HIRES/PROMOTIONS
CAITLIN DALLY
New job title: Vista AmeriCorps Wealth Building Associate
Company: Step Up Savannah
Duties: Dally will work with the Step Up wealth building director to develop and expand financial literacy programs.
Related work experience: Dally worked as an associate at Responsible Endowments Coalition, University of San Francisco, and for Ashoka Seattle’s Youth Venture program with Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative.
Education: Dally earned a B.A. in international studies from the University of San Francisco.
MIRANDA KAYE STERN
New job title: Vista AmeriCorps Workforce Development Associate
Company: Step Up Savannah
Duties: Stern will work with Step Up’s workforce action team to expand the capacity of the Chatham Apprentice Program, develop a volunteer GED tutoring assistance program and help develop the Centers for Working Families.
Related work experience: Stern worked as a project partner at Revitalizing Outer Southeast CDC in Portland, worked with youth to create a “photovoice” project documenting residents’ concerns and researched and wrote a Best Practices Guide for Social Equity and Sustainability in the Northwest.
Education: Stern earned a B.S. in community development from Portland State University.
BETSY HARRIS
New job title: Private Duty Coordinator for Chatham, Bryan and Effingham Counties.
Company: Coastal Home Care, Inc.
Duties: Harris works to ensure superior service delivery to her client base by scheduling direct care staff to meet their needs.
Related work experience: Harris recently spent eight years in Alaska working on behalf of children and families for the state. She brings 12 years of experience in social services, credentials in early childhood education and psychology and extensive experience working on behalf of families.
JESSICA PIZAREK
New job title: VISTA AmeriCorps Policy and Communications Associate
Company: Step Up Savannah
Duties: Pizarek will work with Step Up’s communications and policy director to augment public policy research initiatives, develop advocacy positions and assist in all areas of social media and other communications campaigns.
Related work experience: Pizarek worked as a graduate associate in New York City in its Housing and Neighborhood Study and with the Forgotten Navajo People Community Development Corp. and U.C. Berkeley’s 2048 Project.
Education: Pizarek earned a M.A. in education policy and social analysis from Columbia University and a B.A. in social welfare and poverty alleviation from U.C. Berkeley.
MANDY LIVINGSTON
New job title: Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Company: Paula Deen Enterprises
Duties: Livingston will serve as the face of the Lady and Sons, Uncle Bubba’s Seafood & Oyster House and the Paula Deen Retail store in networking with potential clients, tour group operators, local tourism organizations and community. She will also create and execute annual sales and marketing plans for The Lady and Sons, Paula Deen Retail and Uncle Bubba’s.
Related work experience: Livingston was previously the director of marketing and public relations at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum.
Education: Livingston earned a bachelor of science degree in public relations from Georgia Southern University.
RANCE JACKSON
New job title: General Manager
Company: The Lady & Sons
Duties: Jackson will oversee and coordinate the planning, organizing, training and leadership necessary to achieve objectives in sales, costs, co-worker retention, guest service and satisfaction, food quality, cleanliness and sanitation.
Related work experience: Jackson previously worked as a food service specialist in the U.S. Army.
Education: Jackson attended the University of South Carolina.
TAYLOR DEEN
New job title: Communication and Public Relations Representative
Company: Paula Deen Enterprises
Duties: Deen will be responsible for social media and corporate communications for The Lady & Sons, Uncle Bubba’s Seafood & Oyster House, Paula Deen Retail Store and The Deen Brothers.
Related work experience: Deen completed an internship at Paula Deen Enterprises.
Education: Deen earned a bachelor of science degree in communications from Auburn University.
CHESARE BULLOCK
New job title: Human Resources Business Partner
Company: Target IW - T3810
Duties: Bullock will join Target’s executive team and will support talent planning and development.
Related work experience: Bullock brings experience in human resources and recruiting.
Education: Bullock earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication from Peace College, Raleigh, N.C.
JEREMIE SOMMERS
New job title: Realtor
Company: Weichert, Realtors - Coastal Properties
Duties: Sommers will be on the sales team at Weichert, Realtors — Coastal Properties.
Education: Sommers earned a bachelor of science degree in business management with a minor in economics from SUNY Fredonia State.
MARGARET HINCHEY
New job title: Assistant District Attorney
Company: Chatham County District Attorney’s Office
Duties: Hinchey has accepted a full-time ADA position with the DA’s Office in the “Early Intervention Program.”
Related work experience: Hinchey served as a law graduate practice intern this fall and also interned at the DA’s Office in the summer of 2011, serving the Juvenile and State Courts.
Education: Hinchey earned her BA degree in English with a minor in education from The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., and her Juris Doctorate from Mercer Law in Macon.
GEORGE H. HEARN
New job title: Senior director of trade development for carrier and non-container sales
Company: Georgia Ports Authority
Duties: Hearn will guide all client development and sales functions for these business areas, including sales planning, sales administration, tariff structure, and associated service functions to be provided in addition to the sales efforts.
Related work experience: Hearn served as the vice president of sales for the eastern region and gulf for US Lines. Previously, he held senior positions at American President Lines Ltd. as vice president and managing director of the eastern, southern and western regions.
NOAH ABRAMS
New job title: Assistant District Attorney — Superior Court
Company: Chatham County District Attorney’s Office
Duties: Abrams will prosecute felonies in the Superior Court Division.
Related work experience: Abrams was the assistant district attorney in Clayton County in Jonesboro in the crimes against women Unit. He also was the assistant solicitor general in the Office of the Solicitor General of Fulton County in Atlanta and assistant district attorney in the EIP Division in Chatham County.
Education: Abrams earned a BA degree in philosophy and English from Vanderbilt University. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
SUSAN POWERS
New job title: Innkeeper at The Kehoe House and The Gastonian
Company: HLC Hotels
Related work experience: Powers has been a member of the HLC team since 1995. She was promoted to general manager at Masters Inn Tifton in 1998 and transferred to Masters Inn Garden City in 2000 where she served as general manager for five years. In 2005, she was promoted to innkeeper at Eliza Thompson House.
SHEILA SCOTT
New job title: Innkeeper at Eliza Thompson House
Company: HLC Hotels
Related work experience: Scott joined The Marshall House in 2008 and in 2009 was named assistant general manager. Previously, she worked for the British Consulate in Orlando and was an instructor at the Southeastern Academy of Travel and Tourism in Kissimmee, Fla.
HALLIE MOBLEY
New job title: Assistant General Manager at The Marshall House
Company: HLC Hotels
Related work experience: Mobley joined HLC at Olde Harbour Inn in December of 2009 and was promoted to assistant innkeeper at The Gastonian and Kehoe House in 2010.
Education: Mobley earned a bachelor of science degree in theater marketing and management from Armstrong Atlantic State University.
KAREN SAWERS
New job title: Assistant Innkeeper at The Gastonian and Kehoe House.
Company: HLC Hotels
Related work experience: Sawers has served as concierge and guest service representative at The Gastonian since July of 2009.
WESLEY OLLIFF
New job title: Vice President, Commercial Relationship Banker
Company: Colony Bank
Duties: Olliff will help expand the banking relationships of new and existing clients for the Savannah market.
Related work experience: Olliff has six years experience in community banking and finance.
Education: Olliff earned a bachelor of business administration degree in management from Georgia Southern University.
NICOLE WALKER
New job title: Teller
Company: Colony Bank
Duties: Walker will be responsible for handling a variety of transactions and cross-selling bank products and services.
Related work experience: Walker is a customer service professional with diversified experience.
WENDY BURCHFIELD
New job title: Director of Business Development
Company: Weichert Realtors - Coastal Properties
Related work experience: Burchfield began her real estate career in 2009 after 22 years as a corporate executive with Avon Products, Inc.
NANCY DAVIS
New job title: Premier Aussie Specialist
Company: Edgewood Travel
Duties: Davis will consult with clients about travel to Australia.
Related work experience: Davis has traveled to Australia more than 18 times and is one of only 120 people in North America registered as a Premier Aussie Specialist.
Education: Davis completed training through Tourism Australia.
HONORS/AWARDS
Attorney approved as mediator and arbitrator
The Conner Law Group managing partner Mike Conner has been approved as a mediator and arbitrator by the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution and the Supreme Court of Georgia.
SCORE names new board member
The Savannah chapter of SCORE has announced that Robert Donlon will serve as the new vice president of finance. Donlon is president of The Bookkeeper of Savannah, LLC, a company that helps small businesses by keeping their monthly financials in order.
Crisis Intervention Team coordinator honored
The Crisis Intervention Team coordinator for Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department has been named Georgia CIT Coordinator of the Year.
Dorothy Cave was presented the award at the National Alliance on Mental Illness conference in Sea Island in November.
CASA Swears Fall 2012 class
Seven volunteers have joined the Savannah/Chatham CASA team. Judge Patricia Parker Stone presided over the brief ceremony, her first since being sworn in as presiding judge of Juvenile Court in late September. The volunteers are Ella Hutchinson, Monica Jackson, Jessica Kulper, Misha Lewis, Michael Mixso, Thamicka Morgan and Brandy Trappio.
Savannah CEO receives national designation
John Patterson, chairman & CEO of JCB Inc. has been elected 2013 CE Chair of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the North American-based international trade group for companies that manufacture equipment, products and services used worldwide in the agricultural, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors.
J.T. Turner director receives designation
Mark Fitzpatrick, director of preservation with J.T. Turner Construction, was recently elected as the chairman of the board of directors of the United States Green Building Council Georgia Chapter for 2013. Georgia has a state chapter with branches in Savannah, Atlanta, Augusta, Macon and Athens.