The Nashville Public Education Foundation has announced Shannon Hunt as the group’s new president.

Foundation leaders said her appointment is an important part of a broader effort to marshal large-scale private-sector support for improving Nashville’s public school system. The foundation provides support for schools by helping raise private funds to match specific needs and building strategic partnerships.

Hunt, a Nashville native, is a partner at Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates, a Washington, D.C., public affairs firm, where she has led a number of high-profile national and international engagements, including serving as a senior adviser to several foreign heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs and nonprofit organizations. This has included work for the World Bank, the Estee Lauder Companies, Americans for Secure Retirement, Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto and former NFL players in their successful suit against the National Football League over concussion issues.

A longtime aide to former Mayor and Gov. Phil Bredesen, Hunt served as the mayor’s press secretary and was one of his chief political strategists.

Hunt later served as communications director and special assistant to Gov. Bredesen in the formative first year of his administration.

The Nashville Public Education Foundation was founded in 2001. Originally known as the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, the organization’s mission is to serve as a hub for data-driven research, the meeting ground for forging strong public/private partnerships, and a resource and partner for the city of Nashville and Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.

Hunt is a graduate of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and the University of Tennessee.

Tyrer named CFO for TriStar StoneCrest

Drew Tyrer has assumed the role of chief operating officer for TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna.

Tyrer most recently served as associate chief operating officer of Eastside Medical Center in Snellville, Ga.

He earned a degree in sport administration from University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, and his master’s of sport administration from the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky.

Tyrer later earned a master’s degree in health care administration and an MBA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is also a graduate of HCA’s chief operating officer development program.

20/20 Technology selects chief operating officer

20/20 Research, a Nashville-based global research technology and service firm, has named Robert Lunny chief operating officer of its 20/20 Technology subsidiary.

In his new role, Lunny, who joined 20/20 in 2012 as senior vice president, will oversee all daily operations of the 20/20 arm charged with developing and implementing new technologies to further enable effective market research.

Prior to joining 20/20, Lunny was chief operating officer of Tenzinga, a performance management software start-up based in Nashville and focused on the Human Capital Management sector. He also is owner of Drakes Bay Oyster Company, the largest oyster farm in California, and has served in leadership positions with BRIC Constructors, Lunny Grading & Paving, and Steelhorse, a five-star resort in Central Oregon.

Diffendal joins Truxton Trust

John Diffendal, CFA, has joined the Wealth Management team at Truxton Trust as a vice president and portfolio manager.

Before joining the company, he served as a managing partner and senior securities analyst with BB&T Capital Markets. Prior to BB&T, he was a partner with J.C. Bradford & Co. in Nashville, where he served as director of research and served on several management and capital committees.

Diffendal is both a former Wall Street Journal “Best on the Street” award winner and a Forbes/StarMine No.1 stock picker.

TSU Engineering selects Banik to leadership post

The College of Engineering at Tennessee State University has named Gouranga Banik as head of civil and architectural engineering.

Most recently, Banik served as president and CEO for Bencons LLC, a private engineering services company. His previous experience also includes serving as professor of construction management at Southern Polytechnic State University from 1998 until 2012. He was named teacher of the year award for 2007, as well as the outstanding faculty award by SPSU and the National Teaching award by the Associated School of Construction (ASC).

Banik earned a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Iowa State University, an M.S. in project management from University of Manchester-Institute of Science & Technology (United Kingdom), and a B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology. As a registered professional engineer, he is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Construction Institute, Transportation Research Board, and the American Society for Engineering Education.

Red Cross regional CEO joins INSBANK board

INSBANK has elected Joel Sullivan to serve on its board of directors.

Sullivan is the regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross and president of Sullivan Concepts, which provides strategic guidance for companies. He was also elected as a director of InsCorp, the bank’s parent company.

As the regional CEO of the Tennessee Volunteer Region of the American Red Cross, Sullivan helps middle Tennessee communities prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies. With his staff, he oversees nine chapters, 62 counties and more than 8,000 volunteers.

He is the former chief financial officer of SouthTrust Bank.

Sullivan Branding adds senior production artist

Kristina DeVinney has joined Sullivan Branding as senior production artist.

Prior to joining Sullivan Branding, DeVinney served as a graphic designer for Blevins, Inc., a creative production designer at Harland Clarke, a senior graphic designer at Valutec Card Solutions, and a graphics color specialist at NEC (now Hudson Yards).

DeVinney studied commercial art at Florida Metropolitan University in Tampa, Florida. She has earned a Certificate of Craftsmanship from the Master Printers of America.

Stites & Harbison names Wehrle to group chair

Stites & Harbison, PLLC, has named Richard Wehrle as Trusts & Estate Planning Service group chair for all of the firm’s offices, including Nashville.

Wehrle succeeds J. David Porter, who has served in that capacity for 13 years.

Wehrle is a member of the firm and concentrates his practice on trusts and estate administration, estate planning and charitable giving, charitable and non-profit organizations, estate and gift taxes, probate, and fiduciary law.

His background includes more than 20 years of experience in trusts and estate planning. He is also a certified public accountant.

Marlow is new chair of Waller health care dept.

Waller partner W. Kenneth “Ken” Marlow has been appointed chair of the firm’s health care department, a multi-disciplinary team of more than 100 attorneys.

In his new role, Marlow will lead initiatives to further strengthen Waller’s position as one of the nation’s preeminent healthcare law firms.

McNeely Pigott & Fox promotes Reinbold

McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations has promoted Amanda Reinbold to account executive. She previously was an assistant account executive.

Reinbold, a Nashville native, joined MP&F in 2010 and has worked with a variety of client teams, including the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program, the YWCA’s Academy for Women of Achievement, and construction firm Skanska. While at MP&F, she has worked in areas such as media relations, materials development, event support and research.

Schuettler named chair of ITA info committee

LBMC Technologies managing partner Stacy Schuettler will be chairing the Consulting Reseller Committee for the Information Technology Alliance.

The Information Technology Alliance is an independent, membership association of leading mid-market technology professionals, consultants, and product/service providers in North America. The organization’s primary objective is to create a community where members share information and build relationships that improve the way they, and their clients, do business.

3 new board members for Saint Thomas Rutherford

Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital has named David Jones, Deborah Thompson and George White to its board of directors.

Jones works in commercial and real estate investment, most recently in the long-term care industry. He previously worked in the banking industry, serving as vice president of Nations Bank and Citizens Central Bank.

Thompson serves as a vice president at State Farm for the Southeastern Market. In this capacity, she is responsible for agents and agency field leadership in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.

White, an attorney, serves as president at White & Polk, P.C.

Better Health 4 Kids selects Forshee for board

Nashville non-profit Better Health 4 Kids has elected W.K. Cash Forshee, Medalogix senior vice president of business development to its board of directors.

Forshee will join 14 existing board members and help BH4K seek optimal health for children and their families by fostering access to preventive health care and advancing evidence-based prevention and education.