John Southwood, CPA, has joined Neal & Harwell, PLC, as director of financial operations.

Southwood most recently served as director of finance and accounting at Waller in Nashville the past 14 years. Before his time at Waller, Southwood served as chief financial officer at Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry, PLC, 1996-2009, and then served as controller when the firm merged with the Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP firm based in Birmingham.

Southwood holds an MBA in accounting from Vanderbilt University. He earned a degree in economics from Sewanee: The University of the South.

K&L Gates’ adds 3 attorneys to firm

K%L Gates has added three attorneys in Nashville, Lauren Brown, Leah Eubanks and Hutton Baker.

Brown joins the Nashville office as an associate in the firm’s corporate/capital markets practice group. She previously served as securities counsel for a Fortune 500 US manufacturer of industrial tools and household hardware, where she advised the general counsel and business divisions regarding a wide variety of securities and general corporate matters. She is a graduate of Denison University and her J.D. from Washington and Lee School of Law.

Eubanks joins the Nashville office as an associate in the firm’s private equity practice group. She represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies as well as strategic clients in a wide variety of transactions and growth initiatives. She earned her a degree from Purdue University, her MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology.

Baker transferred to the Nashville office from the firm’s Orange County office and is a member of the mergers and acquisitions practice group. He also assists clients in emerging growth and venture capital transactions. He is a graduate of UCLA and earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School.

Forward Sumner’s Johnston announces retirement

Jimmy Johnston, Sumner County’s longtime economic and workforce development chief, has announced his retirement.

Johnston worked in economic development and government relations for more than 40 years with several major organizations, including the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and Tennessee Valley Authority.

He spent the latter part of his career with the Forward Sumner Economic Partnership, a public private partnership that guides infrastructure, workforce development, and business development opportunities throughout Sumner County.

During his tenure, Johnston lead the charge on the creation of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Portland, which also includes the Middle College Technical High School on the same campus.

His focus on education and economic development started during his time on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and as a member of the North Middle Tennessee Workforce Board, championing the school system’s career and technical education and work-based learning pathway curriculums.

His legacy will continue to make positive impact through the development of the state highway transportation corridors that serve Sumner County, as TDOT currently has $1.3 billion in planned or funded construction projects over the next 5-7 years.

The Forward Sumner board plans to have Johnston’s replacement in place this fall after he retires from the organization in October.

Winans assumes chair of FiftyForward board

Lynn Winans, who has been with HCA Healthcare for more than 20 years, recently assumed the role of board chair to oversee the FiftyForward board of directors. Joining Winans on the board are:

• Randy Arnold, owner, Arnold Homes, LLC

• Felicia Johnson, senior consultant, Regulatory Compliance Support, HCA Healthcare

• Christopher McClintock, owner, Comfort Keepers

• Garret Miller, vice president, Enterprise Applications & IT Governance, Tivity Health.

Belmont appoints Gioia ‘Educator-in-Residence’

Belmont University today announced the appointment of Brad Gioia, former headmaster at Montgomery Bell Academy, as the University’s first Educator-in-Residence, effective Aug. 1.

As Belmont’s Educator-in-Residence, Gioia’s contributions will encompass teaching, advising and leading professional learning opportunities. Moreover, he will actively foster connections within independent schools, both locally and on a national and international scale.

Gioia has held pivotal leadership positions, including director of admission and financial aid at Darlington School and headmaster at both Darlington and Montgomery Bell Academy. He holds an honorary doctorate of letters from Sewanee: The University of the South, a Master of Education in administration from West Georgia College, a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College and a degree in English from Sewanee: The University of the South.

Franklin’s Stuckey named City Manager of the Year

The Tennessee City Management Association has recognized Eric Stuckey as its City Manager of the Year for 2023.

During his more than 30 years of public service – including nearly 15 as Franklin’s city administrator – Stuckey has held numerous roles including as assistant county administration for Hamilton County, Ohio, assistant city manager and budget director for Elgin, Illinois, and in the office of management and budget for Dayton, Ohio.

In Franklin, Stuckey oversees nearly 800 employees and works with the city’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen to see that Franklin prospers and grows.

To this end, Stuckey has helped develop a 10-year financial plan for capital investments and operations, worked with the BOMA to develop a series of financial policies for the city’s long-term strategic plan, developed a regional partnership for a public safety radio system, developed and implemented a 30-year integrated water plan. He also delivered on important community investment programs including a new police headquarters, two new fire stations, and an upgraded and expanded water treatment plant.

Beyond Franklin, Stuckey has served in leadership positions with Tennessee Municipal League and is involved with TCMA, where he served as president 2019-20 and on a number of committees.

Leadership MT names new class, board members

Forty-two Middle Tennesseans have been selected for the Leadership Middle Tennessee class of 2024. These community leaders will soon embark on an 11-month experiential journey to learn more about the 10 counties in Middle Tennessee. 2024 class members are:

Cheatham

• Bill Anderson-Nabholz Construction Corp

• Archibold Marowa-Hiscall Inc.

Davidson

• Gavin Baxter-JE Dunn Const

• Raquel Beck-Pinnacle Financial Partners

• Paige Bernick-Lewis Thomason PC

• Phillip Branch-Merrill Lynch

• Suzannah Gills-Turner Const Co.

• Harry Perret-The Oak Tree Advisors

• Selina Staub-VUMC

• Lindsay Youngbauer-Woodmont Investment Counsel

Dickson

• Stacey Levine-Healthy Parks Healthy Person

• Sommer Pearson-Dickson Arts Council

Maury

• Wesley Bryant-Parks, Bryant, & Snyder PLLC

• Michael Franks-TriStar Bank

• Travis Groth-Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance

Montgomery

• Curtis Glenn-Clarksville Police Dept.

• Robert Huffman-Nova Technologies

• Rylan Kean-Millan Enterprises LLC

• Cheryl Lankford-Legends Bank

• Erin Yow-Hilldale Christian Child Care Center

Robertson

• Mandy Christenson-White House Area Chamber of Commerce

• Keifus Malone-Owens Corning

• Adele Watts-The Springfield Woolen Mills/Southern States Const

Rutherford

• Colleen Dudley-Habitat for Humanity of Tenn

• Charles Frazier-Law Offices of Charles R. Frazier

• Chad Hill-Volunteer State Bank

• Janet Kincherlow-Martin-Urban League of Middle Tenn

• Lori Williams-Middle Tennessee Electric

Sumner

• John Isbell-Sumner County Government

• Wendy Navarro-Navarro Creative Group

• Ray Tate-FirstBank

• Jordan Woodruff-Cumberland Capital Partners

Williamson

• A.J. Bahou-Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

• Kel McDowell-Williamson Inc.

• Doris McMillan-New Hope Academy

• Jennifer Shepard-First Farmers & Merchants Bank

• Kevin Townsel-city of Franklin

Wilson

• Chris Crowell-Liberty State Bank

• Ray Render-Congressman John Rose

• Lauren Smith-Charis Health Center

• Courtney Wheeler-Cumberland University

At Large

• Heather Bay-Direct Flight Solutions LLC.

The organization has also named six new members to its board to serve three-year appointments. They are:

• Brooke Barrett – LMT 2017, Williamson Co.

• James Fenton – LMT 2008, Sumner Co.

• Robyn Graham – LMT 2019, Maury Co.

• Cara Ince – LMT 2015, Davidson Co.

• Jackie Morgan – LMT 2022, Rutherford Co.

• Gina Anzaldua – LMT 2023, Cheatham Co.

Jackson Foundation names three members to its board

The Andrew Jackson Foundation, the Nashville-based nonprofit that owns and operates The Hermitage, the 1,120-acre national historic landmark and home of the nation’s seventh president, has named three members to its board of trustees.

Laura Smith, Shane Hooper and Mitchel Bone join the 21-member board serving the foundation whose origin dates back to 1889.

Smith, vice president and general counsel for Nashville Electric Service, is the past president of the Nashville Bar Association, where she serves on the board of directors.

Hooper is president/CEO of the Shelbyville-Bedford Partnership, an economic development organization. A former Marine Corps officer, Hooper served by appointment of the governor of Mississippi on the state’s Institutions of Higher Learning board, followed by an appointment by the governor of Tennessee to the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Bone, dealer principal of Wilson County Chevrolet Buick GMC and executive manager of Wilson County Hyundai, is a U.S. Navy veteran and a member and past president of the Lebanon Breakfast Rotary Club. Bone is former CIO of Cumberland University, where he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni and Algernon Sydney Sullivan awards.