Mendenhall Commons Sells for $11.9 Million

     Weingarten Nostat Inc. has bought Mendenhall Commons shopping center at 540 S. Mendenhall Road from Life Investors Insurance Co. of America for $11.9 million. Built in 1987 on 5.73 acres on the southeast corner of South Mendenhall and Sanderlin Avenue, the center includes a 59,379-square-foot Kroger supermarket and 23,261 square feet of adjacent retail space. Life Investors bought the property in June 2000 for $8.2 million. The Shelby County Assessor's 2006 appraisal was $9.5 million.

Dillard Door Garners National Recognition

     Dillard Door & Security Inc. has been recognized as one of the top 100 security integration companies in the United States, according to a report released by Pennsylvania-based Security Distribution & Marketing Magazine.
     This is the first time the Memphis-based security company was included on the list.
     The management approach that resulted in the national ranking was a collaborative one, said Chris W. Bird, Dillard's president.
     "We worked with several consultants over the course of the last few years in an effort to control our growth and maximize our productivity and service levels," Bird said.
     Clients of Dillard Door include AutoZone Park, FedExForum, Nike, GlaxoSmithKline, UPS, Hershey's Chocolate-Memphis and Valero Memphis Refinery.
     Chris Bird bought the company from John Dillard in October 2002.
     

Settlement Solutions Opens Memphis Office

     Settlement Solutions LLC has announced the opening of its new office in Memphis, which will serve as the company's headquarters.
     The company will provide skilled neutrals or mediators to conduct mediation and arbitration services across Tennessee.
     Settlement Solutions currently has a panel of 13 neutrals across the state and plans to grow its panel to 15 to 20 neutrals in its first 12 months.
     Settlement Solutions provides services in all types of disputes, but key areas of expertise will include automobile accidents, negligence, personal injury, premises liability, products liability, medical malpractice and nursing home abuse.
     In the coming year, the company also plans to open offices in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga.
     Settlement Solutions' headquarters is at 80 Monroe Ave., Ste. 525. For more information about the company, visits its Web site at www.settlementsol.com.
     

First Tennessee to Continue Masterworks Sponsorship

     First Tennessee Bank has signed an agreement to continue its sponsorship of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra's Masterworks concert series.
     The agreement says First Tennessee will remain the title sponsor of the MSO Masterworks series for the next five years.
     First Tennessee has been the title sponsor since the 2003-2004 season. The First Tennessee Masterworks Series offers eight weekends of classical music at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts and the Germantown Performing Arts Centre.
     "First Tennessee's generosity enables the Memphis Symphony to continue offering the finest classical music in the Mid-South," said Ryan Fleur, president and CEO of the Memphis Orchestral Society (MOS). "The support of this series and other Memphis Symphony programs makes it possible for us to provide meaningful experiences through music."
     The First Tennessee Masterworks series begins Sept. 16 at the Cannon Center with guest violinist Leila Josefowicz. For more information about the concert series, call 454-6774 or visit www.memphissymphony.org.