HIRES/PROMOTIONS
TAKIYAH S. GIBBS
New job title: Director of Social Services
Company: The Salvation Army
Duties: Gibbs directs the administration of all social services programs, including transitional living accommodation, emergency services, as well as financial, food, clothing and furniture assistance.
Related work experience: Gibbs was the case manager and recruiter at Lutheran services and later the regional case manager for the homeless prevention and rapid rehousing program for the Salvation Army.
Education: Gibbs holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology.
JESSICA MUNCH-DITTMAR
New job title: Volunteer coordinator
Company: The Salvation Army
Duties: Munch-Dittmar will be responsible for recruiting and maintaining volunteers. She will also organize events and act as liaison between the organization and the community.
Related work experience: Munch-Dittmar has partnered with The Salvation Army as the coordinator of the CAPA program. She has also arranged music and drama performances and guest speakers for special events.
Education: Munch-Dittmar received her B.A. in music education from the University of South Carolina. She recently received a graduate certificate in volunteer management from Georgia Nonprofit University.
JIM JOHNSTON
New job title: Sales associate
Company: Cora Bett Thomas Austin Hill & Associates
Duties: Johnston is a full service real estate agent. He assists and advises clients in the purchase and sale of properties in the greater Savannah area.
Related work experience: Johnston was a financial consultant with Robinson-Humphrey. He was also the owner and proprietor of La Belle Maison in Habersham Village.
Education: Johnston holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
ERIC O’NEILL
New job title: Intern architect
Company: Greenline Architecture
Duties: O’Neill will assist the firm’s architects and project managers with a variety of assignments including drawings, presentations and the preparation of construction documents.
Education: O’Neill received his master’s in architecture and his bachelor of fine arts from Savannah College of Art and Design.
RICHARD EVANS
New job title: Acting assistant city manager for Administrative and Community Services
Company: The city of Savannah
Duties: As one of two assistant city managers, Evans will advise the acting city manager on citywide issues. He will also be responsible for two bureaus — management services and community & economic development — that house 28 departments.
Related work experience: Evans served as assistant town manager of Upper St. Clair, Pa.; as a computer system consultant for ISR Inc.; and served in the Air Force.
Education: He holds a master’s degree in urban management from Carnegie-Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College.
TAFFANYE YOUNG
New job title: Community and Economic Development Bureau chief
Company: The city of Savannah
Duties: Young will oversee much of the city’s neighborhood development programs, including housing, community planning and development, economic development, the citizen office and real property services. She will also oversee the administration of funds to a number of city-supported social service agencies.
Related work experience: Young began working for the city in 1993 as a neighborhood services coordinator. She was promoted in 1994 to director of the Community Services Department and in 2000 to director of community planning and development. She also worked with the University of California at Davis and the Department of Army Overseas.
Education: Young has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University.
CAM MATHIS
New job title: Director of Information Technology
Company: The city of Savannah
Related work experience: Mathis has worked in the IT Department since 1995, serving as senior systems analyst; IT administrator, where she managed network services and application services; as well as acting director since February 2011. Mathis previously served as environmental coordinator in the Sanitation Bureau and GIS Coordinator in the Engineering Department.
Education: Mathis earned her master’s degree in city planning from Georgia Institute of Technology and bachelor’s degree from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.
BRITTNEY SECREASE
New job title: Financial advisor
Company: Edward Jones Investments
Duties: Secrease will assist clients in planning and preparing for their financial future.
Related work experience: Secrease worked as a retirement and education specialist in the Edward Jones headquarters in St. Louis.
Education: Secrease attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
BRIAN K. SAPP
New job title: Project manager
Company: Tharpe Structural Design Group
Duties: Sapp will be responsible for all phases of structural design projects from schematic design through construction administration.
Related work experience: Proficient in building information modeling, Sapp will also oversee the firm’s projects that utilize this collaborative project delivery approach.
Education: Sapp holds a Master of Science in civil engineering from Georgia Tech.
AMY CORDES
New job title: Director of Admissions
Company: South University
Duties: Cordes is responsible for leading the recruitment and enrollment program for accelerated graduate programs that offer a 12-month MBA in business administration or health care administration.
Related work experience: Cordes has been with South University as an assistant director of admissions since July 2009. She worked at PHH Mortgage and as an account executive at the Philadelphia 76ers organization.
Education: Cordes earned a
Bachelor of Science degree in sports management from James Madison University in Virginia.
GREG REED
New job title: Senior financial analyst
Company: South University
Duties: Reed supports all aspects of financial planning and operations for South University. He provides financial and operational metrics analysis, variance analysis, planning support and other requests.
Related work experience: Reed’s experience includes sales, marketing, financial analysis and financial auditor roles at organizations such as AT&T, Ernst & Young, Robert Half International and Royal Alliance Associates.
Education: Reed earned a master of business administration degree from South University and a Bachelor of Arts in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa.
DAVID HARPER
Company: Harkleroad’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry
Related work experience: Harper has worked in the jewelry business for 25 years with such companies as Service Merchandise, Zales. Previously he was the assistant manager at Levy Jewelers.
NATALIE L. LEGGETTE
New job title: Development manager
Company: Union Mission
Duties: Leggette will oversee and create strategic development plans to address the needs of agency programs, coordinate fundraising initiatives and solicitation packages and work to find alternate revenue sources.
Related work experience: Leggette served as volunteer coordinator at SAFE Shelter, Inc. and as director of marketing and promotions at Monroe County Broadcasting Company in Rochester, N.Y.
HONORS/AWARDS
NLaws Produce names Driver of the Month
Jerry Lipsey has been named the NLaws Produce Driver of the Month.
SCAD architecture professor named to board
Savannah College of Art and Design architecture professor Andrew Phillip Payne has been named to the 2013-14 board of directors of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Georgia chapter.
NAWIC announces board of directors
Coastal Georgia National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has announced its 2012-13 board of directors. They include:
• TJ Baggett of Stage Front Presentation Systems, president.
• Heather Vinas of VOS CPAs, vice president.
• Polly Hendricks of Joe Marchese Construction, corresponding secretary.
• Tricia Larson of Stage Front Presentation Systems, recording secretary.
• Tonya Reed of Henry Plumbing, treasurer.
• LaShonda Robinson of CH2MHILL, director.
• Kim Taylor of UNITS Mobile Storage, director.
• Dawn Morgan of Collins Construction, immediate past president.
Union Mission announces board member
Union Mission, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing and preventing homelessness throughout the greater Savannah area, has announced that Dr. Brian P. Redmond, Jr., has been named to the board of directors.