Literacy Mid-South Names Shelton Executive Director

Literacy Mid-South has announced the nonprofit’s new executive director, Knox Shelton. Shelton, who has been with Literacy Mid-South since July 2015 in various roles, will be in the position effective Jan. 1, 2017. Shelton has been serving as interim executive director since July 2016. Prior to that, he was the organization’s community relations manager.

Shelton will be responsible for developing and implementing a five-year strategic plan for Literacy Mid-South. In the long-term, his duties will include increasing funding from individuals and grant-making organizations as well as continued collaboration with Memphis-area nonprofits and city and county agencies.

“Following a thorough search, we are proud to announce that Knox Shelton is the new leader of Literacy Mid-South,” said Amanda Clarkson, Literacy Mid-South’s board chair. “His leadership has been evident in the successful implementation and continued momentum of Literacy Mid-South’s services and programs. The Summer Reading Initiative expanded its reach from 1,000 students last summer to 2,500 this summer, providing 1,400 minutes of reading intervention.”

Literacy Mid-South has been working to increase the literacy of Mid-Southerners for more than 40 years through group literacy classes, individual tutoring and resourcing other nonprofits.

Earlier this year, it unveiled the Read901 initiative, a renewed citywide campaign to increase the amount of students reading on a third-grade reading level.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead this organization and witness its continual growth,” Shelton said. “Literacy Mid-South has made significant strides.”

The board of directors has also added four new members in recent months, including Arlene Goldner of Archer Malmo; Laura Burditt, community volunteer; Suzanna Bonefas of Rhodes College; and Travis Green with the Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk’s office.

They join Clarkson, University of Memphis; Ashley Bonds, Marx-Bensdorf Realtors; Beverly Perkins, Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division; Bryan Capooth, community volunteer; Fred Towler, International Paper Co.; Lauri Prather, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Michael Dockery, FedEx Corp.; Patrick Blankenship, Methodist Healthcare/University of Tennessee; Stuart Voges, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLC; and Vicki Murrell, University of Memphis.

– Don Wade

Boca Raton Bowl Tickets on Sale

Tickets for the 2016 Boca Raton Bowl featuring the University of Memphis against Conference USA champion Western Kentucky University are on sale now through the University of Memphis Ticket Office.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com or by calling the ticket office at 901-678-2331. The game will be played at FAU Stadium, on the campus of Florida Atlantic University, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. (ET) and will be carried nationally on ESPN.

Tickets are $40 and fans planning on attending the game are encouraged to purchase through the University of Memphis to help the university sell its full allotment of tickets.

Fans who cannot attend the game, but who are willing to help sell out the university allotment, can purchase a $20 ticket that will be donated to first responders and 501(c) youth groups in the Boca Raton area.

This is the third straight season the Tigers have gone to a bowl game. Western Kentucky ranks second in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 45.1 points per game, while Memphis is 17th with a 39.5 average.

– Don Wade

UTHSC Taps Clark as New Associate Vice Chancellor

Dr. MaryAnn Clark has been named associate vice chancellor for academic affairs for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Clark will provide leadership in academic affairs and program development across all colleges and programs offered at UTHSC.

She collaborates with vice chancellors, deans, program directors, faculty and system administrators in support of the institution’s educational mission and strategic priorities.

Clark is also responsible for the oversight and coordination of program planning and program assessment, curriculum development and academic policy, along with fostering interprofessional and cross-campus collaborations.

The position reports to Dr. Lori Gonzalez, vice chancellor of Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs at UTHSC.

– Andy Meek

Young Democrats Hold Winter Conference in Memphis

The Young Democrats of America is holding its annual winter conference in Memphis Friday, Dec. 9, through Dec. 11.

Congressman Keith Ellison, who is among the contenders to become new chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is the featured guest at an opening-night reception.

The gathering is built around sessions Saturday and Sunday on specific issues and strategies, from grassroots organizing to discussions about marijuana decriminalization and even a phone banking session.

There is also a “progressive millennial training academy session on “the gap between the civil rights movement and social justice movement.”

– Bill Dries

Jerry Lee Lewis Playing New Year’s Eve on Beale

Rock ’n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis will play the Beale Street nightspot bearing his name on New Year’s Eve.

Lewis will play a single show at Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe and Honky Tonk, 310 Beale, at 8 p.m.

The show is one of several events planned to ring in the New Year in the entertainment district.

One block over from Lewis’ nightclub, rhythm and blues singer Bobby Rush will be playing Handy Park with Southern Avenue.

– Bill Dries

Aspen Dental Locations Opening This Month

Two new Aspen Dental practices are opening this month in the Memphis area – the one at 8544 U.S. 51 N. in Millington opened Thursday, Dec. 8.

A Cordova location at 695 N. Germantown Parkway will open on Dec. 15.

Aspen Dental bills itself as an independent, affordable practice that takes all kinds of insurance, but will also treat patients without insurance.

The new Millington office is led by Dr. Carlos Alexander, who received his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree at Meharry Medical College.

Dr. Cynthia Brown, who also received her DDS from Meharry Medical College, will lead the Cordova practice.

Aspen Dental offers a full range of dental and denture services, a denture money-back guarantee and free, new-patient exams and X-rays for patients without dental insurance.

The practices will be open evenings and on select Saturdays to maximize access for patients.

The two new offices are the first in Shelby County. There are 27 Aspen Dental practices in Tennessee.

Nationally, there are 575 Aspen Dental-branded practices in 34 states. According to the company, those practices recorded more than 3.7 million patient visits and saw 785,000 new patients in 2015.

– Daily News staff

Bass, Berry & Sims Joins Hackathon Alliance

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC has officially joined the national Hackathon Alliance, a group of 36 law firms that are committed to implementing one or more ideas aimed at increasing gender parity in the top ranks of the legal profession.

Those ideas were generated during the Women in Law Hackathon, which was created by Diversity Lab in collaboration with Stanford Law School and Bloomberg Law.

Bass, Berry & Sims joined after its managing partner, Todd Rolapp, participated in the event and committed to implementing strategies across its offices, including Memphis. The aim is to advance and retain experienced women lawyers in law firms.

“I am excited to have Bass, Berry & Sims be among these prestigious firms to join the Hackathon Alliance,” Rolapp said in a release.

“I truly enjoyed participating in the Women in Hackathon event to identify and develop better ways to engage and retain women attorneys across the legal industry,” he said. “I am eager to start working with the alliance.”

Diversity Lab creates and tests new ways to close the gender gap and boost diversity in organizations at the leadership level.

– Daily News staff