The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce BUSINESS AT ITS BEST luncheon will be 11:30 Friday morning, January 27, 2017 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.

Congratulations

Business Legend
Mark Pirtle

Mark Pirtle has focused his career on both real estate development and automobile sales. He has developed over $200 million in new building construction and land sales in Middle Tennessee over the last 27 years. Notable projects include Stonegate Corporate Center, Mark Pirtle Gateway, the former State Farm property on Broad and Memorial and the Haynes property between Highway 231 and Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro.

In addition, he is a General Motors Institute graduate and has owned automobile dealerships in Shelbyville, Cookeville and Jackson, Tennessee, and Beckley, West Virginia. He was honored four times with the Honda President's Award and earned Oldsmobile Elite Dealer status.

Pirtle is a member of the board of directors and executive committee for First National Bank of McMinnville and served as a ten-year board member for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County. He is a past president of both the Middle Tennessee State University Foundation and Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce boards of directors.

He is one of only ten recipients of the Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award, given to a business leader who has made a difference in his/her community, and was the 1996 Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year. He and wife Anita have three children and three grandsons.

Business Person
Robert Adams

Robert Adams' healthcare industry career spans more than four decades. He began with NHC in 1978, and held several senior-level positions until leading the organization as CEO from 2004 until his retirement in December 2016. He was named the NHC Chairman of the Board in 2009, and continues to serve NHC in this capacity.

Under Adams' leadership, NHC grew to 150 operations in 10 states, providing thousands of jobs in Tennessee and around the nation. In 2014, Forbes Magazine recognized NHC as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America. He has held office within multiple boards, committees and organizations.

Adams was named as Administrator of the Year in 1984 by the American College of Health Care Administrators and received the Exemplary Award from MTSU's Jones College of Business in 2000. In 2013, he was recognized as the Liz Rhea Philanthropist of the Year by Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1969-71, and went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 1973. Adams is an active member of Third Baptist Church, and he and wife of 48 years, Susanne, have three children and eight grandchildren.

Leadership Rutherford Pinnacle Award
Rita Ash

Rita Ash is the recipient of Leadership Rutherford's Pinnacle Award. It is given to someone who has demonstrated significant leadership throughout their career.

She was born, raised and educated here in Rutherford County graduating from the Murfreesboro City Schools and Rutherford County systems as well as MTSU. She has been in real estate for 34-years, and said, "I will go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals." In reality, that attitude not only is for her clients, but for the many individuals and non-profits that she passionately helps.

Rita Ash began her real estate career in 1983, and has been with PARKS for 30 of those years. She earned the Certified Residential Specialist Designation, is a graduate of the Realtor Institute, received the National Million Dollar Roundtable Award, and is past president of the Women's Council of Realtors. She has been honored as one of the Top 25 Real Estate Agents in Middle Tennessee and as Murfreesboro Magazine's Top Real Estate Agent.

Ash is a board member for Alive Hospice, co-chair of the Power of Pink Wine Around the Square event and has been a member of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce since 1983. In 2013, she was featured in the Women in Business issue of Murfreesboro Magazine. A graduate of Leadership Rutherford and Leadership Middle Tennessee, she previously served on the board of directors for the following organizations: Oaklands Historic House Museum, CASA of Rutherford County, Domestic Violence Program, American Cancer Society, Discovery Center, YMCA of Rutherford County, and Junior League of Murfreesboro. She is a member of First United Methodist Church and serves as a bible study fellowship leader. A lifelong Murfreesboro resident, she and husband Don have four children and eight grandchildren.

"Rita is a passionate leader, both in the real estate industry and as a community volunteer," said Leadership Rutherford Executive Director Stephanie Brackman. "I am thrilled to honor her and the many contributions she has made to Rutherford County."

Get Tickets Now

Tickets are $40 for chamber members, $65 for non-members. If you have not reserved your seats, please contact the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce at 615-893-6565.