Cempa Community Care’s director of clinic services, Amy Eldridge, has been appointed to the Regional Health Council following a unanimous vote by the Hamilton County Commission. The appointment came on the recommendation of District 8 Commissioner Mike Chauncey.
The Regional Health Council serves as a community-based advisory board to the Hamilton County Health Department. The council includes 27 voting members, each serving a four-year term.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity to serve alongside others who care about the health of Hamilton County,” Eldridge says. “My goal is to support meaningful progress that makes care more accessible and improves the overall well-being of the people who live here.”
Eldridge has served in her current role at Cempa for five years, experience that leaders say equips her to advocate for policies that promote positive health outcomes across the county.
“Amy is a force for good, and her work at Cempa over the past half-decade has benefited the entire organization, especially the patients who depend on us,” says Cempa CEO Dr. Shannon Burger. “Serving on the Regional Health Council will allow her to apply her insights and expertise to benefit the health standings of residents all across Hamilton County.”
The council meets quarterly and is composed of 11 appointees selected by county commissioners and 16 at-large members appointed by the Hamilton County mayor.
First Horizon hires senior commercial banker
First Horizon Bank has named Justin Whitaker senior vice president and senior commercial banker in its Chattanooga market.
Whitaker joins the organization with extensive experience in commercial finance. He previously served at Regions Bank, where he worked with middle market companies on cash flow optimization, lending and investment management strategies. Before that, he held a commercial banking role at JPMorgan Chase and worked in corporate and volunteer engagement at the United Way of Greater Chattanooga.
Two Chattanoogans honored by UT
Two Chattanooga leaders were among those recognized during the University of Tennessee System’s 11th annual President’s Council Showcase and Awards Dinner Nov. 14 in Knoxville.
Mike Griffin, a 1985 UTC graduate, was inducted into the UT Alumni Association Past Presidents Council. Griffin serves as the 2024–25 president of the UTAA Board of Governors and is president of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. His longtime community involvement includes chairing the Cleveland State Community College board of trustees and leading two area Rotary clubs.
Gary Rollins, a 1967 UTC alumnus, received the Jim and Natalie Haslam Presidential Medal, one of the university’s highest honors for leadership, service and philanthropy. Rollins, executive chairman emeritus of Rollins Inc., and his wife, Kathleen, have invested heavily in UTC, including $40 million to establish the Gary W. Rollins College of Business and $30 million to expand Fletcher Hall.
UT System President Randy Boyd said honorees like Griffin and Rollins “embody what it means to serve and lead” as they help strengthen campuses and communities across Tennessee.
UTC pair earns SoCon honors
Two University of Tennessee at Chattanooga employees – Dr. Betsy Myers and Brandalyn Shropshire – have been named to the 2025-2026 All-Southern Conference Faculty and Staff Team.
Myers, a professor in the department of physical therapy, was recognized for her leadership of UTC’s Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic and her work connecting students with community service opportunities, including the Chattanooga Ironman and adaptive recreation programs through SPARC.
Shropshire, associate director of engagement in Undergraduate Admissions, was honored for nearly 20 years of shaping how prospective students and families experience the university. She has led improvements in communication, campus visits and enrollment access since joining UTC in 2006.
Both will receive engraved plaques from Southern Conference Commissioner Michael Cross during the Jan. 21 men’s basketball game against ETSU.
VHI Medical adds Fulton to Glenwood practice
CHI Memorial Medical Group has added Grace Fulton to its Primary Care Associates – Glenwood team. Fulton earned her master’s degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University and is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
She joins Dr. Brent Meadows, Dr. Jessica Tyler and Harper Sutton at the Glenwood practice, located in the Missionary Ridge Medical Tower at 725 Glenwood Drive. Office hours run 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The clinic is accepting new patients, with same-day appointments and video visits available. For scheduling or more information, call 423 495-3940.
Council confirms planning leader
Mayor Tim Kelly on Tuesday praised the City Council’s vote to confirm his appointment of Karen Rennich as administrator of the Department of Planning and executive director of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency.
“In July, I appointed Karen Rennich as interim administrator knowing she could take the helm of the Department of Planning and serve as interim executive director of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency,” Kelly says. “With more than 14 years in the deputy’s role, she’s worked on affordable housing, land use, public transit and more. She’s doing a terrific job and deserves the permanent appointment.”