$14.6M Permit Application Filed for STCC Nursing Bldg.

Work is moving forward on Southwest Tennessee Community College’s long-planned Nursing, Natural Sciences, Biotechnology Building at its Union Avenue campus Downtown.

A $14.6 building permit application has been filed with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement for the three-story building, which also will include two mechanical penthouses. W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Co. is the project’s general contractor.

The Southwest Foundation in late 2010 received $8.4 million in state appropriations for the building.

The foundation by that point had already raised about $10 million from individuals, corporations, organizations and federal appropriations. Those include a $1 million pledge from Medtronic Inc., the Minneapolis-based company whose Spinal and Biologics Business is based in Memphis, and $2 million from FedEx Corp. – the largest donation in STCC’s history. Other significant contributors include Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.

The building, which was designed by Fleming/Associates/Architects PC, is slated to have about 61,000 square feet with two wings: one for nursing and one for natural sciences and biotechnology. It will include a 250-seat teaching auditorium, four lecture rooms, a 100-seat computer laboratory, nursing skills and biotech labs and an office suite for faculty and staff.

STCC’s nursing program has outgrown its 8,500-square-foot building. It can accept about 250 students every two years and must turn away another 250 or so because there’s no room to accommodate them, the school told The Daily News in late 2010.

The new facility will allow for 45 percent increases in students each in the nursing and biotech program.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports

– Daily News staff

Cynthia Ham Named BRIDGES President

The youth-development organization BRIDGES has a new president.

Cynthia Ham, archer-malmo principal and chief public relations officer, will leave the firm she’s been with for 15 years to start work Feb. 15 as BRIDGES’ new head. She succeeds Jim Boyd, who stepped down late last year after 16 years with the organization, which works to build a community of leaders to advance racial, economic, educational and environmental justice in Memphis and Shelby County.

During his tenure, Boyd oversaw tremendous growth in Bridge Builders, the organization’s signature program for high school juniors and seniors. Also under his leadership, the organization raised funds to build in 2004 the BRIDGES Center, 477 N. Fifth St.

Ham joins BRIDGES at a time when it’s working to expand its youth programming.

By 2015, BRIDGES will triple the number of youth served each year.

“When the BRIDGES opportunity arose, I could not resist the idea of leading such a dynamic, 90-year-old Memphis institution that continues to develop leaders and change the lives and attitudes of young people,” Ham wrote in an email Monday, Jan. 23.

“I will miss my partners and the 100 amazing people who make archer-malmo one of the best places to work in America. But it is time to start a new chapter in my life and career.”

Ham said archer-malmo will conduct a national search to find a replacement to oversee the public relations and experiential marketing disciplines

– Andy Meek

Former FedEx Exec to Head New PR Office

Global public relations and communications firm Burson-Marstellar is opening a new division, Burson Campaigns, which will be based in Memphis.

It’s the firm’s new corporate issues management unit that will help corporations manage issues around corporate reputation, business operations and development.

The firm has tapped former FedEx Corp. public relations executive Maury Lane to run it.

Lane most recently was director of issues, crisis and public affairs at FedEx. Before that, he was a corporate communications strategist for the Memphis-based package shipping company.

Before coming to FedEx, Lane was president and principal at Hill Country Communications, a full-service agency serving telecommunications, public affairs, manufacturing, high-tech and media companies.

He also worked as the key strategist and lobbyist for Westinghouse Corp. in its acquisition of CBS and Infinity Broadcasting.

Lane began his career in Washington, where he worked as a legislative assistant for former U.S. Rep. Beverly Byron of Maryland and former U.S. Sen. Donald Riegle of Michigan.

He also served as communications director for U.S. Sen. Ernest Hollings of South Carolina and as executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Caucus for the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee.

Burson-Marsteller was established in 1953. Its worldwide network consists of 69 offices and 80 affiliate offices that together operate in 107 countries across six continents. The company’s CEO is Mark Penn.

– Andy Meek

CBRE Brokers Sale of 2 Apt. Complexes

CB Richard Ellis Memphis closed two multifamily properties in early January – Oakshire and Summer Trace Apartments.

Tommy Bronson III and Blake Pera with CBRE Memphis’ multifamily division represented LILO LLC in the sale of Oakshire to Memphis Bell LLC.

The Daily News first reported this $2.3 million sale in its Thursday, Jan. 12, print edition.

Laredo, Texas-based Memphis Bell LLC on Jan. 5 bought the 299-unit Oakshire Apartments just north of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line at 1715 Crimson Road. Memphis Bell incorporated as a limited liability company in October.

Oakshire is a 300-unit apartment community built in 1969 in the West Winchester apartment submarket. The Class D apartments range from studios to townhouses.

The Shelby County Assessor of Property lists the complex at 1717 Crimson, and the combined 2011 appraisal for the three-parcel site is $1.8 million.

Memphis Bell’s purchase also covers an 1,160-square-foot house built in 1956 at 5324 Millbranch, at the southeast corner of Millbranch and Crimson. Its 2011 appraisal is $69,800.

Bronson and Pera also represented Midland Loan Services in the Jan. 3 sale of Summer Trace to Great Midwest Properties.

Summer Trace is a 255-unit apartment community built in 1973 in the Raleigh/Bartlett apartment submarket.

Summer Trace offers a range of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units that average 753 square feet. It is located between Sycamore View and Raleigh LaGrange roads.

– Sarah Baker

First Tennessee, Regions Win Greenwich Awards

First Tennessee Bank and Regions Bank both won a handful of honors from the 2011 Greenwich Excellence Awards.

First Tennessee won eight awards in the Small Business Banking category, including for overall satisfaction, relationship manager performance, branch satisfaction, overall satisfaction in the South region and treasury management overall satisfaction in the South region.

The bank also was honored for overall satisfaction, product capabilities and customer service, all tied to treasury management within the Small Business Banking category.

In the Middle Market Banking category, First Tennessee was honored for overall satisfaction and investment banking. It also won the overall satisfaction and overall satisfaction in the South region awards for treasury management.

Regions picked up eight awards. Regions was recognized in five National Small Business Banking categories: relationship manager performance, credit policy – willing to lend/pricing, international service, branch satisfaction and treasury management – overall satisfaction.

Regions received three National Greenwich Excellence Awards in Middle Market Banking: credit policy – willing to lend/pricing, personal banking – overall satisfaction, and treasury management – overall satisfaction.

The Greenwich Excellence Awards are based on feedback from nearly 13,500 small businesses and 11,500 middle market businesses that rated their bank in multiple categories.

– Andy Meek