After completing the oath of office as the new chair of the Shelby County Commission Monday afternoon, Deidre Malone gets a hug from her husband, Dr. Patrick Malone. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Now that Deidre Malone is the new chair of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners,  she plans to tackle the current school funding formula among other issues.

On Monday, Malone was sworn in at the Shelby County Administration Building as the new chair and the first African American woman to hold the top leadership post. Commissioner Joyce Avery is the chairwoman pro tempore.

Both Malone and Avery will serve one-year terms.

Malone is president and CEO of the Carter Malone Group, a public relations and marketing firm.

She was first elected to the commission in 2002.