Chair

JOHN WINEMILLER

John Winemiller is a member of Merchant & Gould’s litigation team in the Knoxville office. In addition to intellectual property litigation, his legal practice and background includes a variety of commercial litigation matters, including the defense of class action, toxic tort and product liability suits, as well as securities, contractual, real estate and employment disputes.

As an attorney who represents a broad range of intellectual property clients from electronic pet products manufacturers and automotive parts suppliers to home builders and internet entrepreneurs, Winemiller is continually challenged to learn about new businesses and technologies and to apply legal principles in new and changing environments. His ability to understand and articulate complex concepts in a way that decision-makers can understand helps him to proactively and effectively assist his clients in protecting their intellectual property assets.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Winemiller earned a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in music history and theory from the University of Chicago, where he taught before joining the faculty of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His academic research focused on the nexus between the creative process and 18th century conceptions of intellectual property. His fascination with the theory of ownership of ideas led him to law school and, ultimately, to Merchant & Gould.

Winemiller serves on the diversity and conflicts committees at the firm. He represents arts groups, civil rights groups and disability advocacy groups pro bono. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, historic preservation, music performance, cooking, exercise and travel.

TREASURER

Gloria M. Garner

Gloria Garner has dedicated her life to service. Her career with the Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL) spanned 38 years from 1968 to her retirement in 2006.

Garner’s career began as a community organizer, and she was responsible for organizing community groups to address social problems in three large target areas and to also provide case management. She later became the housing and employment counselor. In this position she facilitated recruitment, counseling, referrals, placement and interviewing.

In 1995, Garner accepted the position of employment and business development manager and in 1997 was promoted to vice president of internal/external affairs. As KAUL vice president, she received numerous awards and recognition. She still serves on advisory boards and committees, including the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission, Lonsdale Homecoming Committee and Midway Rehabilitation Board of Directors.

She was the 2002 recipient of the prestigious Whitney M. Young Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award for her service to the Knoxville Area Urban League. She also is a member of the Quarter Century Club of the National Urban League.

Garner is a native of Morristown, Tennessee, and attended the University of Tennessee, majoring in child development. She is a longtime member of First Calvary Baptist Church in Lonsdale.

Kimberly K. Henry

Kimberly joined Jim LaPinska’s practice in November of 2013, after having worked as a Financial Representative from 2012 until then. Her responsibilities include being a main point of contact for clients and future clients, overall office and business administration and management, team workflow coordination, human resource management for the practice, communications liaison with business associates and vendors, and special events coordination.

Kimberly graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Statistics) from the University of Tennessee then pursued a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from UT. She had an 18+ year career in Urban Planning and Property Development before joining Northwestern Mutual. She is an Associate Financial Advisor and holds the Series 6 and 63 securities registrations, as well as the Tennessee life/health, long-term care, and variable insurance licenses.

Kim enjoys various organizations including the Knox Heritage Board, the Knoxville Opera Board, Friends of Literacy Events Committee, Dogwood Arts, and City People. Kim was appointed by the Mayor of Knoxville to the Metropolitan Planning Commission, the Downtown Design Review Board, on which she served as Chair for 5 years, and most recently to the Wrecker Commission. She lives in Downtown Knoxville.

KIMBERLY HICKMAN

Kimberly Hickman is the KCDC Resident Commissioner. She was appointed to the board for a two year term effective August 1, 2016. Ms. Hickman moved to Knoxville from Illinois in 2002. She is a licensed CNA.

Once in Knoxville she learned about the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program and applied for herself and her two children. She was accepted and later she learned about the Homeownership Program.

After going through the required classes, she was able to purchase a house using the Section 8 voucher to pay a portion of her mortgage. She says she started down this path when her children were three and four. They are now fifteen and sixteen. Ms. Hickman advises others to “Listen to what is out there, read about it, ask questions and put in the work needed to reach your goal.