Business Digest: Wallace takes up new role

photo Dr. Phillip Wallace

Wallace takes up new role

Tennessee Risk Management Trust has named Dr. Phillip Wallace as trust administrator.

"The Trust has a professional, friendly, and dedicated staff," said Wallace, who has dedicated more than 40 years to the Tennessee school system. "I'm honored to be a part of this outstanding team."

Wallace's primary functions will include serving as CEO and executing the policies of TNRMT. He also is charged with informing and advising the board regarding Trust activities, employing and directing staff members and maintaining adequate financial records.

For the past 22 years, Wallace has served as the director of schools for the Stewart County Board of Education and as an adjunct professor.


Ruffner opens appraisal business

Elizabeth Ruffner has opened Ruffner Appraisals & Consulting, offering a variety of museum-standard art services to large, small, public and private collections in order to preserve and protect their aesthetic, historic, sentimental and financial values. Ruffner handles appraisals, consultations and art brokerage needs.

Ruffner's appraisal reports are certified by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. The appraisals are also insurance and IRS compliant appraisal reports that better educate the individual on what they own, facilitate correct insurance coverage, qualify damage losses and provide equitable distribution, as well as facilitate tax and estate planning.

Elizabeth Ruffner earned a degree in European history, specializing in classical and Near Eastern art and archaeology, from the University of Colorado, Boulder.


Cone joins Raymond James

Round Table Advisors of Raymond James located welcomes Austin Cone to their team. Cone brings experience in public accounting, automotive and industrial manufacturing.

Tony D'Andrea, the branch manager for Raymond James, praised Cone's "exceptional skills in analysis and presentation with extensive knowledge in accounting and finance will be an asset to our firm and our clients. His strong desire to serve others and his people oriented personality is a major quality we look for in our team members, so they can provide excellent service to our clients."

Cone is a CPA and earned his MBA degree at University of Alabama.


photo Rick Moore

Moore promoted to director position

Rick Moore has been promoted to director of operations for BlueCare Tennessee, the Medicaid subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

Moore is responsible for oversight of claims processing, customer service, claims adjustments, coordination of benefits, provider recoveries and other key functions.

"Rick is a respected leader who has a deep, thorough understanding of BlueCare's operations along with the desire to constantly work to improve them," said Amber Cambron, chief operating officer for BlueCare Tennessee.

Moore has worked for BlueCare Tennessee since it was founded in 1993 and has advanced through a series of management roles, most recently as operations manager. He began with the company as a service supervisor and later became facilities coordinator.

Moore earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.


photo Martha Calfee

Calfee appointed HFMA president

At the 2014 TN Healthcare Financial Management Association's (HFMA) annual spring institute, Martha Calfee, CPA, was installed as president-elect of the HFMA for 2014-2015. Calfee, of Cleveland, Tenn., is the senior audit and health care consulting manager for Matheney Stees & Associates, PC, in Chattanooga.


Memorial wins marketing awards

Memorial Health Care System was recently honored with several national medical marketing awards. The 31st Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards recognized Memorial with gold in the website category for memorial.org, silver in the newspaper single category for the health system's Your Idea of Hip print ad, merit in the publication category for the Fall 2013 edition of Inspire magazine and merit in the advertising with television category for the Memorial Starts with Me campaign.

The Aster Awards program honored Memorial with gold awards for the Memorial Starts with Me campaign, Pink! billboard design and Pink! invitation. In addition, Aster awarded a silver to Inspire magazine and a bronze to Memorial's employee newsletter, Mnews. Memorial's employee video earned a bronze in the 35th Annual Telly program. Inspire magazine garnered two platinum wins in the 2013 Generation Awards, which recognized the Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 issues.

"The acknowledgment of our team's work by the country's most innovative individuals is a testament of their dedication and commitment to excellence," said Memorial CEO James Hobson.


photo Ronnie Burt
photo Eric Brooks

Burt, Brooks recognized by city

The 2014 public works employee of the year in Chattanooga is Ronnie Burt, a crew supervisor with the waste resources division. Members of the staff who nominated Burt noted that he is highly responsible, called upon often by both employees and contractors to assist with tough situations and always willing to go the extra mile. His peers recognized him as a dedicated employee who is considered the go-to guy for his division's more complex tasks.

The 2014 public works manager of the year is Eric Brooks, the collection system engineer at the waste resources division. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and is a registered Tennessee professional engineer. Brooks' exceptional managerial skills were noted by his peers. They praised his commitment to the important role that collection system improvements and maintenance fulfill for the requirements of the city's consent decree.


'Spoon' is hired as executive chef

Kitchen at Union Square is pleased to announce the hire of David "Spoon" Gauthier as its new executive chef. Gauthier brings a diverse culinary background both as a chef and culinary instructor and will oversee all aspects of the restaurant's cuisine with commitment to a fresh, locally-sourced and regional menu.

Gauthier began his culinary career with a three-year stint as a chef in the U.S. Army before moving to Portland, Ore., for professional training at Le Cordon Bleu. His background includes working in Nashville, as a sous chef for Bosco's, assistant kitchen manager for Greenlife, now Whole Foods, serving as a lead instructor for Viking Cooking School and, most recently, working at the University of the South as executive sous chef. Gauthier, the son of a chef, grew up in Worcester, Mass., where his Italian family influenced his interest in cooking at a young age.

"We are excited that Chef Spoon is joining our team and bringing with him a fresh and creative way of cooking," says Kitchen at Union Square general manager Eve Markowicz. "His vast and impressive culinary experience and support of our farm-to-table practices will be a great asset to Kitchen at Union Square."


photo Tom Bissonette

Bissonette sees clients online

Tom Bissonette, a counselor in Chattanooga for over 20 years, will start seeing clients online. He can be found on http://WECounsel.com, a highly secure platform for video therapy. Bissonette says, "I chose this platform because it feels like being the same room with clients and because confidentiality is protected." He specializes in working with adults 18 and over on adjustment and developmental issues.


Gaither receives advisor designation

Todd Gaither with Kelly and Dutton in Chattanooga has received the qualified kingdom advisor designation from Atlanta-based Kingdom Advisors, Inc. The position is granted to financial professionals who have met high standards in training, integrity, character and competence as an advisor, leader and counselor.

Qualified kingdom advisors are individuals who have demonstrated themselves to be believers in Jesus Christ by pledging agreement with the kingdom advisors statement of faith and providing a personal testimony of accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.


photo Steve Wild

Wild promoted to senior engineer

Steve Wild, a long time hydrogeologist with Marion Environmental, has just added environmental engineer to his credentials. Wild specializes in industrial environmental controls and clean-ups. He will assume the senior engineering position and assist local industries with environmental regulations and help them reduce environmental impacts from industrial processes and property development.


Brenner joins Capital Financial

Greg Brenner has joined the professional staff of Capital Financial Group, a general agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), as a sales manager. Brenner most recently was the managing director of a comprehensive financial planning firm, Shoemaker Financial, out of Nashville, Tenn.

Brenner graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in information systems management.


Kyle announced VP at First Volunteer

Jamie Kyle has joined the First Volunteer Bank as vice president and market leader for the Gunbarrel Road branch.

He brings 15 years of banking experience to his role. Kyle most recently served as vice president and branch manager for a regional bank. He has served as president of the Ooltewah/Collegedale Chamber of Commerce and as a founding member and vice president of resource development for The Refuge in Cleveland, Tenn.

He attended Cleveland State Community College.

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