Thompson Burton has welcomed Brian T. Boyd as a partner and Johnathan E. Billings as an associate.

Boyd, who will start a tax practice at Thompson Burton, is a business litigation attorney based in the firm’s Franklin office. He earned an L.L.M at Georgetown University Law Center and his J.D. At Cumberland School of Law, Samford University. Boyd is a University of Tennessee, Chattanooga graduate with a degree in history.

He is admitted to practice in Tennessee and Vermont, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th and 6th district, the U.S. District Courts of Eastern, Middle, and Western Tennessee, the U.S. District Courts of Southern and Western Texas, the U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Billings will be the firm’s first associate based in Huntsville and join the real estate practice group. He specializes in real estate finance, acquisition and disposition of real property, leasing, land use agreements and zoning, and is admitted to practice in Tennessee and Alabama.

Previously, Billings worked in the Nashville office of an international firm, focusing on real estate matters and global location strategies. Billings earned his J.D. at the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he received the CALI Award of Academic Excellence in both mergers & acquisitions and space law.

Litigator Reeves rejoins McGlinchey

T. Dylan Reeves is returning to McGlinchey Stafford as a member. Dylan, who practiced with McGlinchey from 2015 to 2022, primarily practices business litigation, consumer financial services litigation and appellate law.

Reeves originally joined McGlinchey as an associate in 2015 when the firm opened its Birmingham office. He was named a member and moved to Nashville in 2021.

He earned a J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law and a B.A. from Samford University. He is the author of Tilley’s Alabama Equity (6th ed. 2023 Thomson Reuters).

Bradley Partner Smith elected ACMA fellow

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP Nashville partner Brooks R. Smith has been elected as a fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.

Formed in 1974, ACMA is a professional group of more than 500 experienced real estate finance attorneys across North America dedicated to developing professional excellence, trustworthy referral networks and lasting collegial relationships.

Smith concentrates his practice on all aspects of real estate transactions, including borrower-side financings, joint ventures and development projects on a national basis. He regularly works with developers and real estate professionals to structure transactions, compose entity formation documents, draft and negotiate contracts for sale, perform due diligence review, review and address title and survey issues, and finalize closings.

Smith is a past chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Real Estate Section, and is a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation and the American Bar Association. He has taught real estate finance and real estate transactions as an adjunct professor of law at Belmont Law School and serves as the municipal judge for the City of Forest Hills.

Airport Authority adds to leadership team

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has announced the appointment of new leadership for Nashville International Airport and John C. Tune Airport. Appointments include:

• John Cooper – chief administrative officer: The retired U.S. Army Colonel has more than 30 years of experience in HR lifecycle, organizational development and career planning and development. He most recently served as a senior foreign nation adviser on human resources and intelligence security matters. He is a graduate of University of Tennessee at Martin and holds a master’s degree from the Air War College, an MBA from George Mason University and is a certified senior professional in human resources.

• Syed Mehdi – vice president, airport planning, strategic planning: Mehdi has more than 27 years as of experience in airport planning, strategy, business development and operations. He previously led the development of an asset management division at San Antonio International Airport. Mehdi has experience in airport master plans, terminal plans and facilities plans for airports in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and Asia. He holds a master’s degree in airport planning and management from Loughborough University and holds an Accredited Airport Executive designation from the American Association of Airport Executives.

• Puneet Vedi – vice president, airport capital development: Vedi AIA, CM, LEED GA, NCARB, joins MNAA with 27 years of experience in architecture and construction experience. He previously served as director of project delivery and architecture with the Metropolitan Airports Commission, where he led a team responsible for the design, construction and implementation of a comprehensive seven-year capital improvement plan for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and six surrounding reliever airports.

• Matthew Earnhardt – assistant vice president, operations: Earnhardt overs landside, terminal and customer experience teams. He previously served as the senior associate dean of academics and operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Earnhardt’s career includes roles at Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy, where he developed expertise in process improvement, leadership development and safety. He holds a Ph.D. in organizational leadership from Regent University, an M.S. in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an MBA from Liberty University and a degree in psychology from Liberty University.

• Adam Wolf – assistant vice president, John C. Tune Airport manager: Wolf joined MNAA in early 2023 as assistant director of airside operations and was promoted to director. He now takes on the expanded role of assistant vice president and John C. Tune Airport manager. He previously served as the airport director at The Ohio State University Airport in Columbus, Ohio. He earned a degree in aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Wade named director at TN Dept. of Agriculture

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has selected Matthew Wade as director for the Consumer and Industry Services Division.

Wade joined TDA in February as a business consultant focused on the livestock sector, particularly meat and dairy processing and expanding value-added ventures for Tennessee farmers. He previously spent nearly three decades with Middle Tennessee State University, where he served as the director of the university’s farm laboratories, overseeing operations and staff of the multiunit 900-acre experiential learning and research centers.

As Director for CIS, Wade will supervise the division that monitors a wide range of materials, products and services to ensure quality, consumer protection, public safety and a fair marketplace. CIS administers programs and licensing for food and dairy, weights and measures, fuel quality, agricultural inputs, grain dealers and warehouses, pesticides, plant health and prevention of youth access to tobacco.

Wade holds a degree in agribusiness and an MBA from Middle Tennessee State University.