PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
Here’s a look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area:
h Annually, the Mississippi Association of Colleges for Teacher Education hosts an awards ceremony where each school that is a member of MACTE presents three awards: Outstanding Administrator of the Year, Outstanding Educator of the Year, and Outstanding Intern of the Year. For the 2019-2020 academic year, Rust College’s Division of Education recognized Roger Faulkner as the Outstanding Administrator of the Year, Crystal Forsythe as Outstanding Professional Educator of the Year and Taneshia Baker as Outstanding Student Intern of the Year. Faulkner currently serves as principal at Treadwell Middle School in Memphis, Forsythe is a teacher at Leadership Preparatory School in Memphis, and Baker is a teacher at Carroll Smith Elementary School in Osceola, Arkansas. MACTE is a statewide organization affiliated with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, providing leadership in Mississippi for the continuing transformation of professional preparation programs.
h Deloris Green Gaines, recently retired executive director of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association, was recognized with the Distinguished Service Award by the Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE) during the organization’s annual convention. This award was developed in 2004 to recognize exceptional service to VMAE. Recipients represent initiative, integrity and commitment in serving the veterinary profession and association colleagues. The award is given to a VMAE member who has been selected by the VMAE President for notable or important contributions made to the organization. Gaines has operated DG & Co., an association management company whose clients include the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association and Alabama Veterinary Medical Association, since 2000. She was previously Director of Conventions and Meetings for Walker Management Group. She plans to continue working for a few clients through DG & Co.
h Wei Li, professor in the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Pharmacy, was appointed a UTHSC Distinguished Professor. The title is reserved for those who have contributed in a superlative way to UTHSC and brought distinction and respect to the university.
h Eclectic Eye has hired Lavender Love as an eyewear architect. As an architect, she’ll provide customers assistance in shopping for frames that also aid in their vision. Before joining the staff of Eclectic Eye, Love attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, where she studied musical theater in the conservatory program.
h Joseph W. Smith has joined the Miles Mason Family Law Group as an associate attorney. He is a board member of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Alumni chapter. Smith received his law degree graduated from the University of Memphis and previously was an associate with Amy J. Amundsen.
h The Board of Directors of Sycamore Bank announced the addition of Adam Kraft as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. With 24 years in the banking sector, he joins Sycamore Bank after 22 years with Community Bank of Mississippi. He’ll be working with the Desoto County branches. Kraft graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, and the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi.
h U.S. Xpress Enterprises, the nation’s fifth largest asset-based truckload carrier by revenue, elected Collierville resident Michael Ducker, former president and chief executive officer of Fedex Freight, to its eight-member board of directors. He most recently served as president and CEO of Fedex Freight, providing strategic direction for the corporation’s less-than-truckload (LTL) companies throughout North America. His 43-year career with Fedex, he also served as President of International Business, COO of Fedex Express and President of Fedex Express Asia Pacific. Actively involved in the trucking and logistics industry, Ducker previously served on the executive committee as treasurer for the American Trucking Association and as a member of the American Transportation Research Institute Board of Directors. He received his Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University and Hong Kong University.
— Compiled by Daniel Ginsburg Email information and photos in JPEG format, at least 1 MB in size, for People in Business to cabiznews@commercialappeal.com.