business briefs

• Maria McHale recently was promoted to senior account executive at Moxley Carmichael after three years of providing exceptional service to the firm’s clients.

She graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in commerce. Originally from Northern California, McHale resides in Knoxville with her husband, Kevin, and their two daughters, Avery and Renleigh.

• Colby McLemore, a Knoxville professional photographer focusing on business and advertising photography and owner of Colby’s Photos & Videos, recently was elected by fellow state professional photographers to his third term with the Professional Photographers of America Council. His latest term runs from 2021 into 2024.

According to a press release, PPA is described as being the largest and longest-standing nonprofit photography trade association globally, having been founded in 1868. “It is an honor to support the state’s professional photographic community,” McLemore said.

• University of Tennessee College of Education, Health and Human Services recently received more than $2.8 million in grant funding from the Tennessee Department of Education to support educational priorities in Tennessee. Almost $600,000 of the funding will support educator preparation and licensure through the Grow Your Own Initiative, which creates partnerships with counties across the state to address teacher shortages by creating innovative pathways to teacher licensure.

Grants focus on increasing the diversity of the Tennessee educator workforce through recruitment, preparation and support of teachers of color. UT has expanded the program to also include school districts in Shelby, Monroe and Blount counties

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville, recently was named among the Military Times Best for Vets Colleges. The survey analyzed 300 institutions’ costs, programs, policies and services for student veterans.