Volume 1, Issue 3 February 2012 We are now through are second session with the Class of 2012. Each year we are surprised that we can enjoy the new class just as much as the previous. We have more private industry professionals in this class than have normally applied and that has certainly added a unique twist to the insights each individual brings. Please make an attempt to attend at least one session this year as we bring in 32 new leaders into the WestStar community. WestStar Calendar Feb. 10 - Working Women s Conf. Feb. 16-17 - Jackson Session March 6-7 - Nashville Session March 16 - FutureStars Summit April 3-4 - Ripley/Dyersburg Session April 19 - African American Conf. April 26-27 - Trenton/Milan Session May 10-11 - Paris Session May 24-25 - Selmer/Savannah/ Pickwick Session June 7-2012 Class Graduation June 19 - West TN Entrepreneur Conf. Please contact Virginia Grimes for information and details of the calendar events. A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see. - Leroy Elimes Have you received your 2011-2012 WestStar Alumni Directory? If not, you might not be current on your WestStar Alumni Association dues. Contact Jackie for inquiries. weststar@utm.edu
Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 2 Larry Ray ( 96) - Check out Larry s Ray s ( 96) Civil War articles for the Paris Magazine. http://www.myparismagazine.com/current_issue.pdf Ramay Winchester ( 92) - Ramay Winchester has been named the 2012-2013 chairperson of the American Association of Retirement Communities. Sherry McCarter ( 95) - New job as the director for the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce Steve Holt ( 07) - New job at Savant Learning Systems in Martin Corey Currie ( 07) - New job at County School System Bob Rutledge ( 90) - Bob has decided to semi-retire from his advertising business. Rutledge Advertising will still be accepting business under new management. Bob will serve in an advisory position for another year. Pat Riley ( 02) - Named to the Environmental and Energy Committee of the State Chamber of Commerce Dr. Buddy Bibb ( 02) - selected as Director of Schools for Tipton County Mary Harris ( 02) - welcomed a new granddaughter into the world recently Mayor Vance Coleman ( 08) - received the honor of 2011 Person of the Year from Greater Gibson County Chamber Mike Philpot ( 97) - Named as Secretary/Treasurer of the Southern Economic Development Council Board of Directors for 2012 Youlanda Jones-Wilcox ( 05) - New job as V.P. for Institutional Advancement at Dyersburg State Community College We Grieve with: Nick Dunagan (WestStar Exec. Director 00-09) and his family upon the untimely death of his son, Casey Dunagan The family of Norm Spencer ( 02) who was one of our brightest stars. Terry Drumwright ( 08) and family upon the death of his mother, Charlene Drumwright We would love to hear from you! Have you recently been promoted, accepted a new job, received an award or recognition, enjoyed a new milestone in your life such as a birth or marriage? Let us share your good news with the WestStar community. Email jjohn253@utm.edu with your news to be added in the next newsletter. Last fall, we made a tremendous effort to revamp the WestStar Alumni county meetings that take place each year. These meetings are essential for the promotion of WestStar in your communities as well as a time for WestStar leaders to network with each other to discuss current events in each community. Contact your Alumni Association representative to see when your next scheduled county meeting is. ( County, contact Leslie Mills. Weakley County, contact Lisha Tuck) County Alumni Meeting Nov. 2011 The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. - John F. Kennedy
Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 3 UTM FOOTBALL! Thanks to Jason Brigance for opening up his house to host a tailgate party before the UTM football game. We had a great time and enjoyed the hospitality of thechancellor s box at the Hardy Graham stadium. Even though we did not come close to showing them how much we appreciate their support, WestStar hosted a Corporate Sponsorship Appreciation Dinner in January. We can t say thank you enough to our great group of Corporate Sponsors who help make the WestStar Leadership Program possible each year. With their support, we are able to provide the highest quality leadership conferences and programs to the businesses and leaders of West Tennessee. West Tennesseans are able to attend great conferences at a fraction of the cost. Listed below are our 2011-2012 Corporate Sponsors. Let them know that they are appreciated next time you see one of their employees. WestStar Corporate Sponsors at&t Bank of Ripley Shannon Cotter/SIC Project Management First Bank First State Bank County/City of Brownsville Gibson County Utility District HTL Advantage, Inc. NW Tennessee Development District & Human Resource Agency/ SW Tennessee Development District The TENNERGY Corporation Tennessee Valley Authority TLM Associates, Inc. The University of Tennessee at Martin USDA Rural Development West Tennessee Healthcare West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation West Tennessee Industrial Association
Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 4 About this time last year, the WestStar staff started brainstorming the possibility of offering a youth leadership summit to enhance the existing county youth leadership programs across West Tennessee. RisingStar Leadership Summit was created as a result. The best of the best of West Tennessee youth leaders met for the summit in November. They learned about proper table etiquette, team building, community involvement, and participated in a drum circle. A great time was had by all involved and we are looking forward to start planning next year s summit. The FutureStar Leadership Summit was the idea of Dr. Stephanie Kolitch and Dr. Mary Lee Hall who are UTM professors. Since RisingStar was already in the works, we decided to use the same concept except simplify the experience into a one day event for 7th and 8th grade Weakley County students who need an extra push to reach their full potential. (The summit is scheduled to expand to more counties as logistics are worked out.) The FutureStar Summit is scheduled for March 16 here at the UTM campus. If you are interested in becoming involved with either the RisingStar or the FutureStar Summits, please contact the WestStar staff to see how you can contribute to the events.
Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 5 Emory Bradley Henry Dave Bratcher Julie Allen Burke Gibson Lisa Casteel Henry Chuck Doss Obion Fred Ellis Henderson Lessie Fisher Tipton Jim Garland Chester Amy Griffin Andy Helms Jill Holland Carroll Randy Huffstetler Weakley Linda Jones Sarah Levy Melissa Lindsey Henderson Chad Lowery Gibson Joey Mehlhorn Weakley Pam Nash Katie Pace Margaret Prater Dyer Phyllis Rauchle Josh Reed Henderson Tim Stokely Kayla Taylor John Thorpe Fayette Cary Vaughn Shelby Frank Wagster Alexadra Wardlaw Fayette Emery White Hardin Patrick Williams Tom Witherspoon Greg York To view their bios, please visit our website under the current class tab.
Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 6 Class of 2012: Greg York, Chuck Doss, and Alexandra Wardlaw County Alumni Meeting RisingStar Summit: Rudy Kalis, our keynote speaker, and Marvin Flatt RisingStar students participating in Julie Hill s Drum Circle Do you know a WestStar alumni who we have lost track of? Has their been a death of a WestStar Alumni in your community that we are not aware of? If so, send an email to weststar@utm.edu so that we can update our records. We will have a list of lost alumni and alumni who have passed away in the next newsletter. 554 University Street Administration Building, Room 321 Martin, TN 38238 Phone: 731-881-7298 Fax: 731-881-7019 E-mail: weststar@utm.edu www.utm.edu/weststar WestStar20 Westar Leadership Program There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed. - Albert Schweitzer The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. R05-0916-23-013-12