business briefs

• Kirby Deal recently joined Girls Incorporated of Tennessee Valley as its new executive director, and Alanna Kosler has been named vice president of Programs and Operations.

• Ron Phillips recently was named East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services. Phillips was chosen for the top nursing job after more than four decades of service as a registered nurse for the hospital.

• Dr. Jeanette Toney, obstetrician and gynecologist, has joined Tennova Healthcare’s Women’ Health Specialists at its North Knoxville Medical Center location, 75578 Dannaher Drive in Powell. In addition to appointments, Toney also offers telehealth visits for new and existing patients.

• Wells Fargo Advisors recently named Nelson Patterson as senior vice president-investment officer, as a member of the firm’s Premier Advisor Program. The distinction is held by a select group of financial advisors who complete the educational components, business production and professionalism of the program. Nelson has been with Wells Fargo for 10 years and has 34 years of experience in the financial industry.

• Realtor Richard W. Rackley recently joined the team of Wechert, Realtors-Advantage Plus in Knoxville. A native of Knoxville, Rackley turned his talents and enthusiasm to real estate after a career in college-level teaching and administration.

• Tennova Healthcare recently welcomed Rachel Bowman, M.D., and Kareez Leonard-Bowden, M.D., to their new office at Tennova Primary Care-Karns, 7210 Oak Ridge Highway in Knoxville. Most recently, Bowman and Leonard-Bowden saw patients at Tennova Primary Care-Farragut. They specialize in caring for adults and children ages 2 and older.

• Tennessee Mortgage Bankers Association has installed its 2020-21 Board of Directors members, who include Kevin Tuscan of Mortgage Investors Group in Knoxville.

• Marlene Bernasconi has joined Weichert, Realtors-Advantage Plus in Knoxville as a sales manager for its South office. She came from Weichert, Realtors-Advantage Plus’ sister office in Miami, bringing more than 20 years of real estate experience.

• John Huber, owner of Huber Properties, which owns Markets at Choto, and Lynn Liu of Knoxville, recently were named The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2019 Knoxville Man & Woman of the Year, which was announced during a Grand Finale event for the Society’s Man & Woman of the Year fundraising campaign. Huber and Liu raised $163,028 and $82,952 respectively to support LLS’s goal to find cures for blood cancers and ensure patients have access to lifesaving treatments. They were among 10 candidates who competed for the distinction.

• BarberMcMurry Architects of Knoxville recently won two American Institute of Architects East Tennessee design awards for the restoration of the St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 4070 Kingston Pike in Knoxville, and for an interior design renovation at Radio Systems Corporation, 10427 PetSafe Way in Knoxville. BMA won the Honor Award in the Restoration/Renovation category for the church’s design — AIA East Tennessee’s highest level of recognition — and a Citation Award in the Architectural Interiors category for re-purposing an under-utilized meeting room and lab into an engineering design gym that supports team processes.