Rollin Kocsis has been promoted to curator of Gallery Fifty Six located at 2256 Central Ave.

(Photo: Lance Murphey)

Hometown: South Bend, Ind.
Work Experience: As an art teacher for Memphis City Schools for 38 years, I taught art classes to grades 7 through 12 at Gragg High School, Lincoln Junior High, Gragg Alternative High School, Overton Creative and Performing Arts High School, Corry Junior High and Westwood Junior and Senior High School.
Favorite quote: “As you think so shall you become.” – James Allen
What drew you to Gallery Fifty Six? I had been looking for a gallery to represent me, and I would drive by Gallery Fifty Six every day on the way home from teaching. I noticed that work was being done to transform the interior into a sophisticated, fine-art gallery, and I was impressed with the results. I decided to present my work to them, and I was accepted as a gallery artist. As time went on, I became the assistant curator and was recently promoted to curator.
As curator, what will your job entail? My job as curator will be to schedule and hang shows; manage the gallery; design printed materials; seek new artists; advise customers and sell art; maintain the mailing list; work with public relations; and promote the gallery.
What do you most enjoy about painting? I love the process of creation, first of all. I love working with paint and colors. I get enjoyment out of making something that other people will like, too. It gives me great satisfaction to sell a painting, knowing that someone thought enough of my work to buy it.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments? Becoming curator of Gallery Fifty Six has definitely been one of my greatest professional accomplishments. In addition, last year marked a great year for me when an art dealer from New York purchased nine of my paintings. I also won “Best in Show” in the Memphis Arts in the Park Senior Juried Exhibition and also in the Mid-South Teachers Juried Art Exhibition at The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

Jeffrey Holt has been sworn in as the new United States Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee. Prior to becoming a U.S. Marshal, Holt served as the Dyer County sheriff, a position he held since 1994.

Christine Munson, executive vice president of corporate and middle market banking, First Horizon National, has been named a 2010 Working Mother of the Year by Working Mother magazine. Honorees were chosen from the magazine’s 100 Best Companies list.

Ken Hall has joined Leadership Memphis as marketing coordinator. Hall has served on the staff of Hands on Memphis, the Memphis Regional Chamber, the Cotton Museum and Youth Villages.

Memphis Chemical & Janitorial Supply Co. has been honored as the “Minority Supplier/Distributor Firm of the Year” by Minority Enterprise Development Week.

Chelsea Dubey has been named director of special events and communication for the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.

Jocelyn Penner has joined La Paloma Treatment Center as its new clinical director.