SmartBank has named Travis Lytle its director of community development officer. Lytle will work with SmartBank associates to identify community involvement opportunities, promote diversity efforts and assist in the coordination of SmartBank’s charitable giving program.
Lytle has been in the finance industry for 20 years, serving most recently as SmartBank’s senior vice president of relationships.
He earned a degree in finance from Middle Tennessee State University and is a graduate of Leadership Chattanooga and the Young American Professional Leaders Class at Harvard University.
Lytle serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Co.Lab of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.
He is a commissioner of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority and previously served on the City of Chattanooga’s annual Budget for Outcomes committee, the Minority Business Task Force and as chair of the UTC Chancellor Multicultural Advisory Council.
Todd leaving after 28 years with Aquarium
Cindy Todd, chief marketing and communications officer for the Tennessee Aquarium, has announced she is leaving in March to pursue consulting opportunities with leaders of other nonprofit, visitor-serving attractions across the country.
Todd joined the team at the world’s largest freshwater aquarium as the advertising, sponsorship and promotions manager in 1991 as it was preparing to open.
The Aquarium will hold a celebration of Todd’s accomplishments Feb. 13. Her last day on the job will be Feb. 14.
Thom Benson will then begin serving as the interim chief communications and marketing officer.
WTCI names new president and CEO
WTCI has named Bob Culkeen president and chief executive officer.
Culkeen is the general manager of WSRE in Pensacola, Florida.
He will start his new position at WTCI on Jan. 20.
Culkeen holds a Masters of Education from Westfield State University and a bachelor’s degree from Fitchburg State University. His professional career has been spent in leadership positions in public television in Illinois and Florida.
Culkeen has held the position of assistant director of video service and distance learning at his alma mater, Westfield State University, and served as an adjunct professor at Florida State College in Jacksonville and as a visiting instructor at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Culkeen is an executive board member of The Programming Service and vice chair of the Florida Public Broadcasting Service. He formerly served as an executive board member of the Illinois Public Broadcast Council and the Digital Convergence Alliance and as a board member of the University Station Alliance.
Chattanooga State’s Roper named Emerging Leader
The American Library Association has selected Chattanooga State’s night, weekend and Tennessee Reconnect librarian, Amanda Roper, to join its Emerging Leaders class of 2020.
The ALA program gives library staff and information workers the opportunity to participate in project planning workgroups, network with peers, learn about the ALA’s structure and serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers.