Vernetta Eddleman has joined the Family Safety Center, Memphis and Shelby County’s center for victims of domestic violence, as director of client services.

EDDLEMAN

In her new role, Eddleman will be responsible for the planning, design, development and management of client services, and will also supervise and train staff and partner agency providers in delivering quality care to victims and their families.

Hometown: Memphis

Experience: Bachelor’s degree in social work at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and Master of Science in social work from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Social Work

Family: Single

Favorite quote: “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” – Proverbs 30:30

Favorite movie: “Up”

The sports team(s) you root for: The University of Memphis Tigers basketball and football

What’s playing on your stereo right now? Adele, U2 and John Legend

Activities you enjoy outside of work: Reading, writing and inspirational speaking

What talent do you wish you had? I wish I could draw.

Who has had the greatest influence on you and why? My parents have had the most influence in my life. They instilled the importance of pursuing my education and grounding me spiritually.

What attracted you to the Family Safety Center? The concept of centralizing the resources and services needed for victims of domestic violence in one place within Memphis and Shelby County.

What are your goals in your new role? To recruit more organizations to become partners with the Family Safety Center and to enhance and expand social services available on site for clients at the FSC.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment? Being the founder and director of The Circle of Inspiration, a faith-based outreach program for domestic violence victims.

What do you most enjoy about your work? Seeing the difference the services make in the lives of the victims we serve.

If you could give one piece of advice to young people, what would it be? The key to success is hard work and to have a passion for what you do.

MEYERS

Dr. Andy Meyers has been named interim vice president for research at the University of Memphis. Meyers has held numerous administrative roles at the university, most recently serving as vice provost for research and executive director of the University of Memphis Research Foundation.

Glenn W. Cofield has been named to Raymond James Financial Services’ 2014 Chairman’s Council. Cofield, who joined Raymond James in 1994, is branch manager at Barnes Pettey Financial Advisor on Poplar Avenue.

CLARK

Daniel Clark has joined Health Choice LLC in the newly created position of vice president of Clinical Informatics & Analytics. Clark has more than 18 years of clinical support experience, most recently as corporate director of Clinical Decision Support at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.

Lauren Moore has been promoted to senior accountant in the Memphis office of accounting and business advisory firm Decosimo.

David A. Thornton, an attorney in Bass, Berry & Sims PLC’s Memphis office, has been elected to the statewide firm’s executive committee. Thornton currently service as chair of the employee benefits practice. Richard R. Spore has been appointed managing partner of Bass Berry’s Memphis office after completing a three-year term on the executive committee.

Amanda Chisholm has joined Varco Pruden Buildings as marketing communications coordinator, and Lauren Price has joined as public relations coordinator of the company’s marketing team in Memphis. Chisholm previously served as communications coordinator at SRVS Memphis, and Price previously was the public relations account manager at Red Deluxe Brand Development.

Ghee Alexander, general manager of the DoubleTree Memphis Downtown, has been named general manager of the year by hotel management, investment and advisory service company Prism Hotels & Resorts. Alexander has been part of the Prism team since 2011.

Erin Ostrow, the chair of Facing History & Ourselves’ Memphis regional advisory board, has been named the Lausanne Collegiate School 2014 Chair of Ideas. Ostrow, a 1989 Lausanne graduate, is now a director in Global Solutions Marketing at EMC Corp.

Randy Rinks has been named Crye-Leike Franchises Inc.’s top producing franchise agent for 2013. Rinks is co-owner of Crye-Leike’s Pickwick franchise office, assisting buyers and sellers in and around Hardin County.

Lifeblood has named its 2013 volunteers of the year. Group of the Year winners include Buckman, corporate; Christian Brothers High School, education; Faith Baptist Church, faith-based; Shelby County Jury Commission, government; and Baptist College of Health Sciences, health care. Other winners include: Orgill Inc., newcomer of the year; Bartlett, Arlington, Lakeland Lifeblood Donor Council, Richard “Dick” Benson Community Service Award; Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp., lifesaver of the year; and Ethan Cohen, volunteer of the year.