Deborah Hester

Bryan W. Jones

Tonya L. Dalla Valle

Elaine Dudley

Dee Latch

Glen G. Reid Jr.

Leslie Shankman-Cohn

DeJuan Hendricks

Rebecca Miller

Jeni Stephens Thompson

Jeni Stephens Thompson has been named the new chairwoman of the MPACT Memphis board of directors. Thompson is the director of marketing and development for the Memphis Bioworks Foundation. She has a bachelor's degree in communications from Lambuth University and a master's degree in education from Vanderbilt University. Thompson serves as the programs chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and sits on the Playhouse on the Square board. She is a member of the Leadership Memphis Class of 2008.

Rebecca Miller of Crone & Mason PLC has been appointed to chair of the Child Support Committee for the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. The ABA Family Law Section has more than 10,000 lawyers, associates and law student members internationally.

Memphis Area Legal Services attorney Frank S. Cantrell has received the 2007 B. Riney Green Award for his work on the Auto Credit of Nashville v. Melissa Wimmer case before the Tennessee Supreme Court. The award is given annually to the attorney who works the hardest toward promoting inter-program cooperation and strengthening the provision of legal aid in Tennessee.

HealthSpring has hired DeJuan Hendricks as Medicare sales coordinator with the company's Memphis office. Hendricks has 10 years of experience in sales and marketing. He holds a bachelor's degree from Tuskegee University School of Business and is a licensed health agent for the tri-state area.

Leslie Shankman-Cohn of Eclectic Interiors has earned the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist designation, identifying her as one of the building industry's top professionals with skills and knowledge specific to home modifications for aging in place.

Commercial Bank & Trust Co. has expanded its mortgage division. Teresa Beach is the new residential mortgage sales manager; Liz Miller and Brett Carter have joined the bank's East Memphis office as residential mortgage loan originators; and Ellis Stubbs has been hired as a residential mortgage loan originator for the Southaven branch. Brooke Paladichuk will serve as the bank's residential mortgage loan originator in Jackson, Tenn., where the bank is opening a new mortgage operation.

Seven lawyers at Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP have been named to 2008's The Best Lawyers in America: Robert E. Craddock Jr., Robert L. Crawford, Richard C. Raines, Glen G. Reid Jr., Boyd L. Rhodes Jr., William S. Solmson and Mark Vorder-Bruegge Jr.

Counterpart Communication Design has hired Dee Latch as an account executive. Latch previously worked as a marketing associate for FedEx Services through Volt Staffing Services. She also has worked as an account manager, program coordinator and creative support associate for Oden Marketing and Design and as an account manager and coordinator for archer>malmo.

Crye-Leike Realtors affiliate broker Realtor Elaine Dudley has completed the e-PRO course. Endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the e-PRO course teaches real estate professionals about working online. Dudley is an affiliate broker licensed in Tennessee who specializes in residential real estate.

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC has hired seven attorneys for its Memphis office: Tonya L. Dalla Valle and Ormonde B. Deallaume, associates in the Advocacy Department; Ursula Holmes, counsel in the Labor & Employment group; Adam Flock, associate in the Tax group; Bryan W. Jones, associate in the New Litigators group; Laura Peggy Merritt, associate in the Intellectual Property group; and Brent Siler, associate in the Business Litigation Group.

Deborah Hester has been named interim president of Girls Inc. of Memphis. Hester has served on the board of directors for Girls Inc. for three years. She is a self-employed contract worker who has nearly 20 years of experience in special projects, operations, banking, human resources and customer service to nonprofit organizations. She was named one of Memphis magazine's "50 Women Who Make a Difference" in 2003.

The Medical Education and Research Institute has added Patti Kesler as director of finance. Kesler is a notary public and a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, the Medical Group Management Association and the Memphis Regional Chamber.