Lipscomb University’s College of Business has named longtime finance executive John Weisenseel an executive-in-residence this spring.

Most recently, Weisenseel served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for AllianceBernstein LP, a global asset management firm. There he supervised all global finance and administrative services activities for the $9 billion market cap, $3 billion revenue publicly traded asset manager including SEC financial reporting, investor relations, treasury, tax, financial planning and analysis, strategic plan and financial forecast, real estate and office services functions.

AllianceBernstein announced in May 2018 it was relocating its corporate headquarters from New York City to Nashville. The 51-year-old asset manager will relocate about 1,250 jobs to Nashville. Weisenseel was a key member of the team leading the nationwide search process and executing the eventual relocation.

As executive-in-residence at Lipscomb, Weisenseel will share his experiences and expertise with undergraduate and graduate finance students as well as finance faculty to add to their classroom experience and co-curricular finance instruction.

Brower to lead VU’s military scholars program

Retired U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Scott E. Brower, who has helped shape Tennessee’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with the benefit of his extensive military leadership experience, has been named director of Vanderbilt University’s Bass Military Scholars Program, effective May 17.

Brower will succeed retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, who previously announced that he would step down as director of the program, after a transition this spring.

In March 2020, Gov. Bill Lee appointed Brower to serve as chief of staff for the Unified Command Group, which has been working to streamline Tennessee’s coordinated response to the pandemic. Brower came into the role after serving in the U.S. Army for more than 29 years.

A 1989 West Point graduate, Brower first served in Operation Desert Storm as a member of the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Mainz, West Germany. He later had staff assignments with the U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida, and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and educational assignments at Command and General Staff College, the Naval Postgraduate School and the Air War College.

His combat service after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, included several tours to Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. He served in the 5th Special Forces Group, stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for more than a decade.

During Brower’s final military assignment at Fort Campbell, he led the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell as acting senior commander.

The Bass Military Scholars Program supports up to 40 scholarships and programming for honorably discharged military veterans pursuing graduate and professional degrees at the Law School, the Owen Graduate School of Management, Peabody College of education and human development, the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing.

Cumberland names Tucker to board

Cumberland Emerging Technologies has added Van Tucker to its board of directors.

Tucker is president and CEO of Launch Tennessee, a public-private partnership with a vision to make Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation.

Tucker started her career in banking and finance, having served as senior vice president of both Bank of America’s entertainment industry group and Regions’ private banking sector. Following her time with Regions, she was involved in the founding of Avenue Bank, where she served as chief creative officer.

Before joining LaunchTN, Tucker was founder and CEO of the Nashville Fashion Alliance, an organization that raised international awareness of the $6 billion impact of the fashion industry on the local economy. She has also served as the founding leader of two private strategy consulting companies serving Fortune 100 companies.

The mission of CET is to develop innovative new biomedical products emerging from university-based research. CET also manages Nashville’s Life Sciences Center which supports a growing number of biomedical startups and successful graduates.

Nashville State selects VP for business, finance

Nashville State Community College has appointed Jennifer Rector as its new vice president of finance and accounting after a national competitive search.

Rector will serve as the chief financial officer for the college and provide collegewide leadership as a member of senior staff and the president’s cabinet. She most recently served as associate vice president of finance and accounting at Nashville State.

The vice president of business and finance is responsible for facilities management, technology services, security and safety and all financial operations. All division priorities will fit into the strategic plan that the College is currently developing.

Before coming to Nashville State, Rector worked at Community Health Systems’ wholly owned subsidiary Eligibility Screening Services, where she was responsible for all accounting and budgeting activities. She served as the chief financial officer North America at SITEL and held a few leadership positions at NORTEL.

A certified public accountant in Tennessee, Rector holds an MBA and a degree in business administration in accounting from Belmont University.

TVMA announces 2021-22 board

The Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association recently named its 2021-22 executive board, which is composed of veterinarians from across the state.

The newly elected officers are:

President - Tai Federico, DVM, Riverview Animal Hospital, Chattanooga

President-elect – Bob Parker, DVM, Shelby Center Hospital for Animals, Bartlett

Vice president – Forrest Reynolds, DVM, Williamson County Animal Hospital, Franklin

Secretary/Treasurer – Margaret (Midge) Phillips, DVM, Clovercroft Veterinary Hospital, Franklin

Immediate Past President - Matt Povlovich, DVM, Tennessee Equine Hospital, Thompson’s Station.

Six members-at-large were also elected to represent East, West and Middle Tennessee. Middle Tennessee representatives are Beau House, DVM, Nashville Veterinary Specialists, and Julie Buford, DVM, Nashville Veterinary Specialists.

REED Public Relations adds to account team

REED Public Relations, a full-service public relations and marketing agency, has added Katherine Green as a senior account manager and Katie Christ an account coordinator.

Both will support REED’s diverse client base by coordinating media relations, marketing, social media and strategic communications campaigns.

Green began her career with Creative Artists Agency, where she worked as an assistant to a country music executive, booking more than 250 concerts for a roster of artists. In 2018, she pivoted to a public relations role with The Bulleit Group, a technology-focused PR firm. There, Green led strategy, messaging, social media and project management for clients including Google Android. She holds a degree in public relations from the University of Georgia.

Christ holds a degree in strategic communications from Lipscomb University.