Business Digest: BCBST taps Woodard as CRO

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has promoted Ralph Woodard to the position of treasurer and chief risk officer. He previously served as controller and chief accounting officer.

In in his new role, Woodard will oversee investment management, operating and capital budgeting, corporate strategy and development, corporate planning and forecasting and enterprise risk management. He has more than 27 years of experience in various audit, accounting and financial roles.

"Ralph has built a track record of success in his previous roles during his many years of service to BlueCross," said John Giblin, BlueCross chief financial officer. "In his new position, Ralph brings a depth of knowledge of our industry and organization, as well as more than 20 years of financial discipline, expertise and leadership."

Woodard earned a bachelor of science in accounting from Auburn University and a master of business administration from Vanderbilt University's Owen School of Business. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.


Rains heads state offices

Fisher Brown Bottrell Insurance, Inc., has opened a Tennessee office in Nashville headed by Chattanooga native Parker Rains, a company vice president.

Headquartered in Jackson, Miss., and Pensacola, Fla., the merger of Fisher Brown Insurance and Bottrell Insurance created the current firm in 2004. Rains joined in 2007.

"As a Chattanooga native, I have a great appreciation and admiration for this town, and I look forward to serving the business community," said Rains. "We primarily work with middle market companies that are looking for big market attention and value-added services. At Fisher Brown Bottrell, we take a private banking approach to insurance and treat all our clients like VIP's."


Filippo named president, CEO

Jeff Filippo has been named president and CEO of White Electrical Construction Co., succeeding Gary Clodfelter, who has served in the position since 1994. Clodfelter will continue to serve as president emeritus until his retirement at the end of 2014.

A 14-year veteran of the company, Filippo began his career with White Electrical in May 2000 when he started as the branch manager of the Raleigh, N.C., office. In 2004, Filippo relocated to Chattanooga and took over management of that branch office as well as the Rome, Ga., office. In March 2010, Filippo was promoted to vice president and took over operational responsibilities for the company's seven branch offices in the southeastern United States.

"Being asked to lead White Electrical is a privilege I take very seriously," said Filippo. "I am excited to get started and ensure that our new strategy and the expectation of high performance will take our company to the next level of success."


Pratt promotes Wheeler

Melinda Wheeler has been named to the new position of online concierge for Pratt Homes. Wheeler has an extensive background in real estate sales from several markets in the southeast, including work in interior design in the Washington, D.C., and North Carolina areas.

"Melinda's particular skill set meshes perfectly for her to serve as the initial contact for anyone searching online or calling looking for information about the Pratt process," said Tina Frizzell, CMO for Pratt Homes.

Wheeler is spearheading the web inquiry and live chat response program at Pratt Home Builders.


HHM promotes 11 managers

Henderson Hutcherson & McCullough has promoted 11 accountants to manager and supervisor positions.

Jon Paul Davis, CPA; Jones Krogh, CPA, CFP; Adam Osborne, CPA; and Branden Wilson, CPA, were promoted to manager. Liana Bean, CPA; Blake Bennett, CPA; Chad Goodman, CPA; Zach Hutcherson, CPA, MBA; Tammy Jacobs, CPA; Khara Lounsbury, CPA; and Sydney Zumbrun, CPA, were promoted to supervisor.

"We are excited to foster this caliber of talent, who are passionate about what they do and take our firm to the next level," said Donnie Hutcherson, HHM managing partner. "These types of leaders can be difficult to find, and we are fortunate to have so many under one roof," Hutcherson said.


Decosimo Co. promotes Perry

Decosimo has promoted Kim Perry to serve as a senior manager with the firm's assurance practice in the Chattanooga office.

Perry is a certified public accountant and works with clients across various industries, including manufacturing and distribution, consumer finance, financial institutions and not-for-profit organizations. A graduate of East Tennessee State University, Perry has served on the board of directors of the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee and the governance board of the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy. She is also a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga, a 10-month leadership development program.

Also with Decosimo's Chattanooga office, Trey Johnson and Marcus Williamson have been promoted to senior accountants, and Sara Lawson-Vineyard has been promoted to senior accountant in the firm's Dalton, Ga., office.


Brown joins NOI as manager

NOI-Chattanooga has added Brody Brown to its team as business development manager. He is returning home from Washington, D.C., where he worked on federal government projects.

Nashville Office Interiors (NOI) designs and provides furnishings, décor and space planning for commercial work environments.


THCA honors five locals

Five Chattanooga individuals and businesses came away with awards during the recent Tennessee Health Care Association annual convention. They are:

• Communicator of the Year Award: Channel 3's "3 Plus You" program for its active interest in educating the public about long-term care and rehabilitation therapy, as well as promoting community events at local skilled nursing and rehab centers.

• Innovative Program of the Year Award: Life Care Center of East Ridge's Capes for Kids project in which residents and volunteers put together and designed superhero capes for children going through hard times.

• Group Volunteer of the Year Award: A group of local pet owners with dogs licensed through Therapy Dogs International for bringing the animals to visit residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other locations in the Chattanooga area

• Richard T. Sadler Distinguished Association Service Award: Doyle Love, executive director at Life Care Center of Hixson, for his 13 years of active service in THCA and for his personal attention and interest in his residents and staff.

• Chattanooga District Caregiver of the Year: Mary Boyd, activity assistant at Life Care Center of Hixson, for initiating multiple programs and activities during her 34 years of service and for taking residents to her home on Thanksgiving to share a family meal.


GPS adds Small, Cope to staff

Bilda Acuña Small has joined Girls Preparatory School as director of strategic communications and marketing, and David Cope has been named director of annual giving.

Small will oversee GPS's marketing and communications strategy and work collaboratively with the head of school and the senior administrative team to strengthen the school's market share, support faculty and student recruitment, engage constituents and enhance the institution's visibility and recognition as a thought leader of girls' education and women's leadership development.

For more than 20 years, Small has worked with organizations in the insurance, health care and nonprofit sectors on marketing and communications strategy. She began her career at Unum in 1996 as a junior writer and in 2000 assumed a leadership role as director of operations for Unum's U.S. and Canadian marketing organizations. In 2003, she was promoted to assistant vice president of Core and Group Marketing. Most recently she served as assistant vice president of Hispanic markets.

Small is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in business administration and marketing.

Cope will be responsible for the design, implementation and growth of the school's annual fund.

Cope has more than 15 years of fundraising experience. Starting his professional career in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic department, he held several titles before becoming the assistant athletic director of development. While at UTC, he organized an event that raised over $300,000 for the newly formed Chattanooga Football Club for then-head coach Rodney Allison.

Leaving UTC, Cope joined the Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee as the director of development, where he broke fundraising records and helped the chapter triple the amount of wishes granted each year. In his last year there, the chapter won the Outstanding Fundraising Performance Award, the Outstanding Mission Performance Award and the Infinite Wish Award, the most prestigious award that any Make-A-Wish chapter can receive. Cope received his undergraduate degree in sports administration and his master's degree in public administration from UTC.

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

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