Business Digest: Daugherty joins Luther-Anderson

Sunday, August 24, 2014

photo Terri L. Daugherty

Daugherty joins Luther-Anderson

Attorney Terri L. Daugherty has joined the Chattanooga office of Luther-Anderson PLLP.

Daugherty graduated from Cleveland High School, Berea College (B.A.) and Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. As a law student, she was an executive member of the Public Interest Law Society.

Prior to joining Luther-Anderson PLLP Daugherty practiced at a firm specializing in criminal defense. She also brings experience prosecuting criminal cases and handling property disputes, tort liability and estate planning matters. She is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia and is a member of the Tennessee and Georgia bar associations.


GreenStep awards winners announced

Floor Covering Weekly, the industry's leading trade magazine, honored six companies with GreenStep Environmental Awards. Shaw Industries was the pinnacle environmental leader of the year for its outstanding commitment and achievements in the area of environmental sustainability. Engineered Floors won the practice/process award for its PET manufacturing process which reduces or eliminates much of the waste typically associated with the manufacture of carpet. J&J Flooring Group received the product award for its new kinetex textile composite flooring, which offers many advantages of a hard surface floor in a soft surface product; and Mannington Commercial won the promotion award for its Choices for Good campaign, which offers schools a pay-what-you-can option on a select inventory of flooring products.


photo John Durham

Durham named executive chef

John Durham has been named the new executive chef at Eleven Restaurant, the signature restaurant at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Durham, who trained at the Art Institute of Houston, brings more than two decades of experience to Eleven. His diverse resume includes work at Baylor School and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, as well as teaching aspiring chefs at Southern Adventist University.

Durham stepped away from the culinary arts for a short time but chose to return following the passing of his mother in 2010.

"I took to heart the words that greet you as you enter the Eleven Restaurant: 'inspired traditional dining'," Durham said. "To me, that means you don't have to reinvent the wheel, just air it up and make it ride a little smoother."

The result is a new menu that includes twists on several Southern classics: chicken and waffle cones, mustard brisket and deviled eggs three ways.


TBA YLD wins first

The Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (TBA YLD) took first place in three award categories at the American Bar Association recent annual meeting in Boston. The awards recognize outstanding accomplishments during the previous bar year.

The TBA YLD won first place in the service to public category for its library education project, which, under the leadership of Chattanooga attorney and immediate past YLD president David McDowell educated at least one library in all 95 of Tennessee's counties about the free legal resources available for those who need legal information and advice.

The group also took first place in the minority project category for its diversity leadership institute, a six-month leadership program for Tennessee law students. The group also won first place in the comprehensive category, which evaluates all activities and programs undertaken during the year.


Johnston, Griffin join Chestnut

Hailey Johnston and Kennedy Griffin recently joined Chestnut Development Partners, a commercial real estate investment firm.

Johnston earned a business degree in marketing with a focus on international relations from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. After college, she served for 27 months as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal. She worked at Title Guaranty and Trust Co. in the final title policy department. As Chestnut's investment services coordinator, her primary responsibilities include marketing and investor communication.

Griffin has joined Chestnut as associate, where his primary responsibilities will relate to due diligence on prospective investments and asset management for the firm's portfolio investments. He graduated from Millsaps College with a B.S. in political science and earned a J.D. from the Mississippi School of Law. Kennedy brings experience in partnership structuring and investments from his time with a family-owned firm engaged in oil and gas exploration.


photo Cheryl Owens

Owens joins Platinum Financial

Platinum Financial Funding has added lending specialist Cheryl Owens.

Owens brings more than 25 years of industry experience. A consistent multi-million dollar producer, Owens holds mortgage licenses in Tennessee and Georgia. She is well versed in all aspects of mortgage lending and offers 100 percent financing through USDA, VA, THDA and the Georgia Dream loan programs. She also offers conventional, jumbo and FHA financing.

"We are very pleased to have someone with Cheryl's talent and experiences join our team," said Clarence Hawthorne, area sales director for Platinum Financial. "This is in line with our objective to attract top talent as we continue to build our market share in the local market."


photo Stratton Tingle

Tingle joins Decosimo firm

Decosimo has added Stratton Tingle as a business development associate working exclusively with the firm's manufacturing and distribution services practice. In his new position, Tingle will focus on matching the needs of manufacturers, distributors, supply chain and logistics entities and their owners and investors with Decosimo's full range of industry-specific audit, tax and advisory solutions. He will serve as Decosimo's active member representative with Manufacture Alabama, Georgia Association of Manufacturing, Ohio Manufacturers Association and Tennessee Association of Manufacturers.

Prior to joining Decosimo, Tingle served the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce for more than five years in business development and contact management positions.


Georgia Winery wins medals

Georgia Winery recently won bronze, silver and gold metals at the Indy International Wine Competition.

Georgia Winery was judged among 2,200 wines from around the world. Five of their wines took home medals. Among those were celebrate, blueberry blush, scarlet, Rawlings ruby red and strawberry. Celebrate, a sparkling Concord wine, received a bronze medal. Blueberry blush, scarlet and Rawlings ruby red, ranging from semi-sweet to sweet, received silver medals. The Georgia Winery's 100 percent strawberry wine took home the gold medal.


photo Aleta Lenyard

Lenyard receives Waggoner award

Aleta Lenyard, director of the mathematics center at Chattanooga State Community College, won this year's Debbie Waggoner Above and Beyond Award from the Student Government Association.

The mathematics center she heads resides within the heart of the mathematics curriculum. Because of this distinction, Lenyard interacts with almost every student enrolled in a mathematics course during a given semester. She tutors students, oversees testing and hires peer tutors in the center. Lenyard also serves as the campus liaison to help resolve technical issues with the Chattanooga State network and MyLabsPlus.

-- Compiled by Wesley Holloway, who can be reached at wholloway@timesfreepress.com or by calling 423-757-6613.