Business briefs

MLGW explains expenses in $1.9B budget

Memphis Light Gas and Water has released information on its $1.9 billion proposed operating and capital budget.

For every dollar paid to MLGW, about 66 cents (totaling almost $1.1 billion) buys electrical power and natural gas.

Here’s where the rest of customers’ dollars go:

23 cents, operations and maintenance
6 cents, depreciation and debt expense
5 cents, payment in lieu of taxes

For 2019, MLGW plans to:

Reduce the number of electrical outages and the average time spent on them.
Replace antiquated electrical equipment to enhance reliability
Repair and modernize the existing water pumping stations
Build a new community office
Continue improving MLGW’s gas pipeline safety

Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett earns A for patient safety

By achieving an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett receives recognition as one of the safest hospitals in the U.S. and the only hospital in the Greater Memphis Area to receive an “A” for fall 2018.

The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog, assigns “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” and “F” letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provides the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S.

“With our high standard of safety and commitment to quality care, we are extremely proud to achieve this distinguished award,” said Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett CEO Chris Locke. “This designation is a testament to our dedicated, highly skilled staff and physicians that provide our patients with the highest level of safety and care every day when they enter the doors of our hospital.”

To see Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett’s scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at hospitalsafetyscore.org, which also provides information on how the public can protect themselves and loved ones during a hospital stay.

Developed under the guidance of a National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign the grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

For more information about the hospital, visit saintfrancisbartlett.com.

Rainbow Rehab & Healthcare ranks well in annual survey

Rainbow Rehab & Healthcare in Bartlett, formerly known as Rainbow Healthcare & Rehab Center is under new management, and it was named “deficiency free” in its recent annual licensing and certification survey.

The facility’s new administrator is Julie Cottrell, RN, NHA. She and her team are dedicated to quality care, excellent customer service and positive outcomes, whether patients need short-term rehab before returning home, long-term care, or hospice and respite.

Interested parties are invited to visit and take a tour. The facility is at 8119 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett. For other information, call (901) 937-6302 or visit RainbowRHC.com.

Hirings, promotions, moves and achievements

Weichert, Realtors-Benchmark has announced that Shawna Lockett has joined its Memphis office. Lockett joins a dedicated team of knowledgeable agents who bring many years of combined real estate expertise to their clients. The office is at 3263 E. Sarazens Circle, Memphis. For more information, call Eric Bowman at (901) 202-2000.

EXIT Realty Blues City has announced that Gina Powell has joined its growing team of dedicated real estate sales professionals. EXIT Realty Blues City, located at 11124 Hwy 51 N Suite C, Atoka, is a proud member of EXIT Southeast’s rapidly expanding network of independently owned and operated brokerages across the region.

Justin Reed has joined Pinnacle Financial Partners’ client advisory team as a senior vice president and financial advisor. He is based at the firm’s Memphis headquarters on Shady Grove Road. Reed brings 13 years of financial services experience to his role. He most recently comes from SunTrust Bank, where he focused on commercial and industrial prospects and portfolio management. Previously Reed was a financial analyst for Medtronic Company. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business finance from Morehouse College in Atlanta and his master’s degree in business administration from Christian Brothers University in Memphis.

Also joining Pinnacle’s client advisory team in Memphis is Brittany Brown. She has 12 years of experience and joins the firm as a financial advisor assistant. She comes from Evolve Bank & Trust, where she served as a loan operations specialist. Previously Brown spent ten years with First Tennessee Bank in loan operations and servicing roles. She attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

The following local EXIT Realty agents were recently honored by EXIT Realty Corp. International:

Tamara Harrald, Associate Broker with EXIT Realty Blues City in Atoka was honored with the Bronze Award by EXIT Realty Corp. International. The award was given in recognition of closing 25+ real estate transaction sides during the production year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.
Amo Baggett, Broker of Record with EXIT Realty Blues City in Atoka was honored with the Bronze Award by EXIT Realty Corp. International. The award was given in recognition of closing 25+ real estate transaction sides during the production year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

Bonnie Aeschliman, Franchisee with EXIT Realty Blues City in Collierville was honored with the Bronze Award by EXIT Realty Corp. International. The award was given in recognition of closing 25+ real estate transaction sides during the production year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.

“EXIT Realty is enjoying tremendous momentum in our growth across the U.S. and Canada and that growth is fueled by the efforts of our stellar team of real estate professionals,” said Tami Bonnell, CEO, EXIT Realty Corp. International. “Our awards criteria are among the toughest in the industry and it takes hard work and determination to meet them. We are so proud of the accomplishments of these individuals and extend our warmest congratulations.”

Arlington Tractor Supply Store supports animal adoption events

The Arlington Tractor Supply Store is partnering with K9 Guardian Rescue Unit to support the rescue’s animal adoption program.

The rural lifestyle retailer, which is a one-stop shop for all things pets – including a wide variety of food, treats, toys, crates, carriers, training tools and health supplements – will help alleviate needs and support important program initiatives.

“Through this Adoption Grant, we will provide K9 Guardian Rescue Unit with resources to help maintain and grow their program,” said Jay Cheatham, store manager. “We’re passionate about animals at Tractor Supply, and we’re hopeful this partnership will encourage more local adoptions from K9 Guardian Rescue Unit and put deserving pets in loving homes.”

Community rescue groups interested in hosting in-store adoption events at the Arlington Tractor Supply should contact the store by calling (901) 386-6637 for more information. Arlington Tractor Supply is at 9715 US 64, Arlington.

Methodist facility to offer FDA-approved CAR T Therapy

Methodist Healthcare Blood and Marrow Transplant Center has been selected to join an elite list of authorized treatment centers in the United States approved to administer the first FDA-approved chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy for treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Methodist Healthcare Blood and Marrow Transplant Center, located at Methodist University Hospital, is the only treatment center to offer this therapy to patients in the Greater Memphis area, Mississippi and Arkansas.

“We are excited to now offer this novel therapy to patients in Memphis and the surrounding areas who have acute lymphoblastic leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma,” said Yasser Khaled, M.D., the center’s program director. “This advanced therapy offers not just hope to patients but possible cures.”

CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy called adoptive cell therapy. T-cells – a type of white blood cell – are extracted from the patient’s blood and an artificial receptor called a “chimeric antigen receptor” is added to their surface. The receptor enables the modified cells to produce chemicals that kill cancer. Once infused back into a patient’s body through an IV, they begin multiplying and attacking tumor cells.

For more information on the Methodist Healthcare Blood and Marrow Transplant Center, visit MethodistHealth.org.

TN Workers’ Comp rates fall for 6th year in a row

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak have announced that Tennessee workers’ compensation insurance premiums will decrease for the sixth consecutive year to a record low, continuing the trend of substantial savings created for Tennessee employers and workers.

“I am pleased to see these continued decreases in workers compensation premiums,” Haslam said. “Our workers compensation reform has been a significant step toward improving the business climate in Tennessee and growing jobs. Our reforms brought clarity and fairness to the system and continue to benefit our state.”

The Haslam administration led reforms of Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system in 2013 that improved the state’s compensation system. Since then, loss cost reductions of over 48 percent have been approved, representing substantial savings for Tennessee employers. The reduced rates are also impacted by Tennessee employers seeing fewer significant workplace injuries.

TDCI Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak approved a 19 percent filing for 2019 on Oct. 31. The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) presented the 19 percent filing to the Advisory Council on Workers’ Compensation earlier this year.

“This is more positive economic news for Tennessee and our workforce,” said McPeak. “These reductions mean Tennessee employers will have more money to invest into their businesses and employees, which will in turn benefit our local communities. Tennessee’s workforce will also benefit from these loss cost reductions because they are the result of decreases in lost-time claim frequency and more stable claims costs.”

This latest reduction will become effective March 1, 2019. Previous reductions of 12.6 percent and 12.8 percent were approved with March 1, 2018, and March 1, 2017, effective dates, respectively.

Insurance carriers combine NCCI’s loss cost filings with company experience and expenses to develop full insurance rates.

Arlington welcomes Dollar General’s newest store

Dollar General’s newest store at 765 U.S. 70 in Arlington recently opened.

“Dollar General is committed to delivering a pleasant shopping experience that includes a convenient location, a wide assortment of merchandise and great prices on quality products,” said Dan Nieser, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development. “We hope our area customers will enjoy shopping at Dollar General’s new location.”

Dollar General stores offer convenience and value to customers by providing a focused selection of national name brands and private brands of food, housewares, seasonal items, cleaning supplies, basic apparel and health/beauty products. The store’s fresh layout is designed to make shopping simple for customers. Seasonal products are displayed in the center of the store, departments are easily recognizable with visible signage and coolers are conveniently located at the front of the store.

For more information about the company, visit dollargeneral.com.

Pinnacle praised as one of best workplaces for women

Pinnacle Financial Partners is two-for-two in making FORTUNE magazine’s list of the Best Workplaces for Women. The firm earned the No. 12 spot on the list for 2018, its second year in a row to be ranked.

“We built our company, in part, on the value of fairness,” said Terry Turner, Pinnacle’s president and CEO. “We keep fairness as a focus in big ways, like our company-wide incentive plan, and in the small, everyday decisions that make our associates love coming to work. We don’t care who you are or where you come from or what your background is. We just want the best financial professionals out there, and we’ve built a culture that draws them to us in droves.”

Of Pinnacle’s more than 2,200 associates, 68 percent are women. And of 310 managers and company leaders, nearly half – 46 percent – are women.

Companies on the list of Best Workplaces for Women stand out for creating great cultures and workplaces for all, regardless of gender. This list is compiled by FORTUNE and Great Place to Work based on thousands of anonymous surveys sent to employees at eligible companies. The surveys evaluate more than 50 factors, including the trustworthiness of leadership, the respect with which they are treated, fairness in workplace decisions and camaraderie among the team. Final determinations for the list’s rankings are based on equity of experience among female employees as compared to others on the team, no matter who they are or what job role they serve.

“Empowering women in the workplace isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a business imperative,” said Michael Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. “These winning organizations are leading the way in closing the employee experience gender gap, proving that all companies, regardless of their industry size or complexity, can be great workplaces for women.”

Earlier this year, Pinnacle was named the No. 22 Best Company to Work For in the country, the No. 3 Best Company to Work for in Financial Services, a Best Workplace for Millennials and one of American Banker’s Best Banks to Work For.

Pinnacle Financial Partners provides a full range of banking, investment, trust, mortgage and insurance products and services designed for businesses and their owners and individuals interested in a comprehensive relationship with their financial institution. The firm is the No. 1 bank in the Nashville-Murfreesboro-Franklin MSA, according to 2018 deposit data from the FDIC. Pinnacle earned a place on FORTUNE’s 2017 and 2018 lists of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the U.S., and American Banker recognized Pinnacle as one of America’s Best Banks to Work For six years in a row.

The firm began operations in a single location in downtown Nashville, TN in October 2000 and has since grown to approximately $24.6 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, 2018. As the second-largest bank holding company headquartered in Tennessee, Pinnacle operates in 11 primarily urban markets in Tennessee, the Carolinas and Virginia.

For more information, visit pnfp.com.

Briefs, Business