New Frost Brown Todd member Jennifer Cote brings more than 15 years’ experience advising employers on employee benefit plans with a focus on employee stock ownership plans and executive compensation.

Her work includes advising companies in many industries, with larger projects involving multimillion-dollar benefit plan changes due to acquisitions and reorganizations in the health care industry

She is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law.

Bradley partner Hollabaugh named ‘Life Sciences Star’

Lela M. Hollabaugh, managing partner of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Nashville office, has been included in the 2020 edition of the LMG Life Sciences referral guide to leading North American law firms and lawyers who focus in the life sciences industry.

In addition, Bradley was named a “Highly Recommended” firm in the Product Liability & Recall category.

As a “Life Sciences Star,” Hollabaugh is designated as among the preeminent life sciences practitioners in the United States.

LMG Life Sciences attorney rankings are based on peer, client and firm feedback, combined with independent review of all research data, including publicly available information. The rankings are posted online at www.lmglifesciences.com and will be distributed to selected in-house counsel within pharmaceutical and biotech corporations.

Wilson named partner at Hall Strategies

Hall Strategies, a Nashville-based, independent public relations and government relations firm, has named Justin H. Wilson as partner. Wilson joins co-founders Joe Hall and Abby Trotter as owners and is the first new partner in the agency that opened in 2004.

Wilson joined Hall Strategies in early 2016 as managing director of public relations to oversee strategic communications, marketing and branding, crisis communications, community relations, social media and media relations for corporations and businesses of all sizes and in diverse industries. He has also led major public information campaigns such as downtown neighbor communications for the 2019 NFL Draft and the Broadway District’s pro-mask campaign known as Be a Honky Tonk Hero.

Wilson has worked in public relations in the Nashville market for more than 10 years. Before joining Hall Strategies, he was a vice president at DVL Seigenthaler. He has worked in the Political Affairs and Federation Relations Department at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., and the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

Wilson is a graduate of Auburn University, where he earned two undergraduate degrees, one in marketing and one in English.

Brown joins Affinity Partners as vCIO

Affinity Technology Partners has hired J. Mac Brown virtual chief information officer. This position is a key role in Affinity’s service offering, working closely with clients to help them determine and manage the best technology solutions for their strategic business needs.

Before joining Affinity, Brown served as vice president of operations for the branding and story-telling company Advent, which primarily serves collegiate and professional sports. He attended Auburn University, 1985-1989, worked in the operations and information technology services at American Airlines, Kidpower in Brentwood, Fellowship Bible Church and Advent.

Brentwood contractor adds director of operations

Steelhead Building Group has announced the addition of Joel Goehner as director of operations. He is responsible for overseeing every aspect of construction management, including hiring and supervising project teams, as well as achieving client and company objectives.

Goehner has 33 years of experience in all facets of commercial construction, including preconstruction services, project management and overall construction development from concept through completion. He has completed more than 50 career projects throughout the southeastern U.S. with a total value of over $300 million, with a strong record of project savings, early completion and client satisfaction.

Goehner came to Steelhead from LandmarkCMS, LLC, of which he was the president and sole proprietor for over 10 years. Previously, he served as a senior project manager at American Constructors, Inc. While studying for his bachelor’s degree in construction engineering at Iowa State University, he worked as a construction inspector for the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Young Leaders Council names executive director

Young Leaders Council, which trains nonprofit board leaders, has selected Kim James as its executive director.

James formerly served as the grant partnerships manager at Tennessee SCORE and is a graduate of YLC Class 49. She replaces Lisa Shacklett, who announced her departure earlier this year.

James has extensive community relations, program management and communications experience. She is a graduate of Fisk University, where she earned a degree in financial economics before earning an MBA from Tennessee State University in 2003.

She has been recognized as a trusted community advocate and leader. In 2018, she received the Women in Leadership of Central Illinois’ Woman Leader of the Year Award. She also is a 2018 graduate of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership School.

Kimbrough named partner at Studio 8 Design

Anna Ruth Kimbrough has been made a partner in Studio 8 Design, a Nashville commercial and residential architecture and design firm celebrating 15 years in business.

Kimbrough joined Studio 8 Design in 2006 and was named a firm principal in 2016. As partner, she will assume a greater leadership role, joining Studio 8 Design founder Matt Taylor in expanding the firm’s client roster and growing the design team.

A native Nashvillian, Kimbrough is a registered architect and LEED-accredited professional with more than 20 years of industry experience working on a range of projects. She started her career in New York in restaurant, retail and high-end residential design before returning to middle Tennessee and working with several firms before joining Studio 8 Design.

Kimbrough led the design team for 231 Public Square, a renovation and adaptive reuse project in downtown Franklin. Last year, the Heritage Foundation recognized the project with two preservation awards. Her work portfolio also includes the City of Franklin Police Headquarters, tenant build-out projects for First Horizon Bank, Oak Hill School renovations, and many custom residential projects throughout the Southeast. She will serve as the project manager on the selected design team for the Franklin City Hall project.

Kimbrough holds degrees in architecture and interior architecture from Auburn University where she advanced her interest in small-scale interior and furniture design.

Tennessee Craft welcomes new executive director

Kim McCurdy Waag has been selected as executive director of Tennessee Craft.

Waag has since 2018 served Tennessee Craft in a variety of roles including membership manager, program manager and fair director. Before formally joining the Tennessee Craft staff, she spent years volunteering in a variety of ways during fairs, including serving as volunteer coordinator.

She earned a degree in business management with a specialization in information technology from the University of South Florida. She served much of her 36-year career in senior executive roles in regulatory and nonprofit organizations, for which she brings both corporate experience and nonprofit expertise to all aspects of Tennessee Craft. For the past two decades, she served as the chief operating and compliance officer of a large nonprofit organization in her home state of Florida.

First Horizon promotes Pavan to manager

First Horizon Bank, member of the First Horizon National Corp. family of companies, has promoted Mason Pavan to banking center manager for the Concord Hills banking center in Brentwood. Pavan will report to retail market manager Andrew Brooks and be responsible for business development and managing operations for the center.

Pavan, who has five years of sales and banking experience, previously served as a financial services representative at the Inglewood banking center. He joined First Horizon Bank in 2018 as a regional banker and earned a degree in business administration from Cumberland University.