Class Notes

Jennifer Bowen (2006) and Dustin W. Bowen (2003) welcomed their third child, a son, Westley Ryan Bowen on February 2, 2022.

Sevierville – Thomas “Tommy” Bright II went to be with his Lord May 15, 2020. Tommy was a member of Pathways Church and a devoted Christian. He was an alumnus of Sevier County High School and Maryville College. Tommy loved his family, especially his son Covin more than life itself. Tommy loved and excelled at most sports and made many life-long friends. His heart was as big as his body, and he could light up a room with his laugh. Tommy never met a stranger. He is preceded in death by his grandfather and grandmother, Harold and Lena Bright. He leaves behind his son, Covin; mother and step-father, Glenda and Buddy Rayfield; father and step-mother, Tom and Pat Bright; sister and brother-in-law, Brittany and Matt Trull; step-sisters, Kayla Stalcup and Tiffany Rayfield; step-brother, Chad Rayfield; grandparents, Glenn and Shirley Carr, and Fred and Sara Gutendorf; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins; and a special thank you to Aunt Jo and Uncle Randy who always treated Tommy as their own. The family would like to thank everyone for all the prayers, kind words, and support during this time of our lives.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley, 967 Irwin St., Knoxville, TN 37921.Graveside service and interment 3PM Thursday at Mountain View Cemetery with Pastor Brent Freeman officiating. Pathways Church will be open at 4PM Thursday with a Celebration of life service beginning at 5PM. Arrangements by Atchley Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.atchleyfuneralhome.com

In May, Allison will receive her Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the University of Tennessee, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She is a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success. Allison continues to volunteer with numerous non-profits in the region and is currently helping with the upcoming 10th anniversary celebration of the Clayton Center. She is looking forward to beginning her doctoral studies this fall.

wife, Sarah and son Knox now lives in Longview Texas where Justin is the Intervential Radiologist at Longview Regional Hospital.

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

and wife Lora announce the birth of Liam Davis on July 24, 2013.

Dr. Josh Ennen has joined ES&H, Inc. as an Environmental Scientist to work with the company’s environmental consulting and construction services. Josh has been a visiting professor of Biology at Maryville College and a Wildlife Biologist for U. S. Geological Survey. He is an Adjunct Scientist with the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, where he conducts research on endangered species. Josh has published over 40 articles pertaining to wildlife ecology and conservation, and in 2010, he described a new freshwater turtle species, Pearl River Map Turtle (Graptemys pearlensis), from Mississippi and Louisiana. Josh is currently co-editing a book on the impacts of energy production and development on wildlife. Josh holds a B.A. in Biology from Maryville College, a M.S. in Biology from Austin Peay State University, and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern Mississippi. Josh and his wife, Brittany Fulmer Ennen, grew up in Maryville, and currently reside in Chattanooga with their son. Josh was recently named the Outstanding Young Alumni Recipient by the Maryville City Schools Foundation.

Mikel Glenn Grubb, age 38, of Knoxville, TN passed away Wednesday afternoon, May 6, 2020 at Turkey Creek Medical Center. Mikel was a graduate of Karns High School. He earned a BA from Maryville College where he played baseball, and a BS in Industrial Engineering at the University of Tennessee. Mikel served as Vice President of Integration and Transformation at Equian, LLC, where he was a well-respected leader and man of integrity, always poised under pressure. He was incredibly dedicated and passionate about his work. He was a remarkable man beloved by his Equian team. Mikel was also a talented musician and music lover. He had a love for writing and performing his own music, which was one of his wife’s favorite things about him. Mikel cherished the time he got to spend golfing, hiking, and playing volleyball with family and friends. Mikel was very proud of his family and friends and his light and joy was his beloved Dottie. His role as Dottie’s Dada was his most important and he had big plans for the two of them. His generous soul and eagerness to help others were evident even as he fought his own illness. Mikel will forever be loved and missed by his family and friends. Mikel is preceded in death by his mother, Kimberly Grubb; grandparents, Glenn Grubb and Doris Cornn Grubb, Ronald Lay and Virginia Smith Lay; and cousin, Kimberli Erin Cress. Mikel is survived by his loving wife and soulmate, Tyler Corn; best buddy and daughter, Dorothy Kimberly Grubb; proud father and stepmother, Rodney and Muffett Grubb; sidekick and brother, Nicholas Grubb (Elisha); aunts, Deanna Lay, Gina Lay (Gary Cress), Regina Edmonds (Chris), Robbyn Collins; uncle, Todd Lay; mother and father-in-law, Lynnette and Anthony Corn; brother-in-law, Brooks Corn (Rachel Loyal); sister-in-law, Whitney Beckett (Chris); nieces and nephews, Kingston, Dax, Finn, and Penelope; cousins, Alicia McGinnis (Steve), Kristen Wilson (Jed), Lauren Mathews (Ray), Erin Collins, Drew Collins (Brittney Smith), Heather Housley (Nate); second cousins, Austin, Hagen, Holden, Ruthie, Maylee, Mollee, Roderick, Bradyn, Kaydence, and Blayklee; and several lifelong friends he considered his family. In lieu of flowers, Mikel’s family is requesting that donations be made to Feeding America (https://www.feedingamerica.org) or the Melanoma Research Alliance (https://www.curemelanoma.org). Due to a strong desire to protect others with underlying health conditions from the novel coronavirus, a memorial celebrating Mikel’s life will be planned in the coming months when it is safe to gather.

received a promotion at TeamHealth to Front End Operations Manager of the Base Pointe Anesthesia Billing Center in April 2015.

finished an MBA -magnum cum laude at Penn State 2013. Nathan has started a Ph.D. in business at Oklahoma State. Nathan is focusing his research of diversity acx discrimination in the workplace. His company is celebrating 10 years in 2014

In response to the tragic wildfires that affected Gatlinburg, TN and the surrounding area, Nathan Higdon participated in service efforts as documented in this Daily Times article: Posted: Tuesday, November 29, 2016 6:00 pm Before the sun rose Tuesday, Nathan Higdon of Maryville had made sausage biscuits – for some 2,000 people. That was only one of the ways Higdon helped firefighters, first responders and those who evacuated late Monday as wildfires from the Chimney Tops in Great Smoky Mountains National Park tore through Gatlinburg and down the Spur into Pigeon Forge. “I just felt compelled to go up there,” Higdon told The Daily Times after he returned home to Maryville just before noon Tuesday. “I would hope people would do this for us if it happened here.” At his housemate’s suggestion, Higdon posted an update to Facebook late Monday, telling his online friends that he would head to the store to get supplies for firefighters and evacuees. “They need bottled water, Gatorade-type drinks, energy-type bars, wool socks, lip balm, gloves and AA batteries for the firefighter helmets,” he wrote at 11:18 p.m. Monday. “If you want to help but can’t get stuff out there due to work, either drop it off on my porch or leave money for me to pick up for you.” By 3 a.m. Higdon was headed toward Sevier County with some $800 worth of supplies including 5,000 bottles of water, 300 Cliff bars (a “crowd favorite,” he said), 25 pairs of wool socks, 100 packs of baby wipes, 50 gallons of orange juice, and “lots” of batteries. Higdon stopped first at the Red Cross’ shelter at the Pigeon Forge Community Center. “There were a lot of folks getting tucked in, getting to sleep,” he said of the evacuees. “I helped give them water.” Higdon then was directed by the Red Cross to First Baptist Church in Sevierville, where he helped a crew of volunteers make sausage biscuits for the evacuees. “We just made breakfast for 2,000 people in two hours,” he posted to Facebook at 6:50 a.m. Tuesday. “We’ll start serving breakfast at 8. Most folks are just now waking up. The tourists are dazed. The locals are in shock.” Then it was off to the Red Cross shelter at LeConte Events Center. “The phones would ring, and we’d go wherever we were needed, anywhere extra hands would be helpful,” Higdon said. And it wasn’t just helping hands that the evacuees needed, he added. Higdon offered his “ear, shoulder and smile to frightened folks who just needed to talk, vent or cry,” he wrote in a Facebook update. Fresh faces were arriving to help as Higdon was heading back to Maryville on Tuesday. “I do recommend waiting to come up,” he wrote on Facebook. “These folks are going to need help for weeks to come. “Don’t forget that about now the reality of the situation has set in for some folks,” Higdon added. “I stayed until I was no longer effective because I knew I had a bed to come home to … not everyone does up there.” From The Daily Times – Maryville, Tenn: http://www.thedailytimes.com/news/maryville-man-springs-into-action-helps-evacuees-overnight/article_fbf4c55f-dd4c-5361-95b3-34387db113b5.html?_dc=985697504976.4174

J. Nathan Higdon has completed his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Watson School of Management at Oklahoma State University. His dissertation was titled “Code-switching for work life self-preservation: A study of the role of sexual orientation discrimination on employee job behaviors and outcomes.”

On September 15, 2022 Nathan Higdon, class of 2003, was sworn in as the TNDP (Tennessee Democratic Party) State Executive Committeeman for the 2nd District. He ran unopposed on the August 4th ballot.

has been elected to the Tennessee State Executive Committee, Senate District 6, covering Anderson, Loudon and Knox Counties and is also a commercial REALTOR for Keller Williams Realty.

Julia Hurley opened the Lenoir City branch of Keller Williams Real Estate March 1, 2018. KW is the largest RE firm in the world. Opening with 21 agents, this is the largest Realty Firm to open in Lenoir City.

Julia Hurley was engaged to Dr Joe Hutchison in 2022.  Julia and Dr. Hutchison have a Realty business together and a Chiropractic office in Knoxville.  The couple shares 3 girls, aging from 25, 14 and 10.

a history major from the class of 2003, is moving on to a job at the Federal Reserve. He has been legislative director for Senator Jay Rockefeller, who is retiring. So in December 2014 he will be a Capitol Hill liaison to the Federal Reserve’s legislative affairs office.

Mark Libell ’03 has been named Legislative Director for Alabama Senator-elect Doug Jones. Libell is a native of Florence. He is a graduate of Maryville College and received his JD from the University of Alabama School of Law and a Tax LLM from Georgetown University Law Center. Mark previously served as Legislative Director to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia. Since Senator Rockefeller’s retirement in 2014, Mark has been Assistant Congressional Liaison at the Federal Reserve Board. He has also worked for Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Representatives Bart Gordon of Tennessee and Linda Sanchez of California.

age 57, of Maryville, passed away Monday, February 23, 2015, at Tennova Regional. Marilyn graduated from Friendsville High School and later in life she graduated from Maryville College. At the age of 18, Marilyn joined the U.S. Army. She made the Army her career. During her career she lived and worked in the U.S. and around the world, including Korea, Germany, Japan, and Italy. She retired at the rank of staff sergeant. Marilyn is now our beautiful angel in Heaven. She was preceded in death by parents, J.T. and Vinnie Mae Crittenden; and sister, Nettie Sue. Survivors include her son, Joshua Todd Crittenden; daughters, Raylyn Lavanda Sapp and Maegan Rae Sapp; grandchildren, Tayshaun, Keagan, Kaiden, Terije, and Isabella; brother, Larry Crittenden and his wife Connie; sisters, Priscilla Morgan and Wanda Henderson; niece, Emily Wolfenbarger; nephews, Michael Farmer and Bradley Crittenden.

Dr. Melinda Roberts was promoted to Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Southern Indiana in 2018. She published two articles in 2019: Roberts, M. R., Turner, W., Howard, L.A., Gilles, E., & Statham, A. A. (2019). Gender and social justice: An examination of attitudes and behaviors among undergraduate liberal arts students. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work. 34(4), 552-567. Belarmino, M. & Roberts, M. R. (2019). Japanese gender role expectations and attitudes: A qualitative analysis of gender inequality. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 20(7), 272-288. She also received the Park Award for Excellence in Research for her research “Cultivating Global Citizens: Understanding the impact of social justice in education” from the World Communication Association in July 2019.

has been hired as the Executive Director / Chief Development Officer for the AnMed Health Foundation in Anderson, SC. AnMed Health System is a 461 bed acute care hospital serving 8 counties in the upstate of South Carolina and northeast Georgia.

received a promotion with Norfolk Southern. The family, wife, Brandi Hill Smith ’04, and children relocated to Helena, Alabama

received a promotion with his job at Norfolk Southern Railroad in March of 2014 and relocated his family (wife & 2 daughters) from the Tuscaloosa, AL area to West Lafayette, IN.

In December of 2015 she graduated with a Master’s degree in Youth Development Leadership from Clemson University.

UT Medical Center Names Snyder Director of Perioperative Services KNOXVILLE-The University of Tennessee Medical Center recently named Solon M. Snyder, BA, BSN, RN, as director of Perioperative Services. In this position, he is responsible for providing direction in strategic planning, regulatory compliance, and process improvement. Previously, Snyder was the Clinical Nurse Manager of the Surgical/ Trauma unit. He joined the medical center in 2006 as a staff nurse on the Orthopedic/Trauma unit. Snyder graduated Cum Laude from The University of Tennessee with BS in Nursing in 2006 and Cum Laude from Maryville College with a BA in Biology in 2003. He is currently enrolled in the Masters of Science in Nursing at UT.