The Nashville Film Festival board has announced its executive committee for the festival’s 50th anniversary year.

Jim Scherer, founder and president of artist management and music licensing company WHIZBANG, Inc., will serve as board president.

Bob Raines, executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, will serve as board vice president

Natasha Corrieri, officer and commercial portfolio manager at ServisFirst Bank, will serve as board secretary

Adrien Good, associate business manager at Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, will serve as board treasurer.

It was recently announced that the festival will move from its spring timeslot to October in 2019, which will position it for continued growth and enhance its ability to serve audiences, filmmakers and the industry. The 50th anniversary festival is expected to be its largest to date and will include new elements and events that will continue to deepen its reputation as one of Nashville’s leading cultural events.

In 2018, NashFilm received more than 6,100 films and 1,500 screenplays, doubling the number of entries in just five years. More than 300 films were screened at the festival with nearly 50 percent of the films of international origin.

Bone McAllester places 17 on Best Lawyers list

The Best Lawyers in America 2019 has recognized 17 Bone McAllester Norton attorneys in 25 practice areas to be leading attorneys in their fields. For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers has identified the leading attorneys and law firms in the United States and 70 countries worldwide.

Selections from other Nashville firms were included in the Aug. 24 and Aug. 31 editions of the Ledger.

Those selected are:

• Anne Sumpter Arney: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Health Care Law
• Trace Blankenship: Banking and Finance Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law
• Charles Robert Bone: Administrative/Regulatory, Law Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs
• Charles W. Bone: Administrative/Regulatory
• John P. Branham: Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs
• Glen A. Civitts: Corporate, Health Care, Mergers and Acquisitions, Real Estate, Securitization and Structured Finance
• William J. Haynes III: Employment-Individuals
• Sharon O. Jacobs: Environmental
• Paul W. Kruse: Copyright, Trademark
• Anne C. Martin: Employment-Individuals, Employment-Management, Litigation-Labor and Employment
• Sam J. McAllester III: Banking and Finance, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization
• Robert G. McDowell: Administrative/Regulatory, Arbitration Mediation
• Andrea P. Perry: Real Estate
• Christopher Raybeck: Banking and Finance
• Jack F. Stringham II: Banking and Finance, Real Estate
• Edward M. Yarbrough: Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, DUI/DWI Defense
• Stephen J. Zralek: Commercial Litigation, Copyright, Litigation-Intellectual Property

Nashville EO welcomes 40 to new catalyst class

The Nashville chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization recently inducted 40 local business owners into the 2018-19 class of its Catalyst business accelerator program.

Notably, this year’s class has almost an equal ratio of men to women, an EO Catalyst first.

Unique to the Nashville chapter of EO – the largest EO chapter in the United States and the third largest in the world – Catalyst offers entrepreneurs 12 fortnightly classes followed by participation for a year in a forum composed of 10-12 fellow class members. The classes are taught by founder of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Michael Burcham, who has also founded several successful businesses, including his current venture, Narus Health.

Catalyst is open to whose businesses that are currently generating between $250,000 and- $1 million in gross revenue per year. It is designed to grow these businesses toward full membership in the EO Nashville chapter, which requires a minimum gross revenue of $1 million per year.

The 2018 Catalyst class includes:

• MorenAdenubi, Crown Group of Companies, Inc
• Bryce Adkins, Move On Relocation
• Nate Bagby, The Centennial
• Carter Baker, Meditech Solutions, LLC
• Brooke Brandon, Brand ThreadWorks, LLC
• Candice Bruder, Pure Sweat + Float Studio
• Tyler Cauble, The Cauble Group
• Dave Childers, Residential Investment Advisors
• Joshua Costello, Chadwicks Fitness and Performance
• Alicia Davis, ALN Consulting
• Perri duGard Owens, duGard Communications
• Jen Duncan, Brio Boutique Experiences
• Keegan Fioravanti, Eternal Returns LLC
• Laura Glenn, The Cordelle
• Tim Gray, Grayscale Marketing
• Laura Greene, Laura Greene Interiors, LLC
• Laurie Hardman, Laurie D’Anne Events
• John Hoffman, JNS Hospitality, LLC (doing business as Nadeen’s)
• Stephanie Hudacek, Soundly Music
• Jo Hunt, Brilliant Sky Toys and Books Brentwood
• Ann Johnson, Waste Tech Services, Inc.
• Ethan Kellum, Nashville Regenerative Orthopedics
• Reed Kelly, Southern Kitchen Services
• Karen Kops, Poppy & Monroe
• Emily Lammers, Elizabeth Marshall Salon
• Brandon Littleton, Drystar Inc
• Anna-Vija McClain, Piccolo Marketing
• DariusNorman, CODE LLC
• Jessie Phillips, Volunteer Properties
• Ilex Pounders, High Note Gifts
• Jennifer Poythress, The Rabbit Hole VR
• Samantha Pyle, Green Apple Strategy, LLC
• Ginny Reed, Vinnie Louise
• Melissa Rhodes, Ona skincare
• Chris Thomas, MADE SOUTH
• Shane Tinnin, Skillway
• Rene Torrado, Channel Health Holdings, LLC
• Ryan Vinett, MediaTree, LLC
• Matt White, Culture Index
• Eric Wright, Elizabeth Marshall Salon

Mayor announces 2 senior staff hires

Floyd

Braam

Mayor David Briley has appointed Assistant District Attorney Marcus Floyd to advisor to the mayor for public safety and justice policy, and communications professional Laura Braam to chief communications officer.

Floyd will serve as the mayor’s lead on engaging our community’s stakeholders around policing issues, including community oversight and the implementation of a body camera program. He also will guide the administration’s work with the Policing Project. Additionally, Floyd will spearhead policy work related to criminal justice issues, including gun crime and domestic violence.

Floyd previously served as a probation officer in Memphis and Nashville and as a judicial law clerk for the 21st Judicial District of Tennessee.

Braam will direct all of the mayor’s communications and oversee department staff.

Senior Ride Nashville expands board of directors

Avinger

Robert Avinger, vice president of corporate responsibility and culture at Tivity Health, has joined the board of directors for Senior Ride Nashville, a transportation alternative and assisted ride service for seniors.

As a member of the board of directors, Avinger will be responsible for developing strategies for organizational growth, fundraising and community outreach.

Avinger has been actively involved in the culture and leadership development field for more than 20 years, the last 12 at Tivity Health. There he has served in various positions focused on leadership development, corporate social responsibility strategy and organizational culture development.

He joins Ed Cole, retired; Grace Smith, Council on Aging of Middle Tennessee; Matt Shaw, Tennessee Bank & Trust; Joseph Cazayoux, HCA Healthcare; Marielle Cummings, Nashville After Zone Alliance; Dr. Debra Gibbs, Belmont University; and Emily James, retired, on Senior Ride Nashville’s board.

Haslam names Donnals director of communications

Donnals

The top spokeswoman for Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has been promoted to serve as his director of communications.

Haslam has picked press secretary Jennifer Donnals to become the office’s director of communications in his last few months in office. Haslam is approaching his two-term limit as governor.

The Ohio University graduate started her career as a broadcast journalist and later became the communications director for the Shelby County district attorney’s office. She then joined Haslam’s administration as communications director for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.