Gallery: Business Digest
Rachel Ragghianti, joins Chambliss firm
Ahead of the busy 2019 tax season, Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C is adding a new tax department manager, certified public accountant Rachel Ragghianti, who brings a decade of experience in tax preparation and audit services. Ragghianti will lead the tax team of CPAs, attorneys, and paralegals in assisting clients with tax planning, preparation, and compliance.
“Ragghianti brings a solid background, range of experience, and detail-oriented approach to her work, which add additional depth and breadth to our tax team,” said Greg Willett, section chair.
As manager, Ragghianti will review and prepare tax filings for individuals, trusts, small businesses, and exempt organizations.
Before joining the law firm, Ragghianti was in public accounting for eight years at Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC where she provided a variety of audit and tax services for individuals and businesses. Prior to that, she served in the audit practice with KPMG Memphis.
Ragghianti holds a Master of Taxation from Florida Atlantic University and a Master of Accountancy, Audit Concentration, from the University of Tennessee. Ragghianti also serves on board of directors for the Girls, Inc. of Chattanooga.
Vision Hospitality wins Marriott service awards
Vision Hospitality Group, Inc., the Chattanooga-based hotel chain, was recently recognized with top honors during a Marriott Connect Conference in San Diego.
Vision Hospitality was presented the Marriott International Partnership Circle Award, the most esteemed accolade awarded at the conference, and also the Marriott International Serve 360 Award, which is earned through efforts of community involvement, sustainability, volunteering and overall social responsibility.
Founded in 1997 by Mitch Patel, Vision Hospitality has grown to include a portfolio of 47 hotel properties either opened or under development.
CHI adds Cindy Simmons as physician assistant
CHI Memorial Medical Group has added Cindy Simmons as a physician assistant at CHI Memorial Family Practice Associates in Chickamauga.
Simmons earned a master of medical science degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. She is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.
Simmons has previous experience in primary care practices in LaFayette and Trenton, Georgia, and in urgent care clinics in Georgia and Tennessee.
Laura Deakins elected chair of AWA in Memphis
Laura Deakins, a Lookout Mountain native who works as an attorney for the Memphis law firm of Lewis Thomason, will become the president of the 200-member Association of Women Attorneys for the Mid-South in Memphis in January.
Deakins moved to Memphis after graduating from the University of Virginia in 2008, with a bachelor’s degree in American Studies, and enrolled in law school at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. During law school, she served as the business editor on the editorial board of the University of Memphis Law Review and was also a research assistant, student ambassador and orientation leader. Following graduation in 2011, she served as a judicial law clerk for the Justice Holly Kirby for four years on both the Tennessee Court of Appeals and Tennessee Supreme Court.
In 2015, Ms. Deakins began working at Lewis Thomason where her civil litigation practice primarily involves defending doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice actions and insurance defense. However, in her first-ever plaintiff’s case, she also obtained a $22 million jury verdict for her clients against a major retail store.
Deakins recently accepted an appointment from the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as a Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility Hearing Committee member and has served on the board of the Community Legal Center.
David Shamblin earns CTFA certification
David Shamblin, a trust services advisor with Pinnacle Financial Partners, was recently awarded the Certified Trust & Financial Advisor (CTFA) professional certification from the American Bankers Association.
The CTFA certification is awarded to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of wealth management and trust.
“David is a true professional and an invaluable partner for his clients,” said Danny Gork, Pinnacle’s trust portfolio advisor in Chattanooga.
Shamblin came to Pinnacle earlier this year from BB&T. He has 10 years of experience in financial services and earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration and nonprofit management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He holds series 7 and 66 securities licenses, and is licensed in Life, Accident and Health insurance as well as Long Term Care insurance in Tennessee.
Business News is published each Sunday. Information about new hires, promotions and business awards should be sent to onthemove@timesfreepress.com.