Character Counts! Nashville forms steering committee
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Fifty-three area leaders have formed the steering committee of Character Counts! Nashville, a new organization designed to promote personal character development in schools and the workplace. The committee is chaired by Winfield Dunn, former governor of Tennessee.The group represents a cross section of business, civic, education and religious leaders in Nashville.
The purpose of the committee is to provide strategic planning for the organization and open doors in every area to introduce an active program of character development.
"I am absolutely convinced that character development is the number one issue facing our community," Dunn said. "The size and composition of our steering committee demonstrates a broad-based desire to provide the knowledge and programs needed to introduce the basic concepts of character development and offer common-sense programs through which they can become a part of our daily lives."
The concept of Character Counts! Nashville is rooted in a national program called "CHARACTER COUNTS!SM," established by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, a non-profit, non-denominational foundation based in Marina del Rey, Calif. Developed through extensive research, the program defines "six pillars of character," including trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.
"These are characteristics which transcend all divisions of race, creed, politics, gender and wealth, and give us a common language with which to speak to anyone about good character," Dunn said.
Character Counts! Nashville receives administrative support from the Center for Character Development at Lipscomb University, directed by Dr. Mary Morris, assistant professor of education and a certified national trainer for Character Counts!
"The idea of right and wrong has become clouded in recent years, but the basic concepts of CHARACTER COUNTS!SM define behavior upon which virtually everyone can agree. By knowing the concepts of good character and modeling them in our lives, we encourage our children and associates to be people of character," Morris said.
Character Counts! Nashville is organized into several subcommittees. The subcommittees, their chairs and members:
Education: Walker Mathews, The Mathews Co., chair; Marilyn Friedlander, Mid-Cumberland Human Resources Agency; Carlene Ford, guidance counselor, Hunter's Lane Comprehensive High School; Charles Frazier, retired director, Metro Schools; Beth O'Shea, Metro Schools Gifted and Character Education coordinator; Betsy Piper, teacher, David Lipscomb Middle School.
Business: Tom Sherrard, partner, Sherrard & Roe PLC attorneys, chair; George Armistead, New Business Development, Pat Stella, president, Fire Sprinkler Inc.; Brenda Gilmore, Vanderbilt University and member of Metro Council; Stephanie Bailey, director, Metro Nashville Health Department; Connie Williams, director, Pencil Foundation; Kent Rosenbury, CEO, E-Biz America; De Van Ard, president, AmSouth Bank; Russ Kersten, The Memorial Foundation; Sam Bartholomew, attorney; Al Bodie, Al Bodie & Associates.
Government: Gayle Ray, Sheriff, chair; Charles Fentress, retired, National Federation of Independent Business; State Senator Joe Haynes; Marilyn Robinson, Minority Business Center; Emmett Turner, Metro Nashville police chief; Carolyn B. Tucker, member, Metro Council and director, Graduate Program in Education, Lipscomb University; Ronnie Steine, vice-mayor, Metro Nashville; Richard Rhoda, executive director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission; Marla Vickers, Office of the Mayor, Metro Nashville.
Entertainment: Fred Goldner, retired Vanderbilt University physician; Donna Hilley, president, Sony/ATV Publishing; Tabitha Daly, Leadership Music.
Communications: Tom Seigenthaler, chairman, Seigenthaler Public Relations, co-chair; Clay Young, president, Steve Diggs & Friends, co-chair; Nelson Andrews, Brookside Properties; Jerry Williams, director, Leadership Nashville; Frank DeTillio, group vice president and general manager, WSMV TV; David Lippe, John Weiland Homes; Pam Garrett, member, Metro Public Schools Board of Education; DeWitt Ezell, former president, BellSouth Inc.
Non-Profit: Mark Weller, Middle Tennessee YMCA, chair; Clark Baker, president, Middle Tennessee YMCA; Jim McLean, McLean Construction; Ed Finkelstein, director, Jewish Community Center; Harold Weatherspoon, Boy Scouts of America; Lloyd Harris, Boys and Girls Clubs.
Parents: Cherry Lane Darken, Davidson County 4-H Clubs, co-chair; Woody Darken, executive producer, Northstar Productions, co-chair; Donna Dalton, president-elect, Junior League of Nashville; Rick Haynie, owner, Corporate Media Inc.; Martha Haynie, homemaker.
Faith Community: Charles McGowan, senior pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church; James Duke, elder, St. Paul P.B. Church; Jim Freedman, Nashville Baptist Association; Harold Hazelip, chancellor, Lipscomb University.