Littlejohn

Belmont’s Ronnie Littlejohn, professor of philosophy and director of the University’s Asian Studies program, has been named as the 2015 Tennessee Professor of the Year, an award selection determined by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Littlejohn was selected from more than 300 top professors in the United States. Belmont will be holding its own celebration to honor Littlejohn on Dec. 1 from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Massey Board Room on the fourth floor of the Belmont’s Massey Business Center.

The author of six books, Littlejohn earned his B.A., master’s and Ph.D. from Baylor University and has conducted post-doctoral work at several institutions including Harvard and Notre Dame. Littlejohn joined the Belmont faculty in 1984 to help begin a philosophy department and served as its chair for 20 years (1993-2013).

He also designed the Belmont Honors Program (serving as its first director from 1985-88) as well as the interdisciplinary Asian Studies program, which he continues to oversee. In fact, Littlejohn was Tennessee’s co-director of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) from 2007-2011.

Littlejohn’s current work is in comparative philosophy, especially classical Confucianism and Daoism. He has many teaching awards to his credit, including the Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching presented by the International Conference on Teaching and Learning (2003).

Waldron selected as 2015 Young Leader of the Year

Waldron

Jordan Waldron, vice president of marketing and public relations at FirstBank, has been named the 2015 Young Leader of the Year by Young Leaders Council, a Nashville-based nonprofit organization that has trained more than 2,000 men and women to effectively participate on the boards of nonprofit agencies.

The Young Leader of the Year award is presented annually to a graduate of the YLC training program from the past 30 years who has made significant contributions to the fulfillment of the YLC mission, as well as demonstrated a commitment to ongoing community service and board leadership to local nonprofit organizations.

A graduate of YLC/Junior League Class 2008 and current chair of YLC, Waldron has served on the YLC board for the past six years, during which she volunteered as special events co-chair and secretary. She also serves as the president of Bethany Christian Services board of directors, a member of the associate board for Hospital Hospitality House and is an active member of Junior League of Nashville, Public Relations Society of America and Nashville American Marketing Association. A Franklin resident, she is a member of Williamson County Chamber Young Professionals and Leadership Brentwood Class of 2016.

Waldron has also been honored in the corporate sector this year with the FirstBank Do The Right Thing Award and the FirstBank One Team One Bank Award in 2015 and was a 2011 Nominee for ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.

A Chattanooga native, Waldron earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Auburn University in 2006.

Tennessee regulator receives award

Lindley-Myers

Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) Deputy Commissioner Chlora Lindley-Myers has been awarded the Robert Dineen Award for Outstanding Service and Contribution to the State Regulation of Insurance.

Myers is the first Tennessee regulator to receive this prestigious honor that is recognized for service as an insurance regulator.

Myers began her career working for the Connecticut General Assembly where she wrote insurance, real estate and labor public employee legislation. She also spent 10 years in underwriting and claims administration for Aetna Life and Casualty and later served as the NAIC’s Director of Consumer Protection and Anti-Fraud Division. Myers also served as the Missouri Department of Insurance’s Property and Casualty Section Chief and as the Chief Compliance Officer of Examinations for the Kentucky Department of Insurance.

The Robert Dineen Award was established in June of 1989 in honor of the founder of NAIC’s Support and Services Office. The award is designed to honor a staff member of an insurance department who has made an outstanding contribution to state regulation of insurance while exhibiting an attitude and performing activities fostering the advancement of the insurance regulatory profession.

Public Ed. Foundation board selects Wynn

Wynn

Davidson County Clerk, longtime civic leader and graduate of Metro Nashville Public Schools Brenda Wynn has joined the Nashville Public Education Foundation board of directors.

A 2013 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, Wynn is a well-known neighborhood and community leader. She joins the NPEF board at a critical moment as the organization ramps up efforts to unite the city behind a set of bold, ambitious efforts to accelerate improvement and lend critical community support to Nashville’s public schools.

Before Wynn became the first African-American woman to win election to a constitutional office in the county, she served as director of community outreach for U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper. She also served as the first director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods under Mayor Bill Purcell.

Other NPEF board members include Greg Burns, Ron Corbin, Ralph Davis, Chuck Denny, Margaret Dolan, Annette Eskind, Jennifer Frist, Howard Gentry, Orrin Ingram, Lewis Lavine, Robert McNeilly III, Tom Sherrard, Jimmy Spradley, Byron Trauger, David Williams and Jerry Williams.

Carhartt names Franklin’s Reynolds to leadership post

Reynolds

Carhartt work wear has named Franklin resident Keith Reynolds as its strategic account director for Carhartt’s Farm and Ranch channel.

Reynolds will be responsible for driving Carhartt’s distribution strategy for the Farm and Ranch channel, as well as leading the business and team that serves the strategic Farm and Ranch accounts.

Prior to Carhartt, Reynolds served for four years as vice president of merchandising at Tractor Supply Co. Additionally, Reynolds previously owned a company that imported and sold lawn/garden items, toys and commercial bath products to mass channel and specialty stores. He also served as vice president of merchandising and sourcing for Dollar General Corporation, vice president of merchandising and allocation at Bon Ton Stores and worked as vice president/divisional merchandising manager for Saks Department Stores.

KraftCPAs admits Davis into firm membership

Davis

Michael Davis became a member (owner) in Nashville-based KraftCPAs PLLC, effective Nov. 1, 2015. Davis, a certified public accountant (CPA), has more than 18 years of accounting experience and expertise.

Davis, who joined KraftCPAs in 1997, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Tennessee. He has been with the firm his entire career. Most recently a senior manager on Kraft’s financial institutions team, Davis works almost exclusively with the firm’s community bank clients, overseeing internal audits, external audits, compliance and loan reviews.

In addition to being a CPA, Davis is a certified financial services auditor – a designation awarded by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), the IIA, and the Risk Management Association. In the past, he has served on the TSCPA Financial Institutions Committee and the Tennessee Bankers Association compliance committee.

Blackman joins Barge Waggoner

Blackman

Brad Blackman has joined Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon, Inc. as Graphic Designer. Blackman will develop graphic concepts for marketing collateral, both print and digital.

Blackman earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Harding University and has 15 years of agency and in-house experience within a variety of industries. He comes from LifeWay Christian Resources as a graphic designer. Prior experience includes stints at The Clever Factory, Talstone Group, and Thomas Nelson Publishers.

His involvement in the community includes the Bridges for Deaf and Hard of Hearing as a Board Member. Blackman is also affiliated with associations that seek to advance creativity and technology in the workplace – BarCamp Nashville and PodCamp Nashville.

BOHAN promotes Arnold to executive creative director

Arnold

BOHAN Advertising has promoted Jon Arnold from creative director/vice president to executive creative director/senior vice president, according to agency president and CEO Shari Day.

Arnold plays a role in all agency accounts, which include the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, Saint Thomas Health, O’Charley’s and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.

Woodson, Warren join Barry administration

Woodson

Mayor Megan Barry has announced the appointment of Joseph Woodson to serve as Metro Council liaison for the Mayor’s Office and Hershell Warren as a senior advisor focused on community outreach.

Woodson is joining the administration after having served as director of legislation for the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury. In that position, Woodson assisted the Comptroller and Chief of Staff in developing the office’s legislative package and leading the Comptroller’s Legislative Team in informing the Tennessee General Assembly on any policy issues related to the office.

Warren

Warren will serve in a part-time capacity, working with the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods and Community Engagement to help fulfill their mission of empowering neighborhoods and community groups.

Warren also served as a senior advisor in Mayor Karl Dean’s administration from 2007 to 2013, before which he worked as the director of public policy and governmental affairs for Meharry Medical College from 2004 to 2007, and the executive director of the Lloyd C. Elam Mental Health Center before that.

Warren has already started working with the administration, while Woodson will begin on December 14.

Rounder Label Group adds new team member

Chelstrom

Brad Chelstrom has joined the Rounder Label Group as project & partnership marketing manager.

Chelstrom comes from Universal Music Group Distribution where he held several positions in 16 years, including director of partnership marketing.