Stites & Harbison’s Nashville office adds two

Stites & Harbison has hired Matthew Kroplin and Patrick Warfield as associates in the law firm’s Nashville office.

Kroplin will practice in the firm’s Business Litigation Service Group while Warfield will focus his efforts in the Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Service Group.

Formerly with Frost Brown Todd, Kroplin also served as a law clerk for Wilkes & McHugh P.A. and in the office of the Tennessee attorney general. Prior to that, he was House majority caucus press secretary for the Tennessee General Assembly.

Warfield interned for Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas A. Wiseman Jr. and Tennessee Circuit Court Judge and Chancellor James G. Martin III. He also worked as a clerk for the office of the Tennessee attorney general in the environmental and tobacco enforcement divisions.

BMI promotes Clary

Broadcast Music Inc. has promoted Kay Clary to executive director of media relations. Clary is based in Nashville and was previously senior director of media relations at the music rights organization.

Clary will continue to manage BMI’s public relations and communications efforts in Nashville and Atlanta. Her background includes leading her own media company, Commotion PR, and serving as a partner in Praxis International. 

Clary graduated from Belmont University with a B.A. in business administration/music business. 

Littler Mendelson welcomes Ross

Rachel Ross has joined the law firm Littler Mendelson as an associate. Ross will represent clients in the discrimination and harassment, leaves of absence and disability accommodation retail areas of the law.

Ross’ expertise has primarily been defending employers in employee-related lawsuits, in both federal and state court. She has also represented clients in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission administrative proceedings, involving discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Prior to joining Littler Mendelson, Ross practiced business and employment litigation law with the Nashville office of Adams and Reese LLP.

Ross is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Fifth Third adds five to mortgage operations

Fifth Third Bank has added five mortgage loan originators to the Tennessee affiliate’s mortgage division.  

Keith Payne joins Fifth Third as a mortgage loan originator. He has 18 years of experience in the mortgage industry with Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Payne holds several certifications in renovation lending and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.

Rodney Jones has worked in the mortgage industry for 16 years and was previously employed by Bank of America. 

Scott Caden joins as a mortgage loan originator.  He has worked in mortgage lending for 11 years, previously with Bank of America and HSBC Bank.

Barbie Shannon comes from Bank of America. She is a graduate of the University of Florida and has 14 years experience in the mortgage banking industry.

Josh Malnofski joins as a mortgage loan originator. He was previously employed at Bank of America as the retail sales manager for the home loans division. Malnofski holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and a master of business administration degree in finance from the International University of Monaco.