Rhodes Names Wigginton Dean of Students

Russell Wigginton is the new vice president of student life and dean of students at Rhodes College. Rhodes president Marjorie Hass announced Wiggington’s appointment Tuesday, Aug. 15, effective immediately.

Wigginton has been a faculty member and senior administrator at the Midtown liberal arts college for 21 years and is a 1988 alumnus. He comes to the dean’s position from being vice president of external programs.

Wigginton’s duties in the newly created position include overseeing campus culture in student and residential life, athletics and recreation, career services and counseling, disability services and academic support services. Wiggington’s responsibilities will also include the Rhodes Learning Corridor, which is the school’s partnership with surrounding neighborhoods.

“Students thrive when the residential part of their lives are healthy,” Wigginton said in a written statement. “The classroom is the hub for their Rhodes experience, but they spend a lot of time outside of the classroom. The relationships they build informally and formally come together in life-changing ways and contribute to their intellectual, cultural and civic vibrancy as adults.”

– Bill Dries

Southaven Planning Industrial Job Fair

The DeSoto County Economic Development Council, Colonial Hills Church, and Trinity Church have come together to host the Southaven Industrial Job Fair.

The event will be held Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 7701 U.S. 51 North in Southaven.

The economic development council reports as many as 15 local industrial employers will be on hand looking to make same-day hires, including Helen of Troy, Nidec Motors, Future Electronics, Scansource, Geodis, Synnex, WAI Global, Associated Wholesale Grocers, W.W. Grainger and Neovia Logistics, among others.

– Patrick Lantrip

Several FedEx Drivers Win Big at Competition

Nine drivers affiliated with FedEx have taken home top honors at the 2017 National Truck Driving Championships in Orlando, Florida.

Six FedEx drivers from around the United States won the national championships in their respective classes. In addition to winning in his class, FedEx Express driver Roland Buldoc of Windsor, Massachusetts, was named the Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion, the top award.

Sixteen other drivers placed among the top five in their classes. And three drivers won awards recognizing them for their performances in the written test, professionalism and best first-time performance categories.

FedEx sent 173 drivers from FedEx Freight, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground to this year’s competition. The latest round of championships brings the Memphis-based shipping giant’s total to 50 National Champions, four National Grand Champion honors and seven Rookie of the Year titles since the competition’s inception in 2003.

– Patrick Lantrip

Memphis Film Prize Announces Winners

The winner of the second annual Memphis Film Prize, who took home the competition’s top award of $10,000 cash, was “We Go On,” directed by Matteo Servente.

The Memphis Film Prize, which combines elements of a film contest and festival, invites filmmakers from all over the world to create and present a five- to 15-minute short film with only one rule – it must be shot in Shelby County. In addition to the Memphis Grand Prize of $10,000, the top three films are automatically selected to screen at the Indie Memphis Film Festival in November.

Filmmakers began shooting their films in February and submitted them in June, when a rough cut was due to contest organizers. From the eligible submissions, 10 filmmakers were chosen to participate in the Memphis Film Prize Festival and, through a jury vote and a public vote, competed for a $10,000 cash prize. The additional Memphis Film Prize films that will play at Indie Memphis will be “Favorites,” directed by Tracy Facelli, and “The Game,” directed by Robb Rokk.

– Andy Meek

City Court Clerk Promotes Ticket Amnesty Program

Memphians can pay off old traffic tickets and even regain driving privileges under a ticket amnesty program that went into effect last month.

City Court Clerk Kay Robilio’s office says the program applies to any traffic ticket that is at least 10 years old and was written by a Memphis Police officer. Citizens will be able to pay off these tickets at half their face value.

The amnesty program, which lasts until Dec. 31, allows those tickets to be paid at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center at 201 Poplar Ave. or at the Memphis Police Department’s Ridgeway, Old Allen, Raines or Crump precincts.

For tickets less than 10 years old, Robilio’s office is offering another option, called the Drive While You Pay program. Arrangements can be made through the city court clerk to pay these off on a monthly basis. This program requires an in-office visit (201 Poplar Ave., Room 111-A) to see if one qualifies.

Both of these programs can enable a driver to get his or her suspended driver’s license back and to obtain insurance.

For more information on the amnesty and Drive While You Pay programs, call 901-636-3320.

– Daily News staff

Peak Capital Closes On Memphis Apt. Purchase

Peak Capital Partners, a Utah-based apartment investment and management firm, has closed on The Charleston apartments in Memphis, the company has announced. Peak bought the property from Tennessee-based Wesscorp Investments.

“The Charleston is the final community of a five-property portfolio that Peak began acquiring last year,” said Jamie Dunn, founder and managing partner of Peak Capital Partners. “The Charleston is located in Cordova, one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods of Memphis. Peak Capital is excited to continue expanding our footprint in the Memphis market and appreciates the positive working relationship with Wesscorp.”

Wes Misenhelter, founder and CEO of Wesscorp Investments, also said his company looks forward to future investment and development opportunities with Peak.

The Charleston includes 284 units in a newly built gated community that offers one- to three- bedroom units. With the Charleston acquisition, Peak’s Memphis portfolio now totals 1,316 units.

Peak’s other four recent Memphis acquisitions from Wesscorp Investments include The Orleans, Angelo’s Grove, Pinebrook Pointe and Grahamwood Place.

– Patrick Lantrip

Survey Ranks Memphis 98th On Places to Retire List

With the second-best adjusted cost of living score but a ranking of 143 in quality of life, Memphis finished 98th of 150 in a 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute on the best and worst places to retire.

The top three spots went to Florida cities, with Orlando topping the list, followed by Tampa and Miami. Newark, New Jersey, was last among the 150 cities included.

Among other Tennessee cities on the list, Nashville was ranked at No. 48, Knoxville at 67, and Chattanooga at 89.

St. Louis, Missouri, was ranked 30th; Jackson, Mississippi, at 79th; and Little Rock, Arkansas, at 119th.

– Don Wade