Twenty-two individuals are serving as division chairs for this year’s United Way of Bradley County campaign. These men and women are chairing or co-chairing 17 different divisions for the 2011-2012 United Way campaign.

These volunteers are serving on a team which is either headed by Campaign co-chair Brenda Lawson or Campaign co-chair Tanya Mazzolini, with the exception of Nancy Casson, who is chairing the Other Division which is not a part of either team.

“Many of these division chairs were involved in last year’s campaign, so they are familiar not only with how the campaign is conducted, but also familiar with the agencies, programs and services that are helped by the donations we receive from the campaign,” Lawson explained.

“These are also men and women who have been supportive of our United Way for many years through their financial contributions and their contributions of volunteer time to our organization,” added Mazzolini.

“I know they are all excited about having a successful campaign and are very serious about being able to help those in need in our community.”

Each team consists of two divisions for Large Firms (companies with 50 or more employees), two divisions for Commercial Firms (49 employees or less) and a Special Gifts division (individuals who do not fit into other categories, including retirees).

Lawson’s team also consists of divisions for Banks and Finance, Nonprofit Organizations, and Insurance.

Mazzolini’s team includes divisions for Professionals, Government, and Education. The Professionals division includes sub-categories including Attorneys, SkyRidge Medical Center, Dentists, Veterinarians, Health Management, Optometrists and Opticians, CPAs and Bookkeepers, Chiropractors and Physicians.

The nine Division chairs serving on Lawson’s team are Margaret Schenk, Kay Free, Taylor Howard, Debbie Melton, DeWayne Morrow, Kim Brooks, Andy Williams, Tammy Williams, Richie Hughes and Jack Robbins.

The 11 Division chairs serving on Mazzolini’s team are Bill Barkley, Avery Johnson, Chris Newton, Mike Thomasson, Georgia Gann, Teresa Torbett, Donna Simpson, Paul Ramsey, Johnny Mull, Walt Mauldin and Ron Braam.

Margaret Schenck is executive vice president of operations at United Knitting. This is the second consecutive year he has chaired a Large Firms division, though she has been involved in United Way campaigns at United Knitting for many years.

She and her husband David are long-time members of the United Way Pillars Club. She is a member of the United Way Board of Directors. She is chairing Division 1 (Large Firms).

Kay Free, an affiliate broker with Keller Williams Realty in Cleveland, she is chairing Division 2 (Large Firms) for the second straight year. She has served as a board member for two United Way-funded agencies: the American Red Cross’ Hiwassee Chapter and the Cleveland Emergency Shelter.

Taylor Howard is chairing Division 3 (Commercial Firms). Howard, vice president/senior leader for Athens Federal Community Bank, has a long history with United Way of Bradley County, serving on the board of directors for several years. He has also served as a campaign solicitor and has been involved in many Fund Distribution Panels in the past.

Debbie Melton is serving her second consecutive year as a division chair for United Way of Bradley County. She is chairing Division 4 (Commercial Firms) for this year’s campaign.

Melton is general manager/partner at Don Ledford Automotive Center, and has donated time to both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland and the Harbor Safe House, both United Way funded agencies.

DeWayne Morrow is chairing Division 5 (Banks and Finance). Morrow served as a Division Chair for the 2010 United Way campaign, chairing a Commercial Firms division.

Morrow, executive vice president at United Community Bank in Cleveland, has served as a division chair for the United Way in the past, and has also served as a campaign solicitor and Fund Distribution panel member. He is a member of the United Way Pillars Club, and the United Way Board of Directors.

Kim Brooks is chairing Division 6 (Nonprofit Organizations), and is serving in her second straight year in that position. She is director of event planning at Lee University, and was the United Way campaign coordinator for Lee University during the 2009 campaign. She has also served as a solicitor for previous campaigns.

Andy Williams is co-chairing Division 7 (Insurance) with his wife, Tammy, this year. He is sales and account manager (agent/broker) with Ed Jacobs and Associates, and is chairing the Insurance Division for the fifth time. He has also served on several United Way Fund Distribution Panels. He is also a member of the United Way Board of Directors.

Tammy Williams, special projects/donor relations for the Church of God World Missions, is serving as a division chair for the second time, as she and her husband chaired this division for the 2010 United Way campaign. She and her husband are members of the United Way Pillars Club.

Richie Hughes and Jack Robbins are co-chairing Division 8 (Special Gifts). A Bradley County native, Hughes has been residing in Georgia for the past few years and recently returned to Cleveland in 2010. Last year, he served in the United Way campaign as chair of Division 12 (Commercial Firms). He is a local businessman and minister, as well as a published author.

Jack Robbins, account executive with J. Smith Lanier and Company, is a member of the United Way Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He and his wife, Annie, are members of the United Way Pillars Club, and he has served on several United Way committees, as well as served as a member and chair of Fund Distribution Panels in the past.

Bill Barkley, plant manager of P&G/Duracell in Cleveland, is serving as a Division Chair for the first time, chairing Division 9 (Large Firms). He is a member of the United Way Board of Directors, and has been very involved in United Way campaigns at the local plant for several years. He and his wife are members of the United Way’s Pillars Club.

This is Avery Johnson’s second straight year chairing a United Way division. He serves as City Councilman for the Third District, and also as vice mayor for the city of Cleveland. He is chairing Division 10 (Large Firms) for this year’s United Way campaign. Johnson is a member of the United Way Board of Directors and has served on several Fund Distribution panels. He is retired, after nearly 44 years of employment, at Maytag Cleveland Cooking Products, where he was also involved in United Way campaigns.

Chris Newton, director of human resources and compliance for Brenda Lawson and Associates, is chairing a division for the first time. He is chairing Division 11 (Commercial Firms). He is coordinator for the United Way campaign at Brenda Lawson and Associates, and has served on several Fund Distribution Panels for United Way.

Mike Thomasson is Bradley County executive for Andrew Johnson Bank. He is chairing Division 12 (Commercial Firms). Thomasson has chaired many divisions in the past, and has served on Fund Distribution Panels and other United Way committees. He is a member of the United Way Board of Directors, and he and his wife, Lisa, are members of the United Way’s Pillars Club.

Georgia Gann, senior vice president of Commercial Lending for Southern Heritage Bank, is chairing Division 13 (Professionals). She is a former Campaign Chair, and is a recipient of the William F. Johnson Sr. Community Service Award given by United Way of Bradley County. She has served as a Division Chair in the past, and as a member of several committees. She is a member of the United Way Board of Directors.

Gann is being assisted in Division 13 by sub-committee chairs Josh Jenne (attorneys), Coleman Foss (SkyRidge Medical Center), Dr. Will Reynolds (dentists), Dr. Mitch Jordan (veterinarians), Dr. Lori Balmer (optometrists and opticians), Ron Arnett (CPAs and bookkeepers), Dr. David Rahamut (chiropractors), and Kim Mitchell (physicians).

Teresa Torbett serves as grants coordinator for the City of Cleveland, and is co-chairing Division 14 (Government) again this year. Torbett and her husband, Mickey, previously co-chaired the Pillars Club division, and are members of the Pillars Club. She has served as a campaign solicitor and division chair for United Way as well.

Donna Simpson has co-chaired the Government division several times. The Bradley County clerk has also served on Fund Distribution panels in the past and as a campaign solicitor for the Bradley County government campaigns.

Paul Ramsey is director of facilities and transportation for the Cleveland City Schools, and is chairing Division 15 (Education) with Mull and Mauldin. He has served as a Division co-chair in the past, serving as the chair of the Cleveland City Schools campaign.

Johnny Mull, energy management and safety/security supervisor for the Bradley County Schools, is serving his fourth year as co-chair for the Education division. He has served on United Way Fund Distribution panels and has served as a solicitor for United Way campaigns at the county schools.

Dr. Walt Mauldin is professor of music and vice president of Student Life at Lee University. This is his first time chairing a division. He is also coordinating this year’s United Way campaign at Lee University, and has been a contributor to United Way for many years through Lee’s campaign.

Ron Braam also has a long history with United Way of Bradley County. The Consultant, Chemical Segment with Synalloy Corporation is chairing Division 16 (Special Gifts) this year. He and his wife Nancy co-chaired the Pillars Club for the 2009 campaign, and they are both members of the Pillars Club. He has served as chairman of the board, campaign co-chairman, and has served on several Fund Distribution panels. He is a past recipient of the William F. Johnson Sr. Community Service Award, and is currently a member of the United Way Board of Directors.

Nancy Casson is chairing a campaign division (Division 18) that is not a part of either Lawson’s or Mazzolini’s teams. This division includes special gifts to United Way such as the Restaurant Tuesdays for United Way. Casson is owner of the Red Ribbon Gift Shop, and has been involved with United Way for several years. She has served as a Campaign co-chair, division chair and campaign solicitor. She is a member of the United Way Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and is the 2009 recipient of the William F. Johnson Sr. Community Service Award.

There is one more division in this year’s campaign, entitled the Heritage Division (Division 18). This division, which has no chairman, consists of several of United Way largest company contributors, including Life Care Centers of America, Procter & Gamble/Duracell, Check Into Cash/Jones Management, Merck and Company, and Whirlpool Corp.

The next report luncheon for United Way of Bradley County is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 26, at noon at the Mountainview Inn.