Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP, has elected eight partners from the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Corporate, Labor & Employment, Intellectual Property, Healthcare Compliance & Operations, and Finance & Restructuring practices. They are:

Mark M. Bell, who provides counsel to construction stakeholders, insurance policyholders and insurance companies in a wide range of insurance and construction disputes. Bell holds the professional Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter insurance designation and serves as president of the Middle Tennessee CPCU Society. He earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and a B.A. in economics from Brigham Young University.

Aaron B. Flinn, who advises business owners and entrepreneurs, corporate officers and executives, and investors and families with inherited assets on wealth preservation and protection, succession planning, and strategic planning related to income, estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Flinn earned his LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida. He earned his J.D. and undergraduate degrees from the University of Tennessee.

John E. Haubenreich, who combines an investigator’s instincts with a trial lawyer’s viewpoint to offer strategic counsel to clients facing high-stakes challenges. He assists corporate boards and general counsel in internal investigations and has won jury verdicts for clients in both state and federal courts. He has handled many government enforcement actions involving the False Claims Act. Haubenreich earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.A. from Duke University. He also holds a master of public policy degree from Vanderbilt University Peabody College.

K. Coe Heard, a management-side employment law litigator and counselor with broad experience defending clients in over 15 states in federal and state courts and administrative actions and arbitrations. She advises clients on litigation avoidance, assists clients in responding to pre-litigation disputes, and offers training to human resources professionals on employment matters. Heard earned her J.D. from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law and her B.A. from Furman University.

Kristen F. Johns, a registered patent attorney who helps clients protect and maximize their intellectual property assets. Her experience intersects privacy, security, technology, and intellectual property, and she leads the firm’s distributed ledger/blockchain practice. Prior to joining Waller in 2014, Johns served as assistant general counsel at Emdeon. She holds an engineering science degree from Vanderbilt University and earned her J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Seema Kanwar, who advises hospital companies, ambulatory surgery centers, and other healthcare providers on day-to-day operational issues including federal and state anti-kickback regulations, fraud and abuse matters, self-referral prohibitions and facility licensure and certification requirements, including change of ownership filings. Kanwar is a graduate of Washington University and earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School.

David G. Marks, who focuses on buy-side and sell-side private equity M&A with extensive experience in health care, consumer products, and other industries. During the past three years, Marks has played a key role in dozens of middle-market transactions of health care practices involving ophthalmology/optometry, dental practices, physical therapy, women’s health, gastroenterology, and other specialties. Marks is a graduate of Dartmouth University and earned his J.D from Columbia Law School.

Elle Carr McCulty, who provides advice and counsel to borrowers and lenders on acquisition and development financing, senior and subordinated commercial credit facilities, and other commercial finance matters. Her experience includes asset-based loans, secured financing, intercreditor arrangements, syndicated loan transactions, workouts and restructuring, real estate financing, and DIP financing. McCulty holds a degree from American University and earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Neal & Harwell welcomes Richards

Richards

Arrin K. Richards has joined law firm Neal & Harwell, PLC, as an associate. He will work in the areas of commercial transactions, bankruptcy, commercial real estate, estate planning and civil litigation.

For the past two years, Richards has worked in the Office of the General Counsel at Vanderbilt University, most recently as assistant general counsel. Richards serves as the membership committee chair in the Young Lawyers Division of the Nashville Bar Association. He is a member of the Napier-Looby Bar Association and serves as its secretary. He is also a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys.

Richards is a 2015 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served on the executive board of the Black Law Students Association. He earned a B.A. in business administration with an accounting concentration from Morehouse College.

HBCU Campaign Fund honors Fisk president

Rome

The HBCU Campaign Fund has recognized Fisk University president, Kevin D. Rome, Sr., Ph.D., as one of the Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders for being a leading force of change at multiple universities.

HCF selected 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities presidents who are influential leaders and currently display responsibilities in leadership in the progress of moving their institutions forward.

Rome was among many HBCU leaders recognized for bringing changes in policy, perspectives and decisions that reflect the students of their institutions.

His history of success as the president of Lincoln University of Missouri included a 50 percent increase in student enrollment and effective management of the $57 million budget for the university. Rome was also responsible for the establishment of multiple institutional programs and initiatives within the University.

Before his term as president of Lincoln University of Missouri, Rome served as vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at North Carolina Central University. His leadership has also extended him to serve as vice president for student services at Morehouse College, vice president for campus life at Clayton State University, and assistant vice chancellor for student life and diversity at Indiana University – Purdue University, Indianapolis.

Franklin’s Stump named CEO of Volkert Inc.

Stump

Perry Hand, CEO and chairman of the board Volkert Inc., is stepping down as CEO and appointing president and COO Jerry Stump as his successor.

Two years after taking over as CEO in 2011, Hand hired Stump as COO in a move that set the stage for strategic succession.

In 2016 Volkert launched Volkert Global, Inc., the company’s international arm, which is based in Franklin, with Stump as CEO. In 2017, Volkert Global established its first international office in Lima, Peru.

Volkert is a privately-held employee-owned engineering firm founded in 1925. The company has a distinguished history in transportation infrastructure and has since grown its expertise in energy, water, and environmental markets. Stump expects to build on the company’s four-dimensional market focus.

Administrative Services adds asst. commissioner

Oliver

Valerie Oliver, MBA, CPA, has been named assistant commissioner for administrative services for the Tennessee Department of Health. She comes to this position after serving as department controller for the Tennessee Department of Health since April 2015.

In her role as assistant commissioner, Oliver will oversee all operations of the TDH Division of Administrative Services. She will lead and direct preparation of the TDH annual budget of $620 million and will supervise staff members working in the Budget Management, Procurement Management, Accounts Management, Operations Analysis, Records Management and Facilities Management offices.

Prior to joining the Tennessee Department of Health, Oliver served as fiscal director for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Oliver holds an MBA from Tennessee State University and a degree in accounting from David Lipscomb College. She is a CPA with more than 33 years of experience working in fiscal roles with Tennessee State Government.

Southern Land hires construction president

Posthauer

Southern Land Company, a national real estate developer of mixed-use developments and master planned communities, has hired Marty Posthauer as president of commercial construction.

Posthauer was identified after a national search to fill the strategically important role for the company during a time where it has increased development and expanded its national project footprint. He will oversee all construction operations for each project including, project executives, construction managers, engineers and estimators specializing in high-rise and mixed-use development.

Posthauer brings with him more than 30 years of experience to the position, including management of significant projects in the commercial and residential sectors. Before joining Southern Land Company, he was a senior vice president of construction focused on mixed-use residential developments, completing numerous projects valued at over $400 million in this position. He also previously served as president and CEO of Tauer, LLC and TCR SE construction.

Posthauer is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in building construction technology.

Freeman joins Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Freeman

Will Freeman has been named public information officer for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Freeman joins the TDA Public Affairs team and will help coordinate media relations, internal and external communications, and public outreach for the department.

Freeman, who most recently worked as a legislative assistant, earned a degree in agricultural leadership, education and communications from the University of Tennessee, where he also served as student body president.