Forbes Magazine has named Butler Snow one of America’s Top Trusted Corporate Law Firms of 2019. The firm also was named “most recommended for” labor and employment law.

The inaugural list, created in partnership with market research company Statista, consists of 243 top U.S. corporate law firms based on the survey responses from 2,500 lawyers. Each survey participant was able to select certain areas of law in which to make recommendations, and each participant could make 10 recommendations per area of law.

The law firms that received the most recommendations were included on the list. When a firm received a higher number of recommendations than the average for a particular legal practice area, it was given a “most recommended for” designation.

Butler Snow’s labor and employment practice represents private and public sector employers throughout the United States in every aspect of the employment relationship.

DBS & Assoc. Engineering announces merger with TTL

Engineering firm DBS & Associates, Inc., which has offices in Nashville and Clarksville, as well as Cadiz, Kentucky, has announced it will merge with TTL Inc., an Alabama-based firm with offices in Nashville and four southeastern states, effective Jan. 1.

“I am very pleased to announce the merger with TTL, which allows for additional growth and expansion of DBS & Associates engineering and surveying services for our existing and future clients,” says David Smith, founder and CEO of DBS.

“This merger will allow us to greatly expand our capabilities and range of services, along with opening new avenues, with resources to ascertain that all of our clients’ needs are met and in a timely manner. The merger with TTL helps us provide more complete health care and human resources services for our employees.”

“After many meetings and visits with TTL leadership teams and president Dean McClure, we appreciated the similarities in the companies’ management philosophies and employee appreciation attitudes,” Smith adds.

Ascend again named a top 50 workplace

Ascend Federal Credit Union has been recognized by Credit Union Journal as one of the top 50 credit unions to work for in the United States for the fourth consecutive year. Ascend is the only Middle Tennessee credit union recognized and the only Tennessee credit union listed four times since the survey and awards program’s conception in 2014.

To qualify, companies must have a minimum of 25 employees and have been in business for at least one year. The highlights that led to Ascend’s recognition include above-average employee compensation, significant 401(k) contributions, superior health insurance coverage and a collaborative, nurturing company culture.

Ascend pays for 100% of health coverage for employees, and 88% of employees are enrolled in the plan. Additionally, the organization offers notable 401(k) contributions, matching at 100% by the fifth year of participation up to 10% of the employee’s annual salary. Other factors include employee opportunities to support community fundraising efforts, wellness initiatives and tuition assistance.

Contessa partners with Highmark Health

Highmark Health, a national health and wellness organization, has announced that it is working with Nashville-based Contessa to improve individuals’ health care experiences by enabling consumers to receive hospital-quality care in their homes.

The joint venture, Home Recovery Care LLC, will provide all essential elements of inpatient care in the home through telemedicine, in-home providers and robust care management oversight.

This is made possible utilizing Contessa’s proprietary technology specifically designed to coordinate home-based hospital care.

As part of this patient-centered, value-based solution, Home Recovery Care patients are monitored for 30 days to ensure they are recovering appropriately, adhering to physician-devised care plans and attending all necessary follow-up appointments with primary care physicians and other specialists.

Helicopter aquatic rescue teams to be formed

The Nashville Fire Department has announced it will partner with the aviation divisions of the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Army National Guard to enhance its Helicopter Technical Rescue Team.

NFD’s Special Operations Division will supplement rescue personnel with the THP, and fire personnel will work side by side with THP in assisting with rescues in the county, region and state.

The NFD and THP have participated in joint trainings for at least 40 years. The teams should be in place by early 2020.

Both TN-HART and THP Helicopter Technical Rescue Team will utilize personnel from NFD Stations 12 and 22. The personnel from those stations will staff, train and respond to incidents in Davidson County the state and be available for deployment to other states that can benefit from these invaluable resources.

T3 finery sold to real estate investment fund

The Cresset-Diversified QOZ Fund has announced a new real estate investment in Nashville.

Cresset-Diversified has secured more than $325 million in investor commitments. The Fund is among the largest to deploy capital into Opportunity Zones.

In Nashville, Cresset Diversified purchased a multifamily, office and retail property, The T3 Finery development by Hines.

It is located in Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston area, known as the creative hub of the city, with a walkable neighborhood and an artistic spirit.

This project will include purposefully designed office buildings with timber construction, 320 residential units, a village green concept with retail surrounding the area, structured parking, state-of-the-art concert venue, boutique hotel and additional entertainment.

HealthStream launches online certification

Nashville-based HealthStream, a provider of workforce and provider solutions for the health care industry, has unveiled RepDirect.

The new product is an online certification program for health care industry representatives to demonstrate their knowledge and competency of safe, ethical and compliant practices within care environments.

RepDirect is composed of the Advanced Medical Technology Association’s Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses’s OR Protocol; and HealthStream’s award-winning safety courseware library.

Each of these three training components is available to health care industry representatives exclusively from RepDirect by HealthStream at www.repdirect.com.

T-System to partner with EvidenceCare

T-System, Inc., an emergency care solutions and documentation company, has announced a three-year agreement with Nashville-based EvidenceCare, a clinical decision support tool for health care providers.

The integration will make the EvidenceCare tool available to clinicians in more than 500 emergency departments nationwide.

Dr. Robert Hitchcock, M.D., FACEP, T-System executive vice president and general manager of documentation, says innovations such as T-System’s partnership with EvidenceCare allows organizations to drive efficiencies and compliance for its customers.

Nashville’s VisuWell listed on Epic App Orchard

VisuWell, a Nashville-based telemedicine solutions company, announces the VisuWell solution is now listed on Epic App Orchard.

VisuWell App will enable virtual encounters within the provider’s Epic account and the patient’s MyChart portal, providing increased convenience for both patients and their providers.

VisuWell’s patient-centric approach encourages health care organizations to leverage existing provider groups with the goal of meeting growing patient demand, reducing patient leakage and promoting continuity of care.

Tivity Health to add elder meal delivery program

Tivity Health, Nashville-based provider of nutrition, fitness and social engagement solutions, will launch a meal delivery program in 2020.

The fully prepared meals are specially designed by nutritionists to meet the dietary needs of older adults.

Wisely Well Nutrition Solutions will support individuals and caregivers who are seeking meal convenience as well as those recovering after a hospitalization, living with chronic conditions or experiencing food insecurity. Wisely Well will be offered directly to consumers and through health plans.

The new program will initially offer 25 prepackaged meal options made with the highest quality ingredients and frozen at the peak of freshness to retain their nutrients and flavor.

Options include meals that are specially formulated for those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The new brand is the result of Tivity Health’s acquisition of Nutrisystem earlier this year and combines decades of food development and distribution experience with Tivity Health’s expertise providing products that support overall health and well-being.

Middle Tennessee benefits from GIVE funds

The Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education program grants have been announced with several Midstate communities receiving funding.

The plan prioritizes learning opportunities in rural counties and enhances career and technical education statewide.

Earlier this year, the General Assembly approved $25 million in the governor’s budget to incentivize collaboration at the local level among stakeholders such as higher education institutions, K-12 and economic development partners.

GIVE projects and recipients in Middle Tennessee:

• Welding program expansion, Giles County, TCAT Pulaski, $310,146

• Cyber defense mobile, Columbia State Community College, $841,320

• Teaching Innovative Learning Technologies, Motlow State Community College, $949,410

• BRIDGE to Work, TCAT Dickson, Northern Middle TN Workforce Board, $987,699

• Tennessee Central Cooperative Manufacturing WBL Program, TCAT Hartsville, Tennessee Central Economic Authority, $994,995

• Machining in Warren County, Shaping Your Career, TCAT McMinnville, Upper Cumberland Development District, $1M

• GIVE Technical Skills to Rise Above Distressed to Best, TCAT Hohenwald, $1M

• GO TECH: Growing Opportunities with Technology, Volunteer State Community College - Greater Nashville Technology Council, $1M