Ogletree Deakins’ equity shareholders have voted Liz Washko as the firm’s managing shareholder-elect. Washko will assume the role of managing shareholder following the firm’s next shareholders meeting in January 2024, succeeding Matt Keen, who has served in the role since 2016.

She will be the firm’s sixth managing shareholder and the first woman to serve in the role.

Washko has practiced in Ogletree Deakins’ Nashville office since 2000 and has held virtually every leadership role within the firm. She is one of the firm’s two managing directors and has served on the board of directors since 2021.

Washko was a member of Ogletree Deakins’ Compensation Committee 2017-2021 and was office managing shareholder of the firm’s Nashville office 2010-2018. She co-founded Ogletree Deakins’ Pay Equity Practice Group in 2016, which she continues to co-chair.

Washko is a member of the American Health Lawyers’ Association and previously served as chair of the organization’s Labor and Employment practice group. She also is a member of the Labor Standards Legislation Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section. Washko earned both her J.D. and B.A. from Rutgers University.

GSRM Law promotes Burrell to member

Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC attorney Ginna Winfree Burrell has been elected to member level in the firm.

Burrell is a member of the firm’s alcoholic beverage law section and counsels clients on the full spectrum of alcoholic beverage law disciplines. She also is involved in probation and consent order violations, disciplinary orders and appeals.

Before joining GSRM Law, Burrell served as assistant director as well as interim director of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. She earned her law degree from Nashville School of Law and undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee.

Lewis Thomason launches govt. investigations group

As an expansion of the firm’s criminal defense service, Lewis Thomason is launching a statewide government investigations practice group featuring Jim Weatherly, John Manson and Miles McDowell from the Nashville office, as well as Preston Hawkins (Knoxville) and Chris Sullivan (Memphis).

The five attorneys all have been involved in the representation of clients in state investigation and litigation regarding alleged consumer protection act violations, both State and Federal investigations for alleged violations of environmental protection laws, federal investigation of a Ponzi scheme by an automobile dealer, and federal civil investigations of physicians for alleged improper billing practices.

Additionally, they have represented individuals criminally charged with Social Security fraud and Medicare fraud, individuals charged with money laundering and wire fraud, those federally charged with violations of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and individuals and businesses charged with theft of property stemming from Tennessee sales and use tax fraud.

FirstBank adds Tansil for corporate development

Nashville-based FirstBank announced Scott Tansil has joined the company as its director of corporate development. Tansil will lead the planning and execution of a wide range of special projects to meet our organizational objectives.

Tansil has 30-plus years of experience, most recently as the head of mortgage – executive vice president of correspondent lending and capital markets for Citizens Bank, a top 20 national mortgage lender. He also served as the chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Franklin American Mortgage Company.

Tansil has called Nashville home since graduating from Belmont University, where he earned a degree in accounting. He has also served on the Residential Board of Governors and the CEO Exchange Forum with the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Wealth Strategies gives Beckwith, Hoskins new titles

Wealth Strategies Partners, a boutique total wealth management practice, has promoted Heather Beckwith to chief operations officer and Julia Hoskins to vice president of operations.

Beckwith will oversee all operations, including compliance procedures, marketing and organizational processes that support the practice’s growth. Hoskins will be responsible for managing all internal administrative operations, concierge services and relationship management and support overall client experience.

Beckwith brings over 19 years of financial services experience to the role, including nine years at WSP. She previously served as operations manager and a key liaison between WSP’s clients and team members. Beckwith holds her FINRA Series 7, 24, 53 and 63 licenses. She earned a degree in business administration from Tennessee Technological University.

Hoskins is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University.

Hemp Alliance adds 6 to board of directors

The Hemp Alliance of Tennessee has appointed five new members and a strategic adviser across various disciplines, including chemical engineering, communications, technology, finance and business, to its board of directors.

The new additions will serve as strategic partners to support the organization’s efforts to build upon its advances over the last two years, including leading a feasibility study on the production of hemp fiber in the state and taking part in an initiative which was granted nearly $5 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities to expand the production of industrial hemp as a climate-smart commodity.

New members are:

• Joseph Fuson, founder of Hemp Law Group and managing partner of Freeman & Fuson. His practice on defending those charged with marijuana related offenses.

• Kyle Kirby, who serves as the operational manager at TN Compounds, a hemp processing facility in Jackson.

• Paul Oakley, founder and CEO of Tiny Mighty Communications. He is an adviser for organizations seeking to engage key stakeholders who matter most.

• Christopher Watkins, an experienced cybersecurity professional with eight years of hands-on experience in cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and DevOps within the fintech and health care business industries.

• Ned Zieler, an executive focused on transformational change and technological innovations to business and industry necessary to meet the economic and environmental demands of the future.

• Mark Montgomery, a serial entrepreneur who has worked to bring transformation and innovation to entrepreneurship, tech, music and consumer brands. Most recently, he co-founded NuSachi, producing premium hemp products for the global marketplace.

Formed in 2020, HAT aims to fortify Tennessee’s network of hemp industry players.

Ocean Way names director of studio ops

The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business has named Joe Baldridge as director of studio operations at Ocean Way Nashville, replacing Pat McMakin, who retired in September.

A Belmont alumnus, Baldridge most recently served as instructor of audio engineering technology while maintaining a noteworthy professional career.

In addition to teaching, Baldridge has been an audio engineering for 35 years, working on many No. 1 hits. He has nearly 600 credits on All Music, earned a Dove Award for his work with TobyMac and a Grammy nomination for his work on Taylor Swift’s album “Red.”

In addition, Ocean Way recently hired Austin Atwood, a 2012 music business alumnus, to serve as operations manager and promoted Jamie Warden to business manager.

Ocean Way Nashville, designed by award-winning recording engineer Allen Sides and purchased by Belmont University in 2001, is a recording and teaching facility.