Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Tom Trent, a partner in the firm’s Nashville office, has been recognized for the second consecutive year with a 2021 Client Choice Award presented by Lexology. He also has been elected to a second term on the board of regents of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.

Trent is a member of the firm’s economic development practice group and the real estate team. He represents clients regionally and nationally, including major manufacturing companies, corporate users of commercial real estate, institutional investors, developers and lenders. Trent is a frequent speaker and panelist at commercial real estate, finance and economic development seminars and programs for several local and national organizations.

Established in 2005, Lexology’s Client Choice awards recognize law firms and partners around the world that stand apart for the care and service they provide their clients.

Also at Bradley:

Yvonne Sexton has joined the firm as its new chief information officer.

Before joining Bradley, Sexton worked as a law firm information technology executive for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, an AmLaw100 firm, for more than 20 years. She has extensive experience leading cross-functional teams, participating in strategic IT planning, contributing to strategic information governance plans, and leading data security task forces. She has additional experience in transitioning to a remote workforce to ensure business continuity.

Sexton is Project Management Professional certified with an emphasis on managing and implementing high-visibility, complex projects on time and on budget.

Nossi College of Art names president, CEO

Nossi College of Art has named Cyrus Vatandoost president and CEO following a unanimous vote by the school’s board of directors.

Vatandoost has served in various roles at Nossi over the past 24 years and most recently as the college’s executive vice president. In his new role as president, he will continue managing daily operations and furthering Nossi’s strategic vision of being the first choice for students across the Southeast seeking a commercial arts education and the first choice for those seeking to employ creatives locally and regionally.

Vatandoost succeeds Nossi Vatandoost who founded the school in 1973. As part of the leadership transition, Nossi will retain the title of founder and chairwoman while remaining actively engaged in events, such as freshman orientation and graduation, and board meetings throughout the year.

Ronin Consulting taps Martin for CFO

Ronin Consulting, a provider of expert software development consulting services, has named Jeff Martin the company’s chief revenue officer.

Martin’s new role is focused on scaling Ronin’s sales organization, building deeper customer relationships, and helping more businesses gain value from Ronin’s custom software development and suite of technology solutions.

Martin brings a track record of expertise, entrepreneurship and technology innovation to the role. He previously founded and served as CEO of Middle Tennessee high-growth software development firm Core10, which provides a full suite of fintech development services and support resources. Before Core10, Martin founded and grew Synergy Systems, a strategic recruiting firm that worked closely with many of the area’s most successful companies to identify and hire critical talent in the highly competitive Middle Tennessee tech market.

Veterinary group honors Brentwood’s Holladay

The Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association executive board celebrated Dr. Allan Holladay as he officially retired from the position of Tennessee’s AVMA Delegate.

The American Veterinary Medical Association also honored Holladay during its annual conference in August upon his retirement from 13 years of service as a member of the house of delegates.

He has been a member of the TVMA since Jan. 1, 1979, a year after graduating from Auburn University with his DVM. A life member of TVMA, Holladay served as president of the organization in 2005 and has been recognized as an Outstanding Practitioner (2016) and with the Distinguished Service Award (2011).

He owned and practiced at Brentwood Veterinary Clinic in Brentwood until his retirement from practice a few years ago. Holladay has a special interest in veterinary dentistry for both dogs and cats and was one of the first veterinarians in middle Tennessee to advocate for comprehensive dental care of pets.

Union Station selects new executive chef

The Union Station Nashville Yards, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection Hotels, has named Sean Foley as its executive chef responsible for overseeing the hotel’s growing portfolio of restaurant and catering services.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Foley has more than 15 years of fine dining experience, cooking under renowned Michelin Star Chef Daniel Boulud, opening a restaurant under Thomas Keller protégé Ian Campbell and holding leadership roles in high-end restaurants across the East Coast and in Nashville.

Most recently, Foley served as the executive chef of 5th & Taylor, five-time James Beard Award nominee in Germantown.

Foley will lead the menu development and operations of The Union Station Nashville Yard’s casual, fine dining, event catering and room service menus. He will also oversee the offerings at ERGO, the new bar in the hotel’s 120-year-old lobby featuring craft cocktails, small bites, locally sourced brunch and dinner options, and nightly live music. Chef Foley will also design the menus at a new restaurant concept located at the original Broadway entrance to the hotel, which is slated to open its doors later this year.

Business Incubation Center announces board members

The Nashville Business Incubation Center has announced the appointment of seven new junior board members. They are:

• Leia Avery (Just Play Entertainment)

• Janelle Douglas (Janelle Douglas Real Estate)

• Justyn Carlson (Nashville Predators)

• Edric Hammond (State of Tennessee Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise)

• Alina Hall (United Capital Funding)

• Phylicia Moye (University School of Nashville)

• Jimmie Jones (Turner Construction)

• Deprea Crane (Keller Schroeder)

The Junior Board will lead the NBIC’s quarterly Foundations program, a 12-week program that helps entrepreneurs build basic business principles, and other events hosted by the Center.

Other board members include: Jonathan Adair (Matthew 25), Tiara Briscoe (G&A Partners), Veronica Clark (University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services PTAC), Autumn Copeland (Quartz & Clay), Arnellia Foster-Williams (ProviderTrust), Sabrina Jenkins (Elite Nannies of Nashville, LLC), Toni Kelly (Ross Behavioral Group), Danielle McGee (Black Business Boom), April Sloss (CareNow), and Tameka Walker (RedStone Development LLC).

The newly elected NBIC Junior Board Executive Committee:

• 2020-2021 board chair Veronica Clark

• First vice chair Danielle McGee

• Second vice chair Autumn Copeland

• Secretary Toni Kelly

• Assistant secretary Jimmie Jones

• Treasurer Tiara Briscoe