Class Notes

joined Korn Ferry as the Director of Client Solutions. Korn Ferry is a talent management consulting firm that helps organizations design, build, and attract talent. They are a one-stop shop for leadership development, enterprise learning, succession planning, and recruitment process outsourcing.

Meghan Casey Cobble ’98 was recognized as the Tennessee Lottery Educator of the Week for Feb. 26, 2018. She is a 7th grade teacher at Coulter Grove Intermediate School in Blount County. Watch more about Meghan here: http://www.wbir.com/video/news/local/education/educator-of-the-week/meghan-cobble-educator-of-the-week-226/51-8019442

has a new book co-authored with her late friend and mentor Virginia Pounds Brown, that was published this spring. She will always credit Maryville College with teaching her how to conduct and organize research. “There was indeed something special about “special studies” that has stayed with me for almost fifty years!” The book has been published in paperback and eBook by NewSouth Books. Drawing by Stealth: John Trumbull and the Creek Indians is a brief account of the events in 1790 when a party of Creek Indians went to New York to meet with President George Washington and by chance had their images sketched by the President’s portrait artist John Trumbull. In their research the authors discovered and corrected a mistaken theory that one of the images is that of Alexander McGillivray, the powerful Creek leader who made his home in the area that is present-day Wetumpka, Alabama. www.newsouthbooks.com/drawingbystealth

husband Bill, passed away on April 19, 2015 after a long illness.

Lynn Ramsey Cole ’68 retired at the end of the 2017-18 school year after 34 years as a math teacher at Farragut High School.

was accepted to the Industrial/Organizational Psychology masters program at Austin Peay to start in spring 2015.

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT of the Ocoee Region as its new president. Connatser is seen here at the Adkisson Drive offices in front of a wall filled withthe public education partner to give its fundraising and community awareness campaigns a facelift. A 10-year veteran of the nonprofit world has taken the helm at Junior Achievement of the Ocoee Region and is already working closely with the public education partner to give its fundraising and community awareness campaigns a facelift. Melanie A. Connatser, a longtime Sweetwater resident who has spent the last decade working as a membership services and communications coordinator for the Knoxville Bar Association, is entering her third month as the local JA president. She succeeds Tracie McCartney who left the post in late 2013 in order to care for her newborn. A 1999 graduate of Sequoyah High School in Monroe County, Connatser went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business and organization management from Maryville College in 2003, and a master’s degree in religious education from Liberty University in 2013. In her Bar Association role, Connatser was involved in an array of initiatives including event planning, membership recruitment and marketing of programs and activities. “Melanie is bringing to Junior Achievement a strong background in nonprofit work, especially having worked in this realm for the past 10 years,” said Rick Platz, longtime JA board chairman. “But more importantly, she has an enthusiasm and high level of expectation for our organization.” He added, “With her leadership, JA of the Ocoee Region will continue to grow and enhance the kind of programs that make a difference in the lives of our young people.” Married for 11 years to husband Adam, Connatser said the couple will continue to reside in Sweetwater, her longtime home since age 10. Although she faces a 45-minute commute to JA’s Cleveland-based office, that’s actually less than her old travel time of an hour to get to the Bar Association offices in downtown Knoxville. Plus, Monroe County is one of the five counties within the local JA region. The Ocoee affiliate serves public school systems in Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Polk and Monroe counties. Since its original charter in 1965 as Junior Achievement of Bradley and McMinn Counties, the local organization has concentrated most of its efforts in Bradley and McMinn. One of Connatser’s goals will be to strengthen JA’s outreach into the other three counties. She’ll also keep a finger on the pulse of Bradley County because she’s no stranger to Cleveland. “While I reside in Sweetwater, I have family and friends in Cleveland,” Connatser explained from her Adkisson Drive office that is being made available by Cleveland State Community College. “As I take on my new role as president at JA, I look forward to building strong relationships with the communities of our five-county region.” She added, “I am excited to be involved in an organization that places an emphasis on preparing our community’s young people for the real world. They are our future business leaders.” In her first couple months on the job, Connatser has wasted no time in her orientation. She has already held multiple sessions with JA’s volunteer board and the new president is also getting into the communities to satisfy several needs. One, she is working to meet – and to personally thank – existing JA supporters and financial donors, and to involve them in JA’s future plans for fundraising and programming. Two, she is branching out into new arenas; that is, companies, corporations and individuals who have not served previously as JA donors, financially or through volunteerism. Her goal is to reacquaint them with the organization’s goals while also using the opportunity to recruit new volunteers. Three, she is expanding JA’s outreach to the entire five-county region. Previously, JA’s efforts in Meigs, Monroe and Polk counties had been limited. She wants to increase JA’s presence in those areas while sustaining – and perhaps increasing – the nonprofit’s influence in Bradley and McMinn. Four, she is telling the story of Junior Achievement and expanding the nonprofit’s public awareness campaign. Her belief is the more who know about JA, the better the organization’s message will be understood. Five, she is giving JA fundraising in the region a mild facelift. One of the group’s past fundraisers – the Monster Ball at Halloween – is being discontinued. It is being replaced with a 5K run and one-mile Fun Run, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18. JA’s other two key fundraisers – the existing annual campaign now in full swing and the spring-season bowl-a-thon – are being continued. Like her predecessors, Connatser understands fundraising is JA’s biggest task in order to sustain, and to expand, its classroom programming. “A major challenge is obtaining the funding necessary for JA programs, but I think – along with building awareness in the community and building relationships – JA will be successful,” she stressed. Connatser is excited about the current campaign that began just a few weeks ago. “JA’s ability to reach so many youth depends on the generosity of individuals who invest their time as classroom volunteers as well as financial resources as funders,” she said. “Our annual campaign will help inspire and prepare young people in the upcoming school year.” Donations can be made online at www.juniorachievement.org/web/jaocoee or by calling the JA offices at 423-614-8775. Last year, the local JA affiliate reached 4,500 students in 177 classrooms. Those numbers will grow if she is successful in giving the nonprofit a better presence in Monroe, Meigs and Polk, as well as expanding volunteer and donor numbers in McMinn, and also in the Cleveland and Bradley County school systems. “Junior Achievement of the Ocoee Region places a primary emphasis on preparing young people in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness,” Connatser said. “In order to train students in these primary areas, JA’s primary goals include expanding and managing the demand for JA programs and securing sufficient resources – both in volunteers and funding.” She pointed to JA’s role – locally, nationally and internationally. “JA makes our communities stronger by bridging the gap of what students are learning in school and how it can be applied in the real world,” Connatser cited. “The hands-on learning allows students to become better prepared for their futures. JA reinforces the value of an education.” As part of its doctrine, JA doesn’t try to replace the role of conventional classroom teaching. Instead, the nonprofit’s volunteers – who are lending their levels of expertise in the classroom setting – are supplementing ongoing public education efforts. “No matter where you come from, there is definitely a great need by students,” she offered. As a student, Connatser did not have access to JA programming. Today, she understands how it could have benefited her formal education. “I’ve heard so many good things from people about JA,” she noted. “It definitely has a great history. It’s one reason I’m here.” Connatser praised the civic mindset of CSCC administrators who made available the current JA offices which formerly served as the community college’s Security Building. JA moved into the facility in 2013, and continues to explore new opportunities and unique synergies with the community college. “Cleveland State is a major sponsor in all of our events and they supply our office space for which I’m very grateful,” the new president stressed. She pointed to the organization’s parallel missions, one of which is workforce readiness. “Cleveland State has really gotten big in that,” Connatser said. “And that’s what JA is all about. Our missions do align in that sense. We are both focused on getting students prepared for their careers.” Another natural advantage of the campus logistics is JA can now pull from a pool of CSCC volunteers and educational facilities. Connatser agreed with past assessments by Platz and CSCC administrators – that JA’s new location is creating opportunities for both. Collectively, the partnership has been called a “win-win” for each. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the communities more and making sure our students do receive that hands-on training,” she said. Connatser praised Platz, the unpaid board members and JA’s fleet of volunteers. She credited all with welcoming her into the JA fold. “We’re not yet in every school system,” she cited. “But that’s one of my goals … to get JA into every school system in our region.” Read more: Cleveland Daily Banner – Melanie Connatser joins JA as nonprofit s new president

Former Tavares quarterback Tim Conner, who completed his playing career at Maryville College in Tennessee last fall, is in his first coaching job at Centre College in Danville, Ky. He is working as the coach of the running backs. Conner finished his career with the Scots by completing 78-of-150 passes for 852 yards and four touchdowns during his senior season. Centre College is an NCAA Division III program.

Since Carl Lindsay ’50 passed away in January of this year, Carol has moved Sacramento to be near her daughter and son in Palo Alto.

Allison Cornish of Pilot Company earns Top Women in Convenience award

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (July 7, 2022) –Allison Cornish – a Lexington, Kentucky native and current Knoxville resident – has been named a Convenience Store News 2022 Top Women in Convenience in the elite Women of the Year category. Since joining Pilot Company in 1999, Cornish has exponentially grown her career and is now leading the company’s largest investment in remodeling its travel centers as VP of Store Modernization.

She joins four other Women of the Year honored for representing the convenience store industry in the retail, wholesale, and supplier sectors. The prestigious award recognizes those who have had an “exceptional impact on the success or direction of their company, as well as a positive impact on the convenience store industry as a whole.” Each winner was nominated through an in-depth questionnaire covering achievements, leadership, influence, and qualifications – and Cornish’s immense contributions in each of these areas are demonstrated in her long-standing dedication to Pilot Company and the thousands of team members she has positively impacted.

“Anyone who knows Allison would agree she deserves this great honor,” said Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Company. “She is a hard worker who always accepts challenges that come her way. We are proud of her and the incredible work she does, especially how she is leading New Horizons, one of our company’s biggest initiatives.”

Cornish is a graduate of Maryville College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management. She joined Pilot Company as her first job out of college and throughout her career has held leadership positions in multiple capacities including Regional Manager, Chief of Staff and VP of Operations. Cornish is dedicated to mentoring young up-and-coming leaders and female colleagues across the business and its more than 650 company-operated travel centers.

“It’s important for women to support other women. I’ve learned the value in helping other women see the value in themselves,” Cornish said. “I’ve heard myself give advice to other women and have stopped to think that I need to follow that same advice myself! Sometimes my role is to push people to get outside their comfort zone. I encourage them to be open to taking on new challenges or pursuing jobs that maybe have aspects that they don’t know much about. Growth can feel uncomfortable at first but with determination, patience, and a willingness to listen and learn, you’ll be successful.”

Tillman Crane ’78 is being inducted into the inaugural class of Alabama Center of the Arts Hall of Fame on November 16, 2016. He joins other celebrated Alabamians including Wes Chapman, dance; Emmylou Harris, music; Nall Hollis, mixed media; the late Dean Jones, theater; Bruce Larsen, sculpting; quilters of Gee’s Bend, textiles; the late Mildred Nungester Wolfe, paint; the late Richard Zoellner, paint. Through theater, textiles, music, dance, photographs and paint, these artists influenced the world regionally, nationally and globally. Noted as one of the nation’s most well-known large format photographers, Crane published four photography books and taught the craft in China, Mexico, Scotland, England and throughout the United States. His work has hung in the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, Ireland, the Portland Museum of Art in Maine and Brigham Young University Museum of Fine Art in Utah. “This is what I love,” Crane said when conducting a workshop in north Alabama in 2014. “I am an introvert by nature. This is the way I understand the world. Nothing replenishes my energy more than setting up the camera and waiting for that perfect moment.” The Alabama Center for the Arts Hall of Fame has been established to recognize Alabama natives and residents who have achieved preeminence in their respective fields of artistic expression. The Hall of Fame furthers the Center’s mission of providing all Alabamians with access to the highest caliber of artistic instruction and cultural awareness. The Center will continue to serve as a statewide catalyst for artistic education and appreciation, while also promoting a culture of creativity throughout Alabama. From

Tillman Crane ’78 receives international recognition for his photography By Katie Boggs katie.boggs@thedailytimes.com Posted on Nov 30, 2016 Tillman Crane was able to mold his early days as a photojournalist for The Daily Times into a lifelong work as an artistic photographer, becoming a leader in platinum printing and finding unique possibilities in everyday objects. Crane began photography during his days at Maryville College in 1976. After graduation, he started work at The Daily Times, hired to shoot color pictures, as The Daily Times was one of the first Tennessee newspapers to begin printing in color. Nancy Cain and Dean Stone were Crane’s immediate boss and editor, respectively, during his eight years working for the paper, and he credits both of them as being very instrumental in his photography career. As he explored photojournalism, Crane also began to participate in workshops, combining photography with history, his major in college. Crane said of this time, “That’s how I began to branch out and really explore photography.” Platinum printing It was during these workshops that Crane first discovered platinum printing. There was a small exhibit on platinum prints from the early 1900s done by Frederick Evans, and the quality of the prints after all those years left an impression on Crane. “I spent 2½ hours in that small exhibit,” he said, “It was the ideal photographic process for me.” After moving to Maine, Crane began a studio class introduction to large-format photography with 8-by-10 cameras. This led to working with even larger cameras and allowed him to start his own platinum printing. Platinum printing became his passion, and his photographs gained recognition through this unique process. He began photographing around the United States and in other countries, including Scotland and China, and he also formed his own workshops, which he continues, and printed books of his pictures. Crane receives honors His trips to China started to multiply after being recommended to teach the platinum printing process, and eventually two private students paid a visit to his own home and studio in Maine. They invited Crane to have his photographs displayed at the National Art Museum of China. This exhibit began Wednesday, Nov. 23, and will run through Dec. 5, 2017, showcasing, “Alchemy of Light, 100 Photographs by Tillman Crane.” Even overseas, Crane photographs everyday items and teaches in a similar style as workshops led in the United States. He challenges people to see each ordinary object with an extraordinary feature, which is aided by the slow work of dealing with big cameras. “Hopefully the prints speak for themselves,” Crane said of this, wanting the message behind his photographs to go beyond borders. Along with recognition in China, Crane came full circle in his work and was nominated into the Hall of Fame at the Alabama Center for the Arts in his hometown of Decatur. He was inducted alongside artists such as Emmylou Harris and Wes Chapman, and he said the induction allowed for him to experience a new way of seeing his hometown. Crane is a reactionary photographer, often playing with light and using the situation to see objects in a new way. He uses the flexible qualities of light, everyday instances and the slow time of a big camera to create positive situations wherever he is, saying there are opportunities to photograph all around. “If you give me time, I enjoy everywhere,” Crane finished. http://www.thedailytimes.com/news/former-daily-times-photojournalist-receives-international-recognition/article_4e78fc8f-f351-5de3-8bc8-c340d94860aa.html

Tillman Crain will exhibit a collection of his photographs at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine in April 2017. Several exhibitions are planned to celebrate the 100’s birthday of painter, Andrew Wyeth. The museum hired Crane to photograph the Olson House in Cushing after the museum acquired the property in the early 1990s. Wyeth made the house into an iconic American image when he used it as a setting for his best-known painting, “Christina’s World.”

Why would you just “Be Great” when you can “Be Greater Than Great”

Ben Crawford is now a licensed REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Wallace and Wallace in Alcoa. He says, “As many of you know, I have had a lifelong interest in Real Estate. I even wrote my business thesis at Maryville College on “The Real Estate Appraisal Process and Current Real Estate Trends in Tennessee.””

has moved from Florida to now live full time in Tennessee.

was named Station Manager for WYLA 97.5 FM in Charleston SC. WYLA is a non-commercial FM service of the Charleston County Public Library, where Kevin serves as Media Coordinator.

Writes in to share a cover story from the Charleston City Paper that some may find interesting.

and husband, Lyn are enjoying their new job title "Traveling full time in a RV" after retiring.

They have complete control to do good, green, great things for themselves.” When Rebecca Dailey began working with the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy in 2011 as an intern, she designed and ran the first summer camp curriculum for the park. The camp won the National Health and Fitness Award, and Dailey won a job in communications for the Conservancy. It’s work, she says, “that I have absolutely fallen in love with. Being able to tell the park’s story is a really incredible job to have.” Dailey grew up in Midtown Memphis but never visited Shelby Farms or even nearby Overton Park. She was introduced to the outdoors while a student at Maryville College in the mountains of East Tennessee. “It was so special for me that I wanted to make sure that kids here could have a similar experience, because it really shaped what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.” The majority of the children Dailey deals with are from underserved and at-risk neighborhoods, and this is their first experience going into the woods or gardening. The 4,500-acre park is in the midst of an overhauling master plan that excites Dailey, particularly the doubling in size of Patriot Lake. The outdoors has won her heart. She enjoys walking the grounds and practicing photography in her spare time.

is now working at Childhelp, a nonprofit agency with group homes for abused children as a Behavioral Interventionist.

Brad Daniell ’09 was recently admitted into Columbia University’s Summer Principal’s Academy (SPA) after a rigorous application process. SPA is a one-year program that provides students with a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. Brad is currently an 8th grade science teacher at Peachtree Charter Middle School in Atlanta.

Wild Things! Acts of Mischief in Children’s Literature, co-wrote a book with Betsy Bird and Peter D. Sieruta – which goes on sale August 5, 2014. This 272 page book is for ages 14 and up with adult interest. Check it out at www.candlewick.com.

is currently interpreting at Pellissippi State Community College and Visual Communication Interpreting (VIC) in Knoxville and East Tennessee. In the past Houston has interpreted at Maryville College and mentored interpreting students in work study jobs while a student.

Has been accepted into the Hult International School of Business’ Master of Finance program in Boston, MA where she will study for seven months. The remaining 4 months of the program she will study abroad at Hult’s international locations.