DeWitt M. Shy

Allen T. Malone

Jef Feibelman

LeeAnne Marshall Cox

C. Thomas Cates

Caron Byrd

Caron Byrd has been hired as executive director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. Previously, Byrd served as deputy manager of the Mid-South chapter of the American Red Cross, where she was employed for more than 11 years.

She is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Memphis and has served on the board of the Cultural Development Foundation of Memphis and as an advisory board member for Women in Community Service and Beat the Odds.

Dr. Richard W. Phillips has been named as the sixth president of the Southern College of Optometry. He was installed Saturday. Phillips is a former regional executive director of Tennessee Operations for TLC-Laser Eye Centers. He is past president of the Tennessee Optometric Association and the Tennessee Academy of Optometry.

Seventeen lawyers from Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC have been named in 2007's The Best Lawyers in America: Nathan A. Bicks, C. Thomas Cates, W.J. Michael Cody, LeeAnne Marshall Cox, Joe M. Duncan, Jef Feibelman, David J. Harris, Les Jones, J. Brook Latham, David H. Lillard Jr., Allen T. Malone, Charles F. Newman, Joel Porter, R. Michael Potter, William Rowlett Scott, DeWitt M. Shy and Laurel C. Williams.

Engineering firm Allen & Hoshall Inc. has added four employees to its Memphis office: James Simpson, civil engineer; Jason Sholtz, civil engineer; Matt Coulter, engineer-in-training; and Kyle Adams, engineer-in-training.

Mark Lovell, owner of the Delta Fair & Music Festival, has received a Compassionate Business Award from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Lovell adopted a permanent policy banning live-animal giveaways and sales at all his future fairs.

Richard Glassman of Glassman, Edwards, Wade & Wyatt PC has been selected for inclusion in the 2007 list of the Best Lawyers in America for the 11th year. Glassman practices in the area of legal malpractice claims.

April Melton has joined Signature Advertising & Marketing
Solutions as a production manager. Melton received her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Memphis and currently is pursuing a master's in
business administration from Union University.

Sixteen attorneys from Glankler Brown PLLC have been selected for The Best Lawyers in America 2008: Louis F. Allen, Saul C. Belz, John David Blaylock, William L. Bomar, R. Grattan Brown Jr., Oscar C. Carr III, Lee J. Chase III, B. Douglas Earthman, Charles W. Hill, R. Hunter Humphreys, Robert L. Hutton, William T. Mays Jr., George J. Nassar Jr., J. William Pierce Jr., Douglas P. Quay and C. Barry Ward.

Askew Hargraves Harcourt & Associates Inc. has added Cecil W. Sowell as branch manager of the firm's Hernando location. Sowell has more than 40 years of experience in engineering consulting.

JBHM Architects has promoted Mike Weiss to principal in the company's Memphis office. Weiss holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Tennessee and has 36 years of experience in the field.

Jason D. Nowlin has joined the newly opened Memphis office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC as an associate. Nowlin represents management in employment litigation. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Nowlin was an attorney with Apperson, Crump & Maxwell PLC.

Deloris Jones has been promoted to accounting specialist at FAA Federal Credit Union. Jones has more than 25 years of experience in accounting. She graduated from Bryant and Stratton Business Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.

Martha Nash has joined the staff of Office Evolutions. Nash has more than 25 years experience in contract furniture selection and design. Currently, she is presiding over the design of Office Evolutions' new showroom and design center, which will open in the South Main Arts District this fall.

Stephanie L. Blaisdell has been named the new director of student learning and assessment at the University of Memphis. Blaisdell has been a consultant for recruitment and retention of women in science, technology, engineering and math since 2005. Previously, she was director of diversity and women's programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.

Michelle Petty has joined Signature Advertising & Marketing Solutions as a receptionist and office manager. Petty has more than 25 years of customer service experience.

Michael Harrelson has joined Signature Advertising & Marketing Solutions as a copywriter. Harrelson has a bachelor's degree in political science from Emory University in Atlanta and currently is pursuing a master's degree in creative writing from the University of Mississippi.