In the wake of deadly and destructive tornados, power outages, road closures and rescues throughout Davidson and surrounding counties this week, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has activated the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund to support the affected communities and nonprofits helping victims address their ongoing needs.

Grants from the fund will be made to nonprofits providing vital services both immediate and long term. CFMT helps free nonprofits up to concentrate on delivering vital services while connecting “generosity with need.”

“We know when disasters strike, there are no quick fixes,” says Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. “We need to support the affected communities and the nonprofits on the ground helping victims and addressing their needs.”

naviHealth buys Innovative Healthcare Delivery

Brentwood-based naviHealth has acquired Innovative Healthcare Delivery, a company that specializes in identifying and addressing social determinants of health.

This acquisition is part of naviHealth’s broader mission to empower seniors and those that care for them by extending non-clinical services into the home.

IHD utilizes a high-touch, patient-centric, and non-clinical approach that is paired with proprietary workflow and patient engagement technology to address barriers and improve efficiencies throughout the health care system by helping patients get the right care, at the right time.

The IHD approach focuses on connecting directly with patients to ensure they understand and are able to follow critical care guidance such as discharge instructions, medication adherence and attendance of follow-up appointments.

“Increasingly, health care providers and health plans are realizing the importance and value of focusing on addressing social determinants of health and non-clinical approaches that ensure successful patient care transitions back into the home,” says Clay Richards, chief executive officer, naviHealth.

Lipscomb pharmacy No. 5 in first-time pass rate

Lipscomb University’s College of Pharmacy has achieved one of the top first-time pass rates in the nation on the 2019 North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination.

The College of Pharmacy’s class of 2019 had a 98.33% first-time pass rate, which ranks them No. 5 in the country of the 135 universities whose graduates took the most recent national licensure boards. Lipscomb’s graduates performed at a level that was 10% higher than the national average. This marks the highest first-time pass rate for Lipscomb in its 13-year history.

To become a licensed pharmacist, an individual must successfully pass two examinations administered by the National Associations of Boards of Pharmacy. The NAPLEX measures a candidate’s knowledge of the practice of pharmacy. It is just one component of the licensure process and is used by the boards of pharmacy as part of their assessment of a candidate’s competence to practice as a pharmacist.

Lipscomb College of Pharmacy graduates have a 100% placement rate following graduation.

Job fair set for tourism, convention workers

The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, along with Metro council members from Southeast Davidson County, are hosting a job fair for tourism and convention workers March 10.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held at Southeast Community Center, 5260 Hickory Hollow Parkway, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

“The hospitality industry is poised to be a major contributor of job growth in the area, and the NCVC joins city leaders in recognizing that workforce development is a priority in Nashville,” says Dr. Bob Fisher, president of Belmont University and board chair of the NCVC. “We are proud to bring this job fair to Antioch, one of Nashville’s fastest growing neighborhoods. In hospitality, there is something for everyone, whether you’re looking for full-time employment or seasonal work with all types of career paths and positions in all parts of the city.”

Additional details, list of employers

Federal grants to help state fight HIV

The state has received $2,401,358 to expand access to HIV care, treatment, medication and prevention services.

The funding, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration, includes five awards.

HRSA’s Health Center Program awards will be used to identify at-risk individuals in Tennessee and engage in prevention services, test for HIV and prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) where appropriate.

Awards made to HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients will be used to link people with HIV who are either newly diagnosed, or diagnosed but currently not in care, to essential HIV care, treatment and support services, helping them reach viral suppression and reduce HIV transmission.

HRSA awarded $851,338 to three health centers in Tennessee with service delivery sites in geographic locations identified by the EHE initiative. This first-of-its-kind program emphasizes outreach, HIV testing, partnerships, and workforce expansion to increase access to and use of PrEP, as well as linking individuals who test positive for HIV to treatment.

Parks relocating Gulch office to Broadwest

Parks Realty plans to relocate its Gulch office to Broadwest in 2021.

Earlier this year, Parks Realty and Village Real Estate merged. The Village team of Zach Goodyear, Sydney McCann and Brian Stoltzfus are handling marketing and sales for the Residences at Broadwest.

The condominium homes are on the top 20 floors of a soaring 34-story tower anchored by the Conrad Nashville. Broadwest is a mixed-use community on West End Avenue where Midtown meets downtown.

Parks Realty will relocate to Broadwest and will lease approximately 3,600 square feet on the first floor of the 3-story creative office building. The real estate firm’s entrance will front Broadwest’s 1.5-acre outdoor plaza.

Founded in 1975, the real estate company’s first urban Nashville office was Parks in the Gulch, 311 12th Street. That office opened in 2012 and currently about 50 real estate agents work there. Parks has about 700 real estate agents.

Hamilton Zanze buys Spring Hill apartments

The Commonwealth at 31, a 248-unit multifamily apartment community in Spring Hill, has been acquired by Hamilton Zanze, a San Francisco-based real estate firm.

The purchase is the firm’s fifth acquisition in the Nashville Metro area to-date.

HZ’s capital improvements plan includes community amenity upgrades, environmentally conscious interior investments, and exterior renovations.

Built in 2017, Commonwealth at 31 offers spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom units averaging just more than 1,000 square feet each. Property management responsibilities have been transitioned to HZ affiliate Mission Rock Residential, a Denver-based company.

The community is located a 35-minute drive south of downtown Nashville in Williamson County.

Initial business filings increase year to year

The Tennessee Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators has issued a report that shows year-over-year growth in initial business filings in Tennessee.

The Secretary of State’s office shows for the fourth quarter of 2019 there were 10,604 new business filings representing a 7.8% increase over the same quarter in 2018.

Initial filings have now seen positive year-over-year growth in 33 consecutive quarters. New filings from domestic nonprofit corporations saw the strongest year-over-year gains, increasing by 13.3%.

According to the report, Tennessee’s unemployment rate remains at a record low of 3.3% and is 0.3 percentage points below the national average. Nonfarm employment in Tennessee expanded by 1.6% in December, representing an increase of 49,200 jobs compared to December 2018.

Tivity’s board of directors to change

Nashville-based Tivity Health officials have announced two independent directors are joining the board.

The nutrition and wellness company is changing its board membership under an agreement with HG Vora Capital Management, LLC, a Tivity Health shareholder that owns approximately 9.9% of the company’s outstanding shares.

It is expected that HG Vora will name the new directors and they will join the board in the next several weeks. They will be nominated for election at the Tivity’s 2020 annual meeting of shareholders, replacing two current members who will not stand for reelection.

Lakeshore to open educational retailer

Lakeshore, a developer and retailer of educational materials for teachers, children and families, is opening a store this spring at 21 White Bridge Rd.

With opening, Lakeshore will have 62 stores nationwide.

At Lakeshore’s retail locations, customers are invited to experience educational in-store events, helpful services and more. Lakeshore will also be donating funds through DonorsChoose to Nashville region schools.

AES expanding in Hickman, Humphreys

Accurate Energetic Systems, LLC is expanding its operations in the McEwen area.

AES will invest approximately $9.7 million and create 80 jobs in Humphreys and Hickman counties.

The company is modernizing and expanding its Tennessee operations, which is situated on 1,300-acre site in the two counties, where the company operates a full lab and test range.

Founded in 1980, AES develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of explosives for the defense, aerospace, mining, oil and gas industries.

“Everyone at Accurate Energetic Systems would like to thank both Humphreys and Hickman counties and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for their support on this project,’’ AES president John Sonday says. “Bringing jobs to Tennessee through existing business growth and the relocation of two out-of-state businesses has energized AES as a team to foster growth for years to come.”