MP&F receives

national accolades

McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations won a Silver Anvil, the highest national award given by the Public Relations Society of America.

The Memphis-based firm won for its campaign to reintroduce curbside recycling in the Metro Nashville area.

A winner in the institutional programs/government category, the campaign was one of 91 finalists gleaned from 664 entries.

Women in Communications

announces speaker change

Jill Singer, American Magazine general manager, will address todays Women in Communications meeting after the scheduled speaker, Mignonne Wright, experienced a schedule conflict.

The meeting begins at 11:45 a.m. at Luna Rosa, 4002 Park Ave.

For information, call Laverne Daley, 373-1723.

NBC rates outstanding

in federal program ranks

National Bank of Commerce earned an Outstanding Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA, rating from the federal Office of the Comptroller of Currency, the top rating a financial institution can achieve.

The OCC report said NBC demonstrated excellent performance in its lending practices and is among the leading Memphis banking institutions in originating home improvement and small farm loans.

CRA encourages depository institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.

Baker Donelson merges

with Alabama law firm

Memphis-based Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell and Birmingham, Ala.-based Berkowitz, Lefkovits, Isom & Kushner, a business and commercial law firm, recently merged to form Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.

The merger implements the strategic plan of each firm, said Charles T. Tuggle, chairman and chief executive officer of the combined firm. The Berkowitz firm considered the merger as a means of continuing its rapid growth and offering expanded services to its clients.

Baker Donelson viewed Birmingham as a key market in pursuit of its goal of expanding its presence in the South. Baker Donelson identified the Berkowitz attorneys as among the best in Birmingham and the Berkowitz firm as one of the most reputable commercial and business law firms in the state.

The expanded firm has 334 attorneys in nine offices.

Memphis City Schools seek

community help in search

As part of the process to hire a new superintendent, the Memphis City Schools board of commissioners is sponsoring a series of forums Thursday through Saturday to get community input. The board set forums at various times and locations to include as many segments of the community as possible.

A forum for the business community begins at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in the board of education auditorium, 2597 Avery Ave.

Elected officials will meet with the board beginning at 1 p.m. Friday in the board of education auditorium.

A community forum begins at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Ridgeway Middle School auditorium, 6333 Quince Road.

For information, visit Memphis City Schools Web site, www.mcsk12.net.

Kiwanis Club to hear

charter schools talk

Tommie Henderson, principal and founder of Memphis Academy of Science, will address the Kiwanis Club of Memphis at noon Wednesday in Grand Salon B at The Peabody, 149 Union Ave. He will discuss his involvement with the charter schools initiative.