Business Spotlights

Jackson Chamber announces 2015-16 board members

The Jackson Chamber's board of directors elected board members to join existing members. Executive Committee members serving a second year include Jim Campbell, Ben Ferguson, Jim Ferrell, Curtis Mansfield, Roy Heatherly, Kyle Spurgeon, Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist (ex-officio) and Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris (ex-officio.)

Three members — Buster Ferguson, Martin Karg and Gary Taylor — were elected to serve three-year terms on the board of directors.

Greg Parsons is the 2015-16 Leadership Jackson Alumni Association representative on the board, and Shawn Daly was elected to a two-year term.

Webb returns to First Tennessee in commercial lending

Rick Webb, who has 30 years' banking experience, has re-joined First Tennessee Bank as senior vice president of commercial lending. Working out of the bank's Jackson Main Office at 325 Oil Well Road, Webb will be responsible for developing and managing commercial lending relationships.

This is a homecoming for Webb, a graduate of Union University with a degree in business finance. He began his banking career at Jackson National Bank and spent 15 years at First Tennessee from 1987-2002. Most recently he was the community president of First State Bank in Jackson. He also studied at the Mid-South School of Banking in Memphis and the Vanderbilt Commercial Lending School.

Webb serves as a board member of the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and the Cystic Fibrosis Mid-South Board. He also has been involved with the Chamber of Commerce, Ducks Unlimited, the Civitan Club and the Reelfoot Girl Scout Council.

Ward is West Tennessee Healthcare employee of month

Holly Lott Ward is the February Employee of the Month for West Tennessee Healthcare. Holly is a registered nurse who works in a medical/surgical area of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

A five-year employee, Ward was recognized because of her caring and courteous attitude, which is easily noticed by most, West Tennessee Healthcare officials said in a news release.

The release said Ward takes pride in professionally interacting with patients, families and co-workers.

Co-workers said she takes the time to help others while maintaining her calm even when working under pressure. They said she always smiles and seems to really enjoy her job and is respectful, cooperative and enthusiastic. A co-worker also said she strives to make others around her better.

First Citizens' Agee appointed to St. Louis Fed's Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council

Jeffrey D. Agee, president and CEO of First Citizens Bancshares Inc. of Dyersburg, has been appointed to a three-year term on the St. Louis Fed's Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC), which meets twice a year to advise St. Louis Fed President James Bullard on regional credit, banking and economic conditions.

Council members serve staggered terms and are senior executives of banks, thrift institutions and credit unions from across the St. Louis Fed's Eighth District, which is comprised of the state of Arkansas, and parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The council's first meeting of 2015 will be held March 31-April 1. The second meeting will be held Oct. 13-14.

Agee serves on the boards of directors for the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of West Tennessee, and Dyersburg State Community College's Foundation Board and executive committee. Agee is a past chairman for the Tennessee Bankers Association, where he has also served as a member of the board of directors for TBA's Independent Bankers division and as chairman, president, and director for TBA's Young Bankers division. Agee is also a past director of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants banking division. Agee earned his bachelor of science from the University of Tennessee at Martin and his associate degree from Dyersburg State. He is a graduate of the American Bankers Association's Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Georgetown University and the BAI School of Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin.

Howell joins Voya Financial Advisors

Justin Howell has joined Voya Financial Advisors Inc., 24 Old Hickory Cove. As a financial adviser, Howell will work with plan sponsor participants and individual customers to ensure their financial needs are being met. He hopes to accomplish this by tailoring financial strategies to each individual, based on his or her current location on the road to retirement. Justin and wife Alecia have two sons, Brooks and Greyson. To reach Justin Howell, call 668-9818 or email jhowell@voyafa.com.

Newell joins Farmers and Merchants

Chuck Newell has been appointed president of Farmers & Merchants Bank in Trezevant, bringing more than 34 years banking experience to the organization.

He has managed multimillion-dollar commercial loan portfolios, overseen multiple branches and employees, facilitated retail strategies and executed business development strategies with companies throughout the Southeast.

He also served as a private consultant leading an investment group in raising the necessary capital to purchase a community bank, where he served as president and CEO.

Farmers & Merchants Bank, 5420 Broad St. in Trezevant, was founded in 1916, and has offices in Gibson, Carroll, Madison and Hardeman counties.

UPS honors Tennessee drivers for 25 years of safe driving

UPS (NYSE:UPS) announces 61 elite drivers from Tennessee are among 1,445 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.

Three of the drivers are from West Tennessee. They are George Cross from Medina, Ronald Prather of Selmer and Robert Stewart of Trenton.

Tennessee boasts 250 active Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 7,183 years of accident-free driving.

Globally, 7,878 active UPS drivers are members of the Circle of Honor.

Collectively they've racked up more than 221,000 years and more than 5.3 billion safe miles during their careers — or enough miles to travel to Mars and back 36 times.

"My thanks go to all of them for their dedication and focus, and for the countless lives they've saved," said Kenneth Harms, president, UPS Mid-South District.

UPS's 102,000 drivers are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 3 billion miles a year and delivering more than 4 billion packages safely.

Founded in 1907, UPS has a rich history of safety and training. The company issued its first driver handbook in 1917 and began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. In 1928, UPS recognized its first five-year safe driver, Ray McCue, with UPS founder Jim Casey presenting him a gold and platinum watch. UPS formally established its safe driving honor program in 1928.