After 17 years with Pickering Firm Inc., James Hale has been tapped as one of the architecture and engineering firm’s principal owners. As director of finance and administration, Hale is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the firm and the day-to-day fiscal management of the company. Hale, who is based in Pickering’s Memphis office, also oversees all accounting and administrative staff, including human resources and IT.

2. Digest - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis Grizzlies Suffer 15th Consecutive Loss

The Grizzlies lost their 15th straight game, 119-110 at Chicago, on Wednesday, March 7.

The team has not won since defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum on Jan. 29.

3. Who Will Grab the Spotlight in Vols' Spring Game? - Friday, April 21, 2017

Tennessee completes its fifth spring practice under head coach Butch Jones on Saturday, April 22, at 4 p.m. with the DISH Orange & White Game at Neyland Stadium.

It’s merely the beginning as the Vols prepare for the 2017 season.

4. Vols Need a Good Spring With So Many No. 1 Players Gone - Friday, March 17, 2017

Butch Jones is about to embark on his most crucial of five seasons as Tennessee’s football coach, and it begins with spring practices starting Tuesday, March 21.

Jones is coming off back-to-back 9-4 seasons capped by bowl wins, but has fallen short of the SEC East Division title both years. He was the preseason favorite to win the East in 2016, and the previous year had a team with potential to win the division.

5. State Systems Makes Its Fifth Acquisition in 2 Years - Saturday, January 14, 2017

Memphis-based total protection company State Systems Inc. has acquired Community Fire Safety Systems in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, marking the company’s fifth acquisition in less than two years and the second in Middle Tennessee.

6. State Systems Makes Its Fifth Acquisition in 2 Years - Thursday, January 12, 2017

Memphis-based total protection company State Systems Inc. has acquired Community Fire Safety Systems in Thompson's Station, Tennessee, marking the company’s fifth acquisition in less than two years and the second in Middle Tennessee.

7. State Systems Expands With Acquisition in Conway, Ark. - Saturday, September 10, 2016

Memphis-based total protection company State Systems Inc. has acquired Dunk Fire and Security’s Conway, Arkansas, operations.

8. State Systems Expands With Acquisition in Conway, Ark. - Monday, September 5, 2016

Memphis-based total protection company State Systems Inc. has acquired Dunk Fire and Security’s Conway, Arkansas, operations.

9. Keeping Customer Service up to PAR: Plan, Act, Review - Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Delivering quality service is vital to ensuring repeat business from loyal customers. Customer service is fluid, changing not only from industry to industry but also from business to business within each industry. However, whether you’re a restaurant manager or hardware store operator, or you work in the industrial sector, some things never change when it comes to quality service. 

10. State Systems Acquires Columbia Fire Equipment - Saturday, March 5, 2016

Memphis-based State Systems Inc. has acquired Columbia Fire Equipment, a fire safety company that provides extinguishers, alarms and suppression systems in Columbia, Tenn. It is the third acquisition for State Systems in less than a year.

11. State Systems Acquires Columbia Fire Equipment - Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Memphis-based State Systems Inc. has acquired Columbia Fire Equipment, a fire safety company that provides extinguishers, alarms and suppression systems in Columbia, Tenn. It is the third acquisition for State Systems in less than a year.

12. State Systems Inc. Buys New HQ - Thursday, October 29, 2015

One of the Economic Development Growth Engine’s latest payment-in-lieu-of-taxes recipients is expanding its market footprint and real estate holdings with the recent purchase of seven Memphis properties.

13. State Systems Acquires Mississippi Company - Saturday, May 9, 2015

State Systems Inc. has acquired Ver-Max Inc., a Corinth, Miss.-based fire protection company.

14. State Systems Acquires Mississippi Company - Friday, May 8, 2015

State Systems Inc. has acquired Ver-Max Inc., a Corinth, Miss.-based fire protection company.

15. State Systems Prides Itself on Protecting Customers - Monday, June 9, 2014

In 1986, the father-and-son team of Robert and Bob McBride bought a fledgling small business called State Systems.

16. A Fading Middle-Class Perk: Lower Mortgage Rates - Monday, April 28, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – For three decades, the U.S. middle class enjoyed a rare financial advantage over the wealthy: lower mortgage rates.

Now, even that perk is fading away.

Most ordinary homebuyers are paying the same or higher rates than the fortunate few who can afford much more.

17. State Systems Installs Green Ballast Lighting - Saturday, March 2, 2013

State Systems Inc., a privately owned total protection company based in Memphis, has installed Green Ballast Inc.’s light ballasts in its corporate headquarters and warehouse facility at 3755 Cherry Road.

18. State Systems Installs Green Ballast Lighting - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

State Systems Inc., a privately-owned total protection company based in Memphis, has installed Green Ballast Inc.’s light ballasts in its corporate headquarters and warehouse facility at 3755 Cherry Road.

19. Dodging the Deluge - Friday, May 6, 2011

The last time the Memphis river gauge was this high, Memphis was a much different place. In 1937 when the Mississippi River at Memphis topped 48.7 feet, Mud Island was really an island with no levee connecting it to the city and the Wolf River flowing between it and the city proper. Parts of the city were still rural as was the county outside Memphis. Today’s suburban development was a long way off, and Millington was still a few years away from getting the Naval Air Station.

20. State Systems Celebrates 25 Years - Tuesday, April 26, 2011

State Systems Inc., along with the company president Bob McBride, has experienced explosive growth and seen many changes within the protective services industry in the Mid-South over the past quarter of a century. The company celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

21. State Systems Promotes Safety with First Aid Division - Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Dave Tamburrino, director of warehouse operations at Kele Inc., a HVAC control products distributor in Bartlett, realized that having first aid kits on the walls was common sense.

22. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Khara Woods was the 2003 recipient of the John Paul Jones Journalism Scholarship

Khara Woods was the 2002-2003 recipient of the John Paul Jones Journalism Scholarship at the University of Memphis. Woods, a 21-year-old senior journalism major, is ...