Skanska HealthRealty, a health care real estate development company, has announced that vice president John Patterson has transferred to the Nashville office from Houston.

As vice president of Skanska HealthRealty, a subsidiary of Skanska USA, Patterson manages the development operations for all the firm’s projects. With more than 13 years of commercial development experience, he brings oversight of design, construction and project management and assists in other aspects of the development process, including acquisition, due diligence, leasing and marketing, and disposition.

Prior to joining Skanska, Patterson co-founded Archway Properties, a commercial real estate development firm, where he was in involved in all aspects of the development operations and managed more than $100 million in new build-to-suit projects. After Archway Properties merged with Panattoni Development Company in 2007, Patterson served as the Senior Development Manager for its Texas operations and developed/managed more than 2.5 million square feet of office and industrial projects, valued at more than $170 million.

Patterson is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering.

Fletcher Rowley names Keel director of PR

Fletcher Rowley Inc. (FR) has named public relations industry veteran Susan Keel as the director of public relations for the company to support and augment the firm’s strategy, advertising and new media practice.

Keel served as vice president of the Andrews Agency during her 20 years with the firm. Previously, she served as administrative assistant to former chairman/editor/publisher John Seigenthaler at The Tennessean and staff aide to U.S. Senator Jim Sasser.

Susan will provide writing and strategic support for the firm’s political candidates and service her existing public relations clients through Fletcher Rowley, Inc.

Earlier this year, the firm won nine Pollie Awards, which are national awards of excellence by the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) for work on television and radio commercials.

Penny elected to Bar leadership post

William L. (Bill) Penny, an environmental attorney with Stites & Harbison, PLLC, has been elected vice chair of the American Bar Association’s 10,000-member Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER). By rotation, he will become the Section’s chair-elect for 2012-2013 and then take over as Chair for 2013-2014.

A member of Stites & Harbison’s Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Service Group, Penny has approximately 30 years of experience in environmental law. His practice has covered a broad range of administrative, regulatory, and litigation matters. He has worked on issues concerning water, stormwater, low-level radioactive waste, RCRA, CERCLA, solid waste, surface coal mining, and brownfield redevelopment, among others.

Penny has been an active leader within the ABA’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources for years. He has served as the Section’s budget officer, council member, and chaired committees. He also co-authored the Tennessee chapter of the ABA’s book on Brownfields.

First Farmers adds investment services

First Farmers & Merchants Bank today has announced the creation of First Farmers Investment Services, a new resource for First Farmers customers to help them plan for a more secure financial future.

The investment representatives will help clients build personal wealth through investments such as mutual funds, stocks, fixed income securities, fixed and variable annuities and insurance products. Other support to be offered includes individual and business retirement planning and college planning.

The financial consultants will be located at the bank’s Columbia headquarters and will serve customers in all seven counties in which the bank is located.

First Farmers Investment Services will compliment the bank’s existing Trust services and will start with two investment professionals.

Senior Investment Officer Sam (Trey) Garrard’s background includes close to a decade of professional investment services, including stints at Community First Bank & Trust and Northwestern Mutual Insurance. He holds both Series 7 and 66 licenses.

Shelly Ayers, who will support Garrard, has a background in financial services as well, having worked with several banks, including First Farmers.

First Farmers Investment Services will be led by R. Craig Holland, Williamson County President for First Farmers & Merchants Bank. Holland has over 30 years experience in the financial services industry, including retail, commercial, mortgage and private banking, brokerage management and investment services. He will also continue his role as Williamson County president.

Knox inducted into Insurance Hall Of Fame

Ronald F. Knox, financial services representative with The Pruett Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual in Nashville, was recently inducted into the Robert E. Musto Tennessee Insurance Hall of Fame at Middle Tennessee State University.

The Hall of Fame, established in 1997, includes 48 honorees, including Knox and three other insurance professionals who were recognized during the ceremony at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro.

Knox’s is ranked 14th overall in career production among Northwestern Mutual financial representatives nationwide. He also was in the company’s Top 20 for 14 years and ranked in the Southern Region’s Top 10 for 22 years.

He has been a member of the Million Dollar Round Table since 1969 and served as president of Northwestern Mutual’s national associations for financial representatives and senior financial representatives. He has repeatedly received the National Quality Award as well as the National Sales Achievement Award from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

Knox is active in numerous community and civic organizations. He received Northwestern Mutual’s national Community Service Award for his years of leadership in the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, where he made a lasting impact on the lives of countless children and families. He is active in United Way of Nashville and serves on the boards of Belmont University and Brentwood Academy. He was a member of Belmont’s Board of Regents from 1999 to 2008.

Feemster, Wasche join Fifth Third

Philip Feemster has joined Fifth Third as a business banking relationship manager for the Tennessee affiliate.

Philip is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and was previously employed at First Citizens Bank. He has a combined 15 years of experience in banking and artist management.

Nicholas Wasche takes the reigns as financial center manager for the Fifth Third banking center located at 2927 South Rutherford Boulevard in Murfreesboro. Nick is a graduate of North Dakota State University and was previously employed at Wells Fargo Bank. He has worked in retail banking for 5 years.

VUMC’s Cha lands ASTRO research grant

Yong Cha, M.D., Ph.D., a radiation oncology resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has received a $25,000 grant from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to help fund his research on the genetic underpinnings of cancer cells.

The Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Research Seed Grant Award is given to support residents or fellows who are planning a career focused primarily on basic science or clinical research.

Cha is investigating the role of anti-aging genes known as sirtuins. He says it is a well-recognized scientific observation that genomic instability is the fundamental link that connects aging and cancer, and sirtuins are sometimes involved in that process.

The loss of the Sirt2 gene has been linked to genetic instability and has been implicated in the development of certain types of cancer. Cha’s research will focus on identifying how and why Sirt2 function is necessary for genomic stability in cells and how it prevents the development of cancer.

Pharmacy association honors Huffines

Steve Huffines, Pharm.D., director of Pharmacy Business Services, recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the Tennessee Pharmacists Association at the organization’s annual convention in Kingsport.

The award recognizes sustained service and accomplishment in a career spanning 20 or more years, professional standing, contribution in health-system pharmacy practice, research and publications, implementation of innovative practices and enhancement of the public perception of the profession.

Heart transplant specialist joins VHVI

Simon Maltais, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of cardiac surgery, has joined the Vanderbilt Heart & Vascular Institute team, coming from the Mayo Clinic, where he completed a fully integrated VAD and heart transplant fellowship.

During his tenure at the Mayo Clinic, the facility performed 80 VAD procedures and 30 heart transplants. Maltais says Vanderbilt has just about everything it needs to continue to grow these programs, and has a solid foundation on which to build volume.

Maltais graduated from the University of Sherbrooke in Montreal and completed his residency in adult cardiology at the Montreal Heart Institute.

He earned his Ph.D. there and his research interest lies in the role of stem cells in heart failure.

Fairvue Plantation hires director of membership

KemperSports recently has named Ryan Crawford as director of membership for The Club at Fairvue Plantation, a private club located in Gallatin.

In this role, Crawford will be responsible for implementing sales and marketing campaigns to enhance and expand the membership of The Club at Fairvue Plantation.

Crawford has nearly 10 years of insurance and marketing experience with Farmers Insurance Group. During his time with Farmers, Crawford finished at the top of companywide recruiting contests and was promoted to executive director of the AgencyPoint Recruiting Center in Cincinnati in 2009. Prior to his current role at The Club at Fairvue Plantation, Crawford served as an Insurance and Financial Services professional in Nashville, managing marketing and sales strategies for client acquisition.

The Club at Fairvue Plantation re-opened in March 2011 under KemperSports’ leadership to engage current members with a calendar of golf, swimming and social events.