11 minute read
Class Notes
1960s
Roger Young (’69), Nashville, announced The Tennessee Mayflower Society is accepting applications for The Tennessee Society of Mayflower Descendants Roger L. Young Scholarship. The Tennessee Mayflower Society is a nonprofit, hereditary society dedicated to preserving and recording facts and information regarding Mayflower ancestors through historical research, genealogy, and education. The members have documented direct descent from one or more passengers who sailed from Holland and England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, aboard the Mayflower
1970s
Ric Chambers (’72), Portland, Oregon, was awarded the Richard Daryl Chambers Award for service to scouting and the community by the Boy Scouts of America’s Timberline District. Chambers is completing a 60-year volunteer career with scouting. He served as scoutmaster of the Western U.S. delegation to the World Scout Jamboree, Korea, in 1991. For the past 20 years, he has chaired the flag placement program at Willamette National Cemetery, where community volunteers place flags on the graves of 170,000 veterans for Memorial Day each year.
Brenda Gregory
A music educator at Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, Gregory (’79, ’82) was recognized during last November’s CMA Awards telecast by country music star and former MTSU student Chris Young. Gregory, who cast Young in a leading role in Oakland High’s West Side Story as a freshman, and her previous pupil reunited to film the segment with Siegel’s Chamber Choir. Young thanked his teacher for helping develop him as a performer and presented her with a new Chevy Trax during the visit.
1990s
Andre Bahou (’99), Franklin, joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as a partner in its intellectual property practice group. Bahou, previously with Holland & Knight and Waller, is a registered patent attorney, trial lawyer, mediator, and arbitrator with more than 20 years of experience in the areas of electrical and computer engineering technologies, including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, medical devices, blockchain, computer hardware, software, and internet security systems. Brad Byrd (’94, ’02), Murfreesboro, was promoted to Rutherford County market president of SmartBank.
Troy Cunningham (’95), Franklin, was named chief financial officer of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. Cunningham joins the organization following a 33-year career with Belle Meade Country Club, where he served the past 18 years as controller. Giles Damron (’95), Lakeland, received the Academy of General Dentistry Fellowship Award. Only 6% of dentists have earned the AGD Fellowship. Damron serves part time on the College of Dentistry faculty at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.
Rodney D. Bennett
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln named Rodney D. Bennett (’90, ’92, ’93) its new chancellor in July 2023. Bennett was selected as the prime candidate of the flagship institution after a series of public forums and other public meetings, according to the university’s news release. Bennett is the 21st UNL chancellor. The Lincoln campus is the largest institution in the University of Nebraska system, with 24,000 students and 9,000 faculty and staff. Bennett came to UNL after serving as president of the University of Southern Mississippi. He has also held various leadership roles at the University of Georgia, Winthrop University, and his alma mater, MTSU.
Kristy Harris (’92), Murfreesboro, was promoted to associate financial advisor on the Ascend Retirement and Investment Services wealth management team. Harris now develops and executes retirement and investment plans for members in the Murfreesboro, Columbia, and Spring Hill locations.
Patricia Jean (’94, ’13), Fayetteville, a 20-year educator, was named supervisor of early literacy with Fayetteville City Schools, overseeing virtual education, licensure, personnel, textbooks, and Response to Intervention.
David Johnson (’98), Tullahoma, joined Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp. as managing director in the Atlanta office.
Greg Morrison (’95), Albuquerque, New Mexico, was hired as a commercial hot air balloon pilot and Albuquerque field manager with Rainbow Ryders. Morrison previously spent 24 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as an F-18 pilot.
John Liehr (’98), Arrington, was appointed assistant police chief over investigative and administrative services for the Smyrna Police Department, where he has served since 1994.
Brian Locke (’95), Starkville, Mississippi, was promoted to assistant chief of police at Mississippi State University. Locke previously served MSU as veteran and military affairs director.
Breckon Pennell (’97, ’05), Franklin, was named principal of Riverside Elementary School in the Maury County Public Schools district. Pennell most recently served as the middle school coordinator for the district.
Christy Robinson (’92, ’94, ’95), Murfreesboro, was named principal of John Pittard Elementary School. Previously, she was an assistant principal at the school. Additionally, Robinson served as assistant principal at Discovery School and as a classroom teacher at Black Fox Elementary for over 22 years.
Tracey Rogers (’91), Eagleville, was promoted to senior vice president and regional manager for the broadcasting division of Nexstar Media Group, overseeing Nexstar television stations and digital operations in multiple markets across the U.S. Rogers was the grand marshal of the 2023 MTSU Homecoming Parade.
2000s
Adam Bryson (’04, ’06), Murfreesboro, was named executive principal at Mitchell-Neilson School. Formerly, he was principal at John Pittard Elementary.
Rachael Fahnestock (’04), Old Hickory, was appointed chair of the department of art and design at Austin Peay State University.
Emily Gill (’04), Murfreesboro, was named Tennessee School Counselor of the Year by the Tennessee School Counselor Association. She is a school counselor at Thurman Francis Arts Academy in Smyrna.
Ryan Hill (’04), Mount Juliet, was appointed principal of Mount Juliet High School. He previously was assistant principal and athletics director at Watertown High School.
Jessica Jackson (’05, ’10), Rockvale, was named principal of Blackman Middle School.
Mark Logsdon (’06), Hermitage, was hired as vice president of publicity for BMG Nashville. He also leads BMG Nashville’s corporate communications.
Joshua Meredith (’04), Rockvale, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the Murfreesboro Police Department and assigned to the Administration Services Division, where he oversees the field training and evaluation program.
Jody Miller (’06), Half Moon Bay, California, was named director of Coral Reef Academy in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Miller has spent more than two decades working in special education.
Rebecca Moore (’01) joined Ware Malcomb as Nashville studio manager for interior architecture and design, responsible for expanding market share and developing the interiors team while partnering with Ware Malcomb’s other Southeast regional offices.
Amanda Muniz (’00), Franklin, was named Moore Elementary School principal. Muniz previously was an assistant principal at Freedom Middle School.
Christopher Phelps (’04), Pulaski, was named Giles County High School Teacher of the Year.
Lt. Col. Paul D. Plumley
Plumley (’02) took the helm of the 758th Airlift Squadron during an assumption of command ceremony at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station on Aug. 5, 2023. Plumley formerly served as deputy commander of the 911th Operations Group. After graduating from MTSU, he was commissioned into the West Virginia Air National Guard in 2003. Plumley initially flew the C-130 Hercules and deployed numerous times in support of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Anna Powers (’08), Murfreesboro, was recently promoted to vice president of clinical services at HealthRev Partners, headquartered in Ozark, Missouri. Powers has more than a decade of experience serving local communities in the field of home health leadership. In her new executive role, she oversees a team of industry experts with a focus on revenue cycle management, as well as Medicare compliance and documentation accuracy to improve home care operations and ultimately the lives of the patients they serve.
Jeffrey Skaggs (’03), Hendersonville, was appointed as the new head of Milk & Honey’s regional office in Nashville. Skaggs is responsible for signing talent and collaboration with Milk & Honey’s roster of songwriters and producers, while also coordinating with the company’s other offices in Los Angeles and London.
Tyrone “Tyke T” Stroble
Stroble (’09, ’11), a Smyrna native and Memphis-based hip-hop artist, was at a loss for words when MTSU College of Media and Entertainment Dean Beverly Keel presented him with an honorary professorship on stage during his September 2023 concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis. The MTSU Jones College of Business graduate held the concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his groundbreaking debut album, The Overlooked . The live show was titled “Ten Years of Driven,” a reference to his record label and brand, DrivenByMusic. Stroble’s career includes landing in the Top 50 of four Billboard charts with his sophomore EP, 2017’s The Prelude. Keel said that in addition to his industry success, Stroble’s dedication to music education and giving back to his community made him a worthy recipient.
Christine Virost (’07), Kingsport, was named agency manager at the Western & Southern Life Insurance Co., leading business development and operations for the firm’s Greenville agency.
Emily Walker (’07), Nashville, was promoted to associate business manager at business management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready and McCarthy Inc.
2010s
Brian C. Brown (’15), Nashville, announced the release of his newest book, Cracking the Code of Life: How to Unlock Your Door to Heaven on Earth, a self-help book about manifestation, the law of attraction, and dream actualization.
Caitlin Bullard (’10), Murfreesboro, was named principal of Discovery School. Bullard formerly served as principal of Cason Lane Academy and recently was a district administrator in Rutherford County.
Shiloh Carroll (’14) released The Medieval Worlds of Neil Gaiman: From Beowulf to Sleeping Beauty, a book about how the literature and culture of the Middle Ages have been reinterpreted and repurposed over the centuries, and how interpretation has impacted Gaiman’s own use of medieval material.
Grayson Clotfelter (’17), Monroe, Georgia, joined Play It Again Music Group as creative manager overseeing the creative direction of Play It Again’s roster of writers.
Danny Fischesser (’19), Brentwood, was appointed chief financial officer at HCA Florida University Hospital.
Sarah Fry (’16), Clarksville, was named Montgomery County archivist. She joined the archive department in 2017 as an archives clerk, was promoted to archives technician, and most recently served as interim director.
Jennifer George (’14), Fayetteville, joined AvevoRX as director of acute revenue cycle management, overseeing critical coordination and standardization of acute revenue cycle processes and procedures for the national, independent provider of specialty infusion pharmacy services.
Paige Jenkins
Jenkins (’16) of Cordova, Georgia, was recognized as one of the Top 30 future interior design leaders in Atlanta and was featured in Interior Design magazine, an established international publication on contract and residential interior design. The magazine annually publishes a list of “Interior Design Giants,” which is a benchmark for designers and students to understand design excellence. The magazine’s new initiative, called “30-under-30,” honored the work of early-career creatives like Jenkins nominated by the senior management of established firms. Jenkins is currently an associate designer with HLGstudio and previously worked for award-winning firms NELSON Worldwide and Dana Lynch Design Ltd. She specializes in multifamily housing.
Page Lauterbach (’18), Nashville, joined the Colliers Nashville Real Estate Management Services Group as a property manager.
Jenny Ortiz (’10), Murfreesboro, was named principal at Overall Creek Elementary School. Ortiz has been with Murfreesboro City Schools for more than 18 years and has served in an administrator role since 2012.
Zachary Sturgis (’10), Antioch, joined Kaplan Construction as senior project manager responsible for scope development, schedule management, material and subcontractor procurement, contract negotiations, and working with project stakeholders. His inaugural project is the construction of Northampton Street Residences, a 44,000-square-foot, six-story apartment building in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Lindsay Will (’18), Nashville, was promoted to senior director, A&R, for Round Hill Music, overseeing staff songwriters and signing and developing new talent.
2020s
Ashley Barrientos
A Journalism and English double-major from Smyrna, Barrientos (’23) is the founding editor of @environment, an Instagram-based platform for climate news and resources owned by Brooklyn, New York-based Impact Media. The account boasts more than 830,000 followers. Ariana Grande shared a recent @environment post to her story, and Leonardo DiCaprio recently gave a full repost. Barrientos, a first-generation graduate whose parents were immigrants from Mexico, is the former editor-in-chief of Sidelines, MTSU’s student-run daily news source; she also held reporting, editorial, and investigative internships with The Baltimore Sun, Nashville Scene, and Elmahaba Center. She was recently featured on a list of this year’s 50 climate leaders by Grist, a nonprofit climate news organization.
William Carter (’22), Wartrace, was named staff writer at the Marshall County Tribune and will also be coordinating production for the newspaper.
Robert “Peyton” Herndon (’20, ’22), Murfreesboro, joined the financial services firm of LPL Financial (Brown Financial Group Inc.). A registered investment advisor licensed to sell securities and insurance products, Herndon will specialize in financial and retirement planning.
Christian Lundberg (’22), Buchanan, a family nurse practitioner, joined Paris Pediatrics. Lundberg previously worked in labor and delivery at Henry County Medical Center.
