Odland, 46, has served as chairman, president and CEO at AutoZone since January 2001, when founder J.R. “Pitt” Hyde III stepped down from day-to-day management. As Hyde takes over the duties of board chairman for the time being, AutoZone’s senior vice president of store operations, William C. Rhodes III, 39, was named president and CEO. Odland’s decision to accept Office Depot’s invitation to replace Bruce Nelson, a CEO of four years who was pressured to resign in October, came as a shock to Rhodes. However, despite a recent 7% slump in same-store sales at AutoZone, Rhodes told The Commercial Appeal in Memphis that no sweeping changes are needed at the company. “The plans that we have yesterday are the same plans we have today,” he said. With his first-hand knowledge of the company, Rhodes should be right on the money. He joined the auto parts retailer in 1994 from Ernst & Young and quickly rose through the ranks in various departments, including store operations, supply chain and operations analysis. In recent years, Rhodes has been commended for implementing technology that curbs retail shrinkage in AutoZone stores, among other accomplishments. Even so, he didn’t take all the credit for his success at the company and called Odland his mentor.

Prior to his tenure at AutoZone, Odland was chief operating officer at supermarket retailer Ahold USA Inc., president of the food service division at Sara Lee Corp., and an executive chairman at Quaker Oats Co.

AutoZone operates roughly 3,500 stores in the United States and Mexico, which employ 50,000 people.

Bolivar
Dr. Charles Frost—announced plans to seek another term as mayor of Bolivar. He has been mayor for 12 years. Prior to that, Frost was vice mayor and a city councilman. He is also a family practitioner at Bolivar Medical Clinic.

Brentwood
Ginny Mooney—promoted to assistant manager in the underwriting department of Brentwood Services Administrators. She joined BSI, a specialty insurance brokerage, in 1995 as a claim assistant.

Chattanooga
R. Todd Gardenhire—wrapping up his three-year term as chairman of the 2005 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. Gardenhire is senior vice president of investments at Smith Barney in Chattanooga.
Celeste Simmons—joined the Chattanooga office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz in health care litigation and employment law practice. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Law and the University of Memphis. Louie Thompson—named account manager at Walden Security. He is now in charge of support security services for roughly 16 sites served by Walden on behalf of the Hamilton County government. The company focuses on delivering security solutions to commercial and government facilities, such as shopping malls, and industrial and transportation sites.
Rodney Woods—promoted to vice president of government programs at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Woods will oversee Medicare operations and the company’s Federal Employee Program (FEP). He succeeds Ann Keown, who is retiring. Prior to BlueCross BlueShield, Woods was at Four Seasons Technologies and Duracell, a division of Gillette Co.

Crossville
John E. Smith—succeeded Svend Hovmand at the helm of Crossville Inc., a maker of large-size porcelain stone tiles. Smith began his career in the hard-surface flooring industry and joined the company as vice president of manufacturing in 1994. Hovmand became chairman of the board.

Erwin
Mark Stevens—named publisher of The Erwin Record, part of Sandusky Newspapers. He has been general manager and executive editor. Prior to joining the newspaper, Stevens was a lifestyles editor at the Johnson City Press.

Franklin
Lora Cochran—appointed corporate director of surgical services at Iasis Healthcare, with responsibilities over perioperative standards of care and sharing best practices among the company’s operating rooms. She arrives from a 350-bed community hospital in Alabama. Separately, Tedd Adair was named corporate director of emergency services. He previously directed critical care services at Iasis’ Southwest General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.
Lance Westbrooks—named executive vice president and provost at O’More College. He was academic dean and provost during the last five years since he joined the school specializing in interior design, fashion and merchandising. Mary Skinner was promoted to vice president of institutional advancement from vice president of community relations and development.

Greeneville
Bud Noe—retired as manager of the Parker Hannifin Corp.’s plant in Greeneville, where he worked since 1972. Paul Kamin, formerly of a Parker Hannifin plant in Youngstown, Ohio, took over Noe’s managerial duties. The Greeneville facility specializes in low-speed, high-torque hydraulic motors, as well as hydrostatic steering mechanisms.

Jackson
Enrique Luna—
relocated to Jackson from Memphis to become a disc jockey at Hispanic-oriented WDXI-AM 1310, which he started with his wife Aurora. Luna has previously worked for several radio stations in Chicago. An estimated 1,500 Latinos live in the Jackson area.

Johnson City
David Harvey—joined Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz as an associate in Johnson City. His focus is in labor and employment counseling law, as well as litigation.

Kingsport
Patrick Kane—named senior vice president of marketing and communications at Wellmont Health Systems. He worked in a similar capacity at Conemaugh Health Systems in Johnstown, Pa. Separately, Rhonda Morgan was named director of emergency services at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center. Most recently, she was a clinical specialist at the center’s intensive care unit.

Knoxville
Bill Kennoy—director of the three-member Tennessee Valley Authority board between 1991 and 1999, died in March at age 68 in Lexington, Ky., after an illness. Before being appointed to TVA’s board, he ran a Lexington-based environmental engineering business, which he started in 1971.
Mark Oldham—named chief financial officer at National Coal Corp., an Appalachian Region coal producer, replacing Rob Chmiel. Oldham arrives from Pen Holdings, which maintains mining operations in Central Appalachia. Chmiel, who has been at the company since its inception, is leaving to pursue other opportunities. Separately, Scott Filstrup, president of The Consultants Limited of Tulsa, Okla., joined National Coal’s board of directors.
Bruce Pearl—got the job as the University of Tennessee’s basketball coach after leading Wisconsin-Milwaukee on an exciting run through NCAA games this year. Pearl replaces Buzz Peterson, who was fired in mid-March after a 14-17 season and four years without an NCAA tournament.

Memphis
Mark Griffin—joined the securities and tort litigation group at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz at its Memphis office. He also focuses on broker-dealer and investment adviser law, as well as regulation and general corporate law.
Steve Hirsch—promoted to president at Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics in Europe from senior vice president and general manager at the company’s reconstructive division. Simultaneously, Mark Augusti was named senior vice president and general manager at the company’s trauma division. Augusti was vice president at Global Trauma Marketing.
Kenneth Masterson—retired from FedEx’s legal, regulatory and government affairs groups. Christine Richards was tapped to succeed Masterson, who joined Federal Express in 1979 as senior vice president and general counsel. In retirement, he will consult for the shipping giant. Richards arrived at the company in 1984, and most recently was vice president of customer and business transactions and general counsel of FedEx Corporate Services.
David Pickler—opened Pickler Wealth Advisors to focus on estate planning, asset protection and other asset management services. Pickler, who currently chairs the Shelby County Board of Education, plans to offer legal services within his new firm, which is affiliated with independent brokerage Linsco/Private Ledger.
Mary Helen Randall—named editor at Memphis magazine, published by Contemporary Media Inc., which also publishes the Memphis Flyer and Memphis Parent. Randall joined Contemporary Media in 1996 as editor at MM Graphics.
Bradley Talbert—promoted to chief executive at Select Specialty Hospital-Memphis. He was chief operating officer at Select Specialty Hospital-Gulfport, Miss.
Pat Walls—a veteran of FedEx—replaced Karen Spacek at the helm of Nashville Management Group’s Memphis office. Spacek, who started the office last year, left to become vice president of development at the Greater Memphis Arts Council, saying she has found her dream job at the council, which was one of NMG Memphis’ clients.

Nashville
Ray Capp—tapped to lead the Nashville Technology Council as David Condra, who has been president for five years, becomes chairman of IT security company Praemunio. Capp, a former Thomas Nelson executive and Ingram Entertainment chief operating officer, most recently ran Vanderbilt University startup ConduIT, which he founded.
Mike Dye—officially retired from American Airlines upon the closure of its Nashville sales office earlier this year. Dye told Business Tennessee’s sister publication, NashvillePost.com, that he declined an offer to relocate to another city to lead the airline’s sales effort in another market because he is pursuing other business opportunities in Nashville.
Ron Fitch—joined HCA’s MidAmerica division as assistant vice president of sales, focusing on developing outpatient services in such areas as surgery, imaging, cardiology and oncology. He was vice president of sales and marketing at MDS Laboratory Services.
Frank Freels—named senior vice president and manager at First Tennessee’s Nashville operation. Arriving from SunTrust Bank, where he was group vice president, Freels brings with him 16 years of banking and financial experience. He is a UT-Knoxville graduate.
Lynn Questell—named interim executive director of the state’s Emergency Communications Board, or E-9-1-1 Board. She steps in for Anthony Haynes, who left on April 1 to become director of state relations for the University of Tennessee.
David Keith Smith—a former TennCare employee in charge of installing new computers at the program for the state’s uninsured, was arrested for stealing 19 new Dell desktop machines from TennCare and pawning them at Nashville pawnshops. Smith was placed on administrative leave in mid-January and was fired at the end of February.
Eurie H. Smith IV—joined law firm King & Ballow as an associate in the firm’s litigation practice. Smith is a graduate of the law school at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He arrives at the firm with Brian Wheeler, a graduate of Washington & Lee University. Wheeler joins the antitrust division of King & Ballow. Oak Ridge
Pat Parr—elected vice chair of the executive committee for the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative. Parr oversees natural resource management and land use planning at ORNL.
Kimberley Southmayd—promoted to administrator at the Eye Center of Oak Ridge, a group of 11 doctors and 80 employees. She is a member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators and the Medical Group Managers Association.

Palmer
Tommy and Sheila Christian—arrested on indictments of defrauding the state of more than $10,000 in TennCare benefits. Tommy Christian was charged with obtaining TennCare insurance for himself and his family by not reporting access to insurance, while his wife faced charges of concealing insurance she had through her employer.

Tullahoma
Tommy Levi—promoted to sales manager at Mid-South Distributing. A 22-year veteran of the company, Levi takes over all sales, merchandising and distribution of several beer labels, including Miller, in the firm’s 14-county market.

Back to issue home page

Email to a Friend Print-Friendly Format