Baylor grad gets education post

BUSINESS DIGEST

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Baylor grad gets education post

George Alan Smith, a 1987 graduate of Baylor School, has been named chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

Smith, who was a faculty member at Baylor from 1993 to 1997, previously served with the office of the state superintendent of education within the office of the mayor for the District of Columbia. He served in that office from June 2007, when he began as a member of the educational reform transition team.

He also served as the division chief for the agency's education excellence division from 2008 to 2009, when he was appointed as assistant superintendent for postsecondary education.

Previously, Smith served as program adviser in the teacher education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he received both his master's degree and doctorate in education.

He was a two-year editorial board member of the Harvard Educational Review. Smith has worked as a middle school specialist for Cambridge Public Schools and as a research assistant for the Harvard Principals' Center.

He is a founding board member of the Septima Clark Public Charter School for Boys in Washington, D.C.

Smith is the son of George and Barbara (Fowler) Smith, of North Chattanooga.

Aquarium names Powell, Herbert

The Tennessee Aquarium has promoted Judy Powell to director of development and hired Andree Herbert as development manager.

Powell, a 20-year employee of the Aquarium, will focus on continuing work with donors to the downtown attraction. She succeeds Heather DeGaetano who for the last five years established the aquarium's first development department.

Charles Arant, president of the Tennessee Aquarium, said Powell "has been instrumental in every major milestone we have marked since opening to the public in 1992. We are thrilled with her new leadership role and think our donors will be too."

Herbert, who previously served as director of development at Bright School, has worked for 10 years in educational nonprofit development.

Cronan wins UBS manager award

Jefferson Cronan, executive director for UBS Financial Services Inc. in Chattanooga, has been named as On Wall Street 2010 Branch Manager Awards Honoree. UBS had 23 employees on the list of top 100 branch managers.

"To make this list requires leadership, and I am proud to have Jeff on the UBS team," said Robert Mulholland, head of WM Advisor Group, UBS Wealth Management Americas.

Cronan, who joined the firm in 1994, has 20 years' experience in the securities industry and is a practicing certified financial planner. A graduate from Tennessee Tech, Cronan is on the UTC College of Business Dean's Advisory Board and serves on the 2011 United Way Campaign Cabinet. He lives in Chattanooga with his wife, Cindy, and their two sons.

The UBS office in Chattanooga employs 22 financial advisers.

Attorneys named as client all-stars

Three attorneys at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C., have been named to the 2011 BTI Client Service All-Stars by BTI Consulting Group.

Richard W. Bethea, Anthony A. "Bud" Jackson, and William H. Pickering were among only 318 lawyers selected for this honor nationwide. Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel also ranks as a firm alongside an elite group of 15 national firms with three or more BTI Client Service All-Stars.

Bethea was recognized by BTI for his intellectual property and complex litigation work. He has been lead counsel in cases in 35 states and has handled matters in Canada, Europe and Australia.

Jackson was recognized by BTI for his work in litigation. He represents commercial clients, engaging in general litigation, product liability, professional liability and media law. He has had numerous trials and arbitrations throughout the United States and in Canada.

Pickering was recognized by BTI for his work in complex litigation. He is labor counsel for several of the area's largest manufacturers and has been lead counsel in complex business and employment litigation in Tennessee, Georgia and a number of other states.

Insurance group names Sotelo

Tim Sotelo has been named account and marketing manager at Cornerstone Insurance Group. He will be involved in promoting personal, business and benefits insurance in the area.

"Tim brings valuable experience to our business, and we are delighted to have him on board," President Chris Scoggins said.

Sotelo, a Covenant College alumnus, has more than 11 years of experience in sales and marketing. He and his wife, Kristin, and their three children live in East Brainerd.

Jones certified in ASTYM therapy

Physical therapist Charlie Jones recently received his certification in ASTYM therapy. The ASTYM system is a rehabilitation process designed to treat chronic disorders, scar tissue and fibrosis. The goal of the ASTYM treatment is to stimulate the body's healing response, resulting in the remodeling of scar tissue and the regeneration of degenerative tendons.

Jones is employed at Rehab South, which has offices in Hixson, Soddy- Daisy and Brainerd. He received his bachelor's degree at the University of Chattanooga and completed the physical therapy requirements at the University of Tennessee Medical Unit in Memphis.

Lewis wins safe driving award

Judson Lewis, of Soddy-Daisy, was recently recognized by his employer, FirstFleet, Inc., for 2 million safe miles driven.

Lewis drives for the Peyton's Southeastern account out of Cleveland, Tenn., and makes deliveries to Kroger food stores. He is the company's 33rd 2 million mile safe driver.