Earlier this week, the Greater Knoxville Business Journal announced its 10th 40 Under 40 class, which includes two UT Knoxville employees and one faculty member of the UT Graduate School of Medicine. The people selected for this annual list “share a passion for making Knoxville and its surrounding areas better communities” and are “young leaders who are leaving their mark . . . through their professional and philanthropic efforts.”
Rich Brown
, 33, is the senior director of development in UT’s Haslam College of Business. He received a Master of Business Administration at UT. Brown is a member of the college’s Collegiate Leadership Council and the UT Foundation Professional Development Committee. Brown played a key role in the $5 million technology and equipment donation from IBM that created the Advanced Analytics Lab. In his time at UT, he has secured more than $17 million in gifts.
Marisa Moazen, 39, is UT’s director of undergraduate research. She received her doctorate in higher education administration from UT. Her profile states, “Since she joined UT in 2014, research opportunities have been made available to undergrads across every major, and a 2014 survey showed 47 percent of the senior class reported they completed or planned to complete a research project before they graduated.”
Wesley White, 39, is the director of laparoscopic and robotic urologic surgery at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and an associate professor in the Graduate School of Medicine. Advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery technology allows surgeons to more accurately operate in confined spaces. White has helped build the urology residency program at UT after becoming the first resident to graduate from it in 2008.
Several UT Knoxville alumni also are among the class:
- Chris Barksdale, 35, vice president, human resources, Scripps Networks Interactive. Bachelor’s degree, management, UT; master’s degree, international business, University of Colorado.
- Amanda Butterworth, 36, associate, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz. Bachelor’s degree, philosophy and business, Vanderbilt University; Master of Business Administration, King College (now King University); Juris Doctor, UT.
- Matt Carr, 36, vice president of business analytics, Regal Entertainment Group. Bachelor’s degree, accounting, UT.
- Lauren Chiles, 39, pathologist, Innovative Pathology Services. Bachelor’s degree, biology, UT; medical degree, East Tennessee State University.
- Brent Clark, 37, audit, accounting and advisory services vice president, Pugh CPAs. Bachelor’s degree, accounting, UT.
- Sara Compher-Rice, 39, partner, Oberman and Rice Law Firm. Bachelor’s degree, political science, Denison University; Juris Doctor, UT.
- Brooke Foulk, 36, OB/GYN, Fort Sanders Women’s Specialists. Bachelor’s degree, College Scholars program, UT; medical degree, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University.
- Casey Fox, 34, library fund development manager, Knox County Public Library. Bachelor’s degree, history, Tennessee Tech University; master’s degree, library and information science, UT.
- Katie Graham, 38, senior manager, LBMC. Bachelor’s degree, speech communication, UT.
- Maria Haun, 38, chief marketing officer and senior vice president, Commercial Bank. Bachelor’s degree, business administration and marketing, UT; master’s degree, curriculum and instruction, Lincoln Memorial University; pursuing doctorate in business administration at LMU.
- Jimmy Hawkins, 33, president, Leon Williams Contractors. Bachelor’s degree, civil engineering, UT.
- Kelly Hawkins, 37, vice president of loyalty marketing, Regal Entertainment Group. Bachelor’s degree, communications, UT; associate’s degree, business administration and management, Pellissippi State Community College.
- Tyler Hays, 30, industrial engineer, Keurig Green Mountain; founder, Evolvr Media; and creative director, Vessul Creative. Bachelor’s degree, industrial engineering, UT.
- Courtney Herda, 32, CEO and founder, Smarter Searches. Bachelor’s degree, international political economy, French, and economics, Vanderbilt University; master’s degree, French, UT.
- Sam Jackson, 38, vice president of business development, Genera Energy. Bachelor’s degree, wildlife and fisheries science; master’s degree, forest ecology; doctorate, natural resources, UT.
- Allison Lederer, 39, vice president, wealth advisor, Regions Private Wealth Management. Bachelor’s degree, finance, UT.
- Richard Major, 39, chief deputy criminal court clerk, Knox County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office. Bachelor’s degree, political science; Juris Doctor, both UT.
- Mike Mangione, 33, director of business development, Sword & Shield Enterprise Security. Bachelor’s degree, psychology, UT.
- Katie Moran, 30, project manager, Studio Four Design. Bachelor’s degree, architecture, UT.
- Carey Parker, 35, senior vice president, LHP Capital. Bachelor’s degree, accounting, UT; Master of Business Administration, UT Chattanooga.
- Erin Rose, 38, co-founder and vice president of social equity, ThreeCubed. Bachelor’s degree, human studies and global issues, Warren Wilson College; master’s degree, social work, UT.
- Matt Stuart, 35, senior manager, PYA. Bachelor’s degree, accounting, Appalachian State University; Master of Accountancy, UT.
- Jeff Williamson, 39, architect and project manager, Johnson Architecture Inc. Bachelor’s degree, architecture, UT.
- Chris Wilson, 37, director of sales, South Pacific and Canada, DeRoyal Industries Inc. Bachelor’s degree, organizational management, Tusculum College; Master of Business Administration, UT.