Bridgestone leader and industry veteran Christine Karbowiak has announced she will retire after more than 28 years of service. She will remain in her roles as executive vice president, executive officer, G-Chief sustainability officer and member of the global executive committee of Bridgestone Corporation, and executive vice president, chief administrative officer and member of the executive committee of Bridgestone Americas until the end of 2020.

Joining the company as senior counsel for Bridgestone Retail Operations in 1992, Karbowiak has advanced into multiple leadership positions of increased responsibility and visibility. She was named chief administrative officer and executive vice president for Bridgestone Americas in 2010, and chief risk officer the following year, with oversight of the communications, government affairs, environment, health and safety, security and sustainability departments for Bridgestone Americas.

First elected a vice president and officer of Bridgestone Corporation in 2011, she was named to that company’s global executive committee in 2014 and most recently was elected executive vice president and executive officer in 2019. She also serves on boards of directors of Bridgestone Americas (vice chair) and Bridgestone China Asia Pacific.

She has played key roles in many facets of the Bridgestone business, including leading site selection and development efforts for Bridgestone Tower in downtown Nashville. She helped secure notable sport partnerships on behalf of global Bridgestone, including the World Golf Championship’s Bridgestone Invitational, Bridgestone Senior Players Championship, and Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic partnerships.

YMCA president, CEO plans 2021 retirement

Dan Dummermuth, president and CEO of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee announced this week, has announced he plans to retire sometime in early 2021.

Dummermuth, who has been at the helm in Nashville for seven years, will retire next year after a YMCA career that has spanned some 34 years and three different YMCA associations across the country.

After beginning his career in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the Valley of the Sun YMCA, Dummermuth did a stint in Nashville as a group vice president, 1997-2001, before moving to Colorado Springs to serve as chief operating officer for the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. He eventually became president and CEO at Pikes Peak, and was hired to return to Nashville to fill the top spot in 2014.

Crane steps down as NPT president & CEO

Kevin Crane has stepped down as president and CEO of Nashville Public Television.

Crane joined NPT in 2000 and served as vice president of content and technology before being promoted to CEO in 2017. He previously worked at WGBY in Springfield, Massachusetts.

During his time at NPT, Crane oversaw the creation and production of local programs including Aging Matters, Children’s Health Crisis, Tennessee Civil War 150 and the American Graduate project. In addition, he directed NPT’s broadcast and information technology.

Daniel Tidwell, NPT’s senior vice president of development and marketing, will serve as interim CEO while the board launches a national search for a new leader.

Tidwell has been with NPT for 17 years, overseeing all of NPT’s fundraising, marketing, communications and digital initiatives.

Franklin taps department veteran for fire chief

Interim Chief Glenn Johnson has been named the Franklin’s new fire chief.

Johnson, who was chosen from a field of approximately 100 candidates generated through a national search led by University of Tennessee Municipal Advisory Service, has 26 years with the department, working his way through the ranks from firefighter to lieutenant, captain, battalion chief of training, assistant chief, and most recently interim fire chief.

Johnson has served as the chairman of Tennessee’s Homeland Security District 5 Team since 2009, which is composed of emergency responders from seven Middle Tennessee counties, including Metro Nashville and Davidson County, that deploy nationwide to critical incidents.

Additionally, he has been deployed as a member of the Middle Tennessee Incident Management Team to numerous hurricanes, the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires and other incidents.

Johnson received the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security’s First Responder Award in 2018, presented to emergency responders for outstanding and heroic actions while serving the people of Tennessee.

He is a Desert Storm veteran who began his firefighting career in 1990 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Originally from Centerville, he was hired by the Franklin Fire Department in 1994.

XOi names Kelly to leadership role

XOi Technologies, providers of a cloud-based mobile application that connects field service contractors with an online knowledge base, has named Connor Kelly the company’s director of business development and partnerships.

Kelly will collaborate with marketing, sales and senior management to develop and implement strategies and initiatives that will drive XOi’s business, increase revenue and expand the company’s brand presence.

Kelly, a University of Maryland, College Park, graduate, previously held business development, sales and management positions at Built Technologies, Emma, Inc., Advanced Network Solutions and Ease Technologies.