division, will head both the finance and the nominating committees.

The TSCPA is a statewide professional organization for CPAs and is based in Brentwood, Tenn.

Schwartzkopf earns designation

Nickie Schwartzkopf of Re/Max Properties LLC, at 6111 Shallowford Road, has earned the certified distressed property expert designation.

"It is so rewarding to be able to help sellers save their homes from foreclosure." she said.

Jo Coke receives special honors

Jo Coke of Signal Mountain recently became an honorary member of the American Concrete Institute. She is the third woman in the 108-year history of the organization to be honored in this manner and was the first woman president of the organization that produces the codes, guidelines and standards for concrete use in the U.S. and many other nations, a news release stated.

She is currently retired from the concrete industry, but serves as president of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre and co-president of the CSO Guild. She is also a member of the board of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera.

Geoffrey Hipp earns certification

Geoffrey Hipp of the purchasing department of the city of Chattanooga has earned designation as a certified professional public buyer from the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council.

Mr. Hipp successfully completed the CPPB examination in May.

Mr. Hipp has been a buyer for Chattanooga for three years after retiring from TVA as a nuclear engineer.

Harris to lead mortgage group

Chad Harris, of Chattanooga, who is with Magna Bank, has been elected president-elect of the Tennessee Mortgage Bankers Association.

The association held its annual convention this year in Chattanooga.