Here is a look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area business scene:

Baker Donelson shareholder Craig C. Conley became a Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator for the state of Tennessee and is able to serve as a neutral party who assists in the resolution of disputes through a voluntary settlement process that is less costly, time-consuming, and adversarial than litigation. Conley is a member of the firm's Health Care Litigation Group. A law school graduate of the University of Memphis, he also is a member of the American Health Law Association and the Association of Corporate Counsel, as well as the Memphis and Tennessee Bar associations.

Baptist Memorial Health Care named Dr. H.F. Mason chief quality officer for the 22-hospital health care organization. In this newly created role, Mason will provide leadership and oversight for corporate quality, infection prevention, quality data, analytics, and accreditation and compliance. He will help develop a comprehensive clinical quality and safety strategy to maintain a high level of care at all Baptist Memorial facilities. Mason will also work toward earning his certified physician executive designation and a master’s degree in health care quality and safety. Mason will continue to serve as the chief medical officer for Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton. He graduated from the University of Mississippi Medical School and completed his general surgery residency training at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Mason has worked as a general surgeon for more than 20 years and is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.

John Tarpley, a shareholder in Lewis Thomason’s Nashville office, recently helped form the Trucking Defense Advocates Counsel, a commercial transportation advocacy organization. The TDAC held its first meeting with 300 participants from the commercial transportation industry. Tarpley has established himself as one of the preeminent lawyers who represent commercial transportation companies and their employees nationwide. He has successfully defended trucking companies in state and federal courts and at mediations and settlement proceedings throughout the country.

Lehman-Roberts announced the promotion of Walter Shoemaker Jr. to Grade Crew Foreman. The process of road grading includes measures in which existing asphalt is removed for repaves and repair work. He will direct, teach and manage all onsite team members, while supervising subcontractors and equipment. In addition, he will be responsible for understanding DOT measures and quality control guidelines. Lastly, he will enforce the company's direction and safety standards while meeting construction deadlines. Prior to the promotion, he served as leadman for the Grade Crew. Shoemaker has been with the family of companies, which includes Memphis Stone & Gravel Co. for more than 10 years. Additionally, Lehman-Roberts promoted Nicole Billingsley to Accounting Supervisor. She will be responsible for the management of accounts payable and finance responsibilities related to the processing of material and job hauling tickets, as well as assisting with accounts receivable collections. Previously, Billingsley was Accounting Specialist. She has been a member of the team since September 2020.

FirstBank Investment Partners, the investment division of FirstBank with offices throughout the Southeast, hired Katy Valadie Cottle to its Investment Partners team as a Certified Financial Planner and Sales Assistant. In her new role, Cottle will advise clients in the Chattanooga, Memphis and Franklin markets on life insurance, annuity and investment strategies. During the past 19 years, she worked at another financial institution as a wealth management advisor after earning her CFP.

Since August, Baker Donelson has added 46 associates across the firm including several in the Memphis office. The new new local associates are Gerald E. Bradner whose practice is in advocacy; Briana Butler, advocacy; M. Kaitlyn Cornett, tax; Ashley Eberhardt, financial services litigation and compliance; Thomas M. Garrott, corporate; and Kelsey McKinney, advocacy.

NOTEWORTHY

For a third consecutive year, Baker Donelson has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status. To accomplish this achievement, the firm collaborated with Diversity Lab over a 12-month certification period with built-in measurement, transparency and accountability mechanisms. Mansfield aims to increase and sustain diversity in leadership within law firms by broadening the pool of women lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and underrepresented racial and/or ethnic lawyers who are considered for senior lateral attorney job openings, firm governance opportunities, equity partner promotions, and firm leadership positions. Firms must also create and publish job descriptions and appointment/election policies for leadership roles.

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a prestigious Merit Extension Award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), extending the center’s current $35 million, five-year Cancer Center Support Grant for an additional two years. St. Jude became eligible for the award after receiving two consecutive “exceptional” ratings during the NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center grant review. Exceptional is the highest possible cancer center rating. The grant extension is designed to promote long-range planning and high-risk, high-reward research among its member cancer centers. The St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of 53 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers across the country. The institution is the first and only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children.

— Compiled by Daniel Ginsburg

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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis business news: Promotions, hirings, achievers and company news