Health care technology veteran Robert Hendrick has been named CEO of Care Technology Systems, Inc., a Nashville-based health care start-up that has developed innovative technology for the aging-in-place industry.

Hendrick was co-founder and COO of Change Healthcare Corporation, another local health care company.

Care Technology Systems, which was formed last year and won a TTDC grant as the state’s Best Healthcare Innovation, uses technology to help seniors maintain their independence and lifestyle as they age, while giving caregivers a reliable tool to help them do so. The company’s technology is integrated into the senior’s daily life and works quietly in the background, alerting caregivers and/or a call center when there is an issue/threat to the senior’s health or safety.

A serial entrepreneur, Hendrick has either founded or worked with a number of Internet-related companies, including Creative Syndicate, EdgeNet Media and IncLabs. He spent four years at Change Healthcare before starting Rail Yard Studios.

Emma, Inc. promotes 2 in Nashville office

Patrick Block will serve as Emma’s director of financial planning and analysis, while Scott Sears has moved from IT operations lead to director of operations.

Block, who will lead budgeting activities, coordinate all financial reporting and projections and oversee the company’s receivables and payables, has worked at Emma since 2007, previously as manager of financial planning and analysis. His professional background in finance also includes stints as a financial analyst at Healthways and as a senior financial analyst at Managed Health Network.

Sears will provide tools, guidance, coordination and support to all of Emma’s teams, ensuring ease of communication, collaboration and efficient operations.

Sears also is co-owner of the Nashville restaurant Flyte. Previously, he was one of the owners of the city’s original Internet service provider, Telalink.

Emma is an online marketing and communications service founded in 2003. Based in Nashville, it has offices in Portland, Denver, Austin and New York.

MP&F announces 5 staff promotions

McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations has promoted four staff members. Lauren Barrett, Brooke Bloom, Elizabeth Elmore and Eric Tieles – all former assistant account executives – are now account executives.

Also, Amanda Reinbold to assistant account executive. She previously was an associate account executive.

Barrett joined MP&F in 2008 and has experience in event planning, media relations, advertising, grassroots campaigns, materials development and website development for a variety of client teams.

Bloom started at McNeely Pigott & Fox in 2009. She has extensive experience in social media, website maintenance, media relations, event planning and grassroots campaigns.

Elmore, joined MP&F in 2008 and has a strong interest in social media marketing and event planning. Elmore has a wide array of experience and has worked with MP&F clients in such industries as health care, restaurant, local and federal government, construction, and nonprofit.

Tieles joined the MP&F team in 2009 and has focused on grassroots outreach, educational campaigns, event and conference planning, media relations, marketing materials development, and research.

Reinbold, a Nashville native, joined MP&F in 2010 and has worked with clients from a variety of industries, focusing in such areas as media relations, marketing materials development, event support and research.

Kelley elected to Insurance Group board

Joe Kelley, CLU, ChFC, president of Trilogy Insurance & Financial Services, a division of Trilogy Inc., has been elected to the Board of Directors of Consumers Insurance Group, Inc., a Tennessee-based property and casualty company primarily serving independent insurance agents.

Kelley began his career as an insurance agent in 1970 with the Prudential Insurance Company. During his 24 year association with Prudential, he assumed positions of increasing responsibility including Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. In 1994, he joined American General Life and Accident Insurance Company, Nashville, holding the positions of Chairman, President and CEO.

He joined Trilogy Insurance & Financial Services in early 2012.

Two vice presidents join Nashville Bank & Trust

Nashville Bank & Trust has hired John P. Krusac III as vice president and wealth advisor and Denise Hendrick as vice president and wealth management specialist, both in NBT’s Wealth Management Services division.

Krusac comes to NBT from GreenBank, where he served as vice president and trust manager since 2005. In his former role at GreenBank, Krusac was responsible for account, customer, asset and Trust Department management for the Middle and East Tennessee markets.

Hendrick comes to NBT from SunTrust Bank, where she was first vice president and trust advisor. Bringing 33 years of experience in trust administration and relationship management, Hendrick was directly responsible for more than 300 accounts representing $200 million in assets under management.

Brown appointed to Metro ISAB

Mark Brown, Pinnacle Financial Partners’ information security officer, has been appointed to a two-year term to the Information Security Advisory Board (ISAB) for the Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County government.

The board provides advice regarding information security management standards and best practices to Metro government officials. Brown joins incoming ISAB Chairman Kyle Duke, HealthSpring’s information security officer, and Michael St. Vincent, global practice protection leader at Deloitte, as the board’s newest appointees.

Ronald McDonald House names 2012 board

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville has announced its board officers and committee chairs for 2012.

Officers:

• Mike Ralston, board president, National Resources Company, LLC
• Dr. Jim Daniel, board president-elect, Chiropractic Associates of Murfreesboro
• Micah Lacher, secretary, Anchor Investments
• Stan York, treasurer, Belmont University
• Mark Pierce, general member, Criterion Capital Management
• Mendy Mazzo, immediate past president, Skanska
• James Pelletier, grants board president, McDonalds

Committee Chairs:

• Michelle Dube, vice president of communications, WKRN-Nashville’s News 2
• Dave McGahren, vice president of development, Cassidy Turley
• Doug Brandon, vice president of finance, Cassidy Turley
• Alex Waddey, vice president of human resources, C-III Capital Partners
• Don Birdwell, vice president of programming and planning, Birdwell Realty Team

ESA promotes Mitchell to vice president

Educational Services of America (ESA) has promoted Kevin Mitchell to vice president of finance and development.

Mitchell joined ESA in 2004, and most recently served as its director of finance and development. He is responsible for forecasting financial performance of ESA’s two divisions, Ombudsman Educational Services and Spectrum Center Schools and Programs and serves key roles in banking relations and mergers and acquisitions.

Mitchell graduated with a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder, a member of the CFA Society of Nashville and a member of ESA’s executive management team.

Baker Donelson elects Hicks to board

John S. Hicks has been elected to serve as a member of the board of directors of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC.

In addition to his board role, Mr. Hicks serves as the firm’s assistant general counsel and, as chair of the firm’s Conflicts and Ethics Committee, serves as the primary ethics counsel for the firm. He is the former chair of the Health Law and Medical Professional Litigation groups and has practiced with Baker Donelson for nearly 20 years.

While serving as a board member, Mr. Hicks will maintain his litigation practice and will continue to act as assistant general counsel and ethics counsel. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Attorneys Liability Assurance Society (Bermuda) Ltd., a professional liability insurer for major law firms.

Roscoe High joins Southeast Venture

Principals with local commercial real estate company Southeast Venture, LLC have announced that Roscoe High has joined the firm as a broker.

At Southeast Venture, High will work with the firm’s brokerage clients to help them buy, sell or lease commercial space that best meets their need and financial parameters. High comes to Southeast Venture from Northwestern Mutual in Atlanta, where he was a financial representative, responsible for recruiting and managing accounts for high-value clients.

Previous to Northwestern Mutual, High was an account coordinator with 360i, Dentsu Inc. and a media buyer for Media Solutions in Atlanta.

Avenue Bank promotes 3 to commercial team

Paul Vernich has been promoted to assistant vice president and Cummins Station branch manager for Avenue Bank. He had served previously as a concierge banker at the same branch.

Brendan Farran has been promoted to commercial real estate relationship manager.

Scott Newell has been promoted to concierge banker at Avenue Bank’s Cummins Station branch.