CBL Properties has promoted Jennifer Cope to senior vice president for operations services and Joseph Khalili to senior vice president for financial operations.
“Throughout their careers at CBL, Jennifer and Joseph have met challenges head-on, taking on additional responsibilities and leading important projects that have modernized CBL’s financial operations,” says Stephen Lebovitz, chief executive officer, CBL Properties. “We are thrilled to recognize their leadership and achievements with these well-deserved promotions.”
Cope joined CBL in July 2001 as a junior analyst in financial services and has served various roles supporting CBL’s insurance and risk management programs, technology, JV relations, and loan closings. She transitioned to CBL’s business transformation team in March 2014 and was promoted to vice president in February 2015, leading CBL’s Shared Services and Operations Services divisions.
Khalili joined CBL in 2012 as a portfolio accountant focused on third party managed properties and in 2014 was promoted to acquisitions analyst where he participated in multiple transactions. In 2016, he assumed the role of director in financial planning and analysis. He was promoted to senior director in 2017 and vice president in 2019, leading CBL’s financial planning and budgeting teams. Before joining CBL, he spent seven years with General Growth Properties.
Headquartered in Chattanooga, CBL Properties owns and manages a national portfolio of market-dominant properties located in dynamic and growing communities.
Signal Energy selects Johnson as president
Signal Energy, a leading EPC contractor in the renewable energy industry, announces Ryan Johnson as president effective immediately.
Johnson brings over 13 years of experience as an executive in the renewable energy industry and was responsible for significant growth and success in his previous roles. Most recently he served as vice president of operations at Ames Construction and director of Solar Operations at Mortenson.
Johnson was vital to the success of building self-perform solar businesses in his past roles and has successfully constructed thousands of megawatts of renewable projects. He prides himself on creating and maintaining a safe and supportive culture focused on results for his customers through collaboration, creativity and perseverance. He is known as a true leader in the U.S. renewable energy industry.
“I am excited to watch Ryan lead Signal Energy to even greater success. His past experience demonstrates his commitment to the industry and his character bolsters the Signal Team,’’ says Greg Pawson, CEO Signal. “He brings a strong desire to uphold our mission and core principles – both key factors to Signal’s unique culture.”
UTC’s Yang wins national honor
Li Yang, a professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Chattanooga, has been selected to receive a prestigious award from the National Science Foundation.
A Guerry professor, she was selected for the 2021 Director’s Award for Superior Accomplishment in National Spectrum Collaboration Group. The award recognizes outstanding accomplishment and strategic collaboration in the research and use of radio waves, which are widely used in many technologies, including telecommunications.
“I am honored to work with dedicated colleagues on this important initiative and be selected for the Director’s Award for Superior Accomplishment,” Yang says.
Yang’s research in cybersecurity, computer science, artificial intelligence and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education has attracted more than $4 million funding to UTC from the National Science Foundation, the National Security Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies over the years.
She contributes to the NSF’s efforts and initiatives to advance the nation’s artificial intelligence research and development to create new sectors of the economy and revitalize industries. The National Artificial Intelligence Research Institute’s program is a joint effort between various industries and the NSF, the Science and Technology Directorate and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security and Transportation.
She also manages the NSF Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier program, which supports research to sustain economic competitiveness, promote worker well-being and the pursuit of lifelong learning and quality of life.
In 2019, she was chosen as a program director for NSF’s Division of Graduate Education. In the role, she is responsible for programs that manage STEM proposals and awards in areas of cybersecurity artificial intelligence, future of the work, computer science, cyber-infrastructure and education research.
Erlanger welcomes interim CFO
Erlanger has added Lynn DeJaco, CPA, MPA, to its staff as interim chief financial officer.
Erlanger President and CEO, Dr. William Jackson says,” We are excited to have Lynn bring her expertise and many years of experience to the leadership team at Erlanger. We look forward to working with her to continue Erlanger’s positive trajectory.”
Previously, DeJaco served over 17 years as senior vice president and chief financial officer for FirstHealth of the Carolinas, a four-hospital integrated delivery and financing system. During her tenure at FirstHealth, she led the system through mergers, acquisitions and development creating year-over-year revenue growth and expanding FirstHealth’s market to a 15-county service area increasing market share dominance over 20%.
DeJaco steered adoption of new technologies to create effective workflows and enhance clinical systems, more than doubled the net asset base, and maintained Double A category credit.