Centerstone, one of the nation’s leading not-for-profit providers of community-based mental health and addiction services, has promoted Jeney Slusser to director of advancement in Tennessee.

She previously served as media specialist for the organization.

In her new role, Slusser will be responsible for executing the strategic plan for annual and major giving programs, including identifying new and cultivating existing donor relationships to meet the current and long-term financial needs of Centerstone in Tennessee.

Slusser also will lead the development and submission of grant applications and proposals to support the overall growth and advancement of the organization.

By securing donor funding, Slusser will be instrumental in ensuring that quality mental healthcare and addiction treatment are within reach for Tennesseans.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University.

Healthcare Banking hires two, expands team

Douglas B. Lewis and D. Shannon LeRoy will join CapStar’s Healthcare Banking Group as senior vice-presidents.

The hires were announced by CapStar President and Chief Executive Officer Claire W. Tucker.

Lewis and LeRoy will join the team founded earlier this year with Tim Fouts and Clif Tant.

Lewis and LeRoy will provide commercial lending solutions to ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis centers, small hospitals and their physician partners.

Lewis is a seasoned health care executive who most recently co-founded and served as chief development officer of Physicians Capital. A former HCA hospital administrator and vice president of development, he completed more than 100 development projects there. He was a founder and chief development officer of Psychiatric Solutions and a founder and vice-president of development and acquisitions of OrNda HealthCorp. Lewis holds a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of Mississippi.

LeRoy’s extensive experience in financial services includes three successful start-up operations. He most recently co-founded and served as president and CEO of Physicians Capital prior to the sale of that company. LeRoy began his professional career in commercial banking and helped start and manage two successful banking operations for Dominion Bankshares and First Union Corporation with a significant focus on the health care business.

Fifth Third Bank announces promotion

Fifth Third Bank has promoted Dewayne King to vice president and retail regional manager.

King has been with Fifth Third since 2009, starting as a mortgage loan rriginator before moving to the financial center manager position at the Metro Center Banking Center. He took on the additional role of consumer sales partnership leader for the affiliate’s Nashville Predators initiative and was promoted in early 2013 to retail small business director.

King is a graduate of Mississippi State University where he earned his BBA degree in Marketing.

VUMC’s Talbot honoredby national group

Thomas Talbot, M.D., MPH, associate professor of Medicine and Chief Hospital Epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, received the 2013 Investigator Award from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) at the organization’s Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco.

The award recognizes the work of investigators in infection control/health care epidemiology who have been in practice for fewer than 15 years. Talbot was chosen based on the breadth and quality of his contributions to infection prevention and control/health care epidemiology and on the scientific merit of his accepted abstract.

Talbot’s efforts in the development of VUMC’s hand hygiene improvement program were mentioned in program materials for the conference.

Vanderbilt Medical faculty hires burn specialist

Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care is expanding its specialized burn faculty with the appointment of Lisa Rae, M.D., assistant professor of surgery.

In addition to burn clinical care and emergency general surgery, Rae will continue her research on burn resuscitation.

Rae completed burn and trauma critical care fellowships at the University of Washington at Harborview Medical Center’s Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma and burn center, following general surgery training at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Her most recent work examined the differences in resuscitation in morbidly obese burn patients and was published in the Journal of Burn Care and Research, the official publication of the American Burn Association.

Rae holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Science and a Medical Doctorate from New Jersey Medical School and is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Burn Association.

Sanders joins First Freedom Bank

April D. Sanders has joined First Freedom Bank in the deposit operations department, according to Christy Thompson, vice president of operations for First Freedom Bank.

Sanders will be performing back-office functions for all types of deposit products including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and providing general service for bank’s vast array of electronic products.

Sanders was previously an inside sales account manager at Dell, Inc., in Nashville for four years. She is a 2011 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Administration and minor in Business Administration. She was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity for Women.

Lipman Group/Sotheby’s hires Cohen for team

The Lipman Group/Sotheby’s International Realty has announced the addition of residential agent, Mark Cohen to its team.

Cohen is a second-generation realtor with many years of experience in sales and home furnishings. A native of Minneapolis, Cohen has called Nashville home for nearly 20 years.

Throughout the course of his career, Cohen has renovated numerous properties and designed interiors in countless homes for clients, friends and family.

Dellanini takes on new role with SVN

Commercial real estate firm Sperry Van Ness Investec Realty of Nashville announces the addition of Felicia Dellanini to its team as director of property management, company officials announced.

In her new role, Dellanini will oversee existing property management projects and secure new property management business for SVN.

Dellanini comes to SVN with more than 20 years of brokerage and property management experience—11 as vice president of Mid-America Asset Management.

Most recently Dellanini served as an independent consultant with XMi Real Estate Corporation, where she trained, managed and evaluated team members and audited company policies, budgets and workflows.

Somerville joins Health Care Council

The Nashville Health Care Council has hired Valerie Somerville as a new staff member and also announced three staff promotions.

Somerville joined the team as communications coordinator for the Council. In this role, she will support various projects to communicate with Council members, media and other stakeholders. Prior to joining the Council, Somerville served as public information officer for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services where she supported the department’s media relations and social media efforts.

Additionally, three staff members have assumed expanded roles at the Council.

Jenni Bradley has taken the role of director for Leadership Health Care (LHC), an initiative of the Nashville Health Care Council dedicated to nurturing the talents of Nashville’s next generation of health care industry leaders. In this role, she oversees all aspects of LHC including program development and membership relations.

Kalyn Dennis has been promoted to event manager for the Council. In this capacity, Dennis is responsible for the planning, execution and management of Council events, including Council Fellows and LHC programs. Dennis initially joined the Council as event coordinator, after serving as executive coordinator with Nashville Capital Network.

Susan Hanson has moved into the role of office manager for the Council. She is responsible for the Council’s front office activities and database management, and serves on the organization’s event planning and execution team. Prior to joining the Council, she worked in member relations with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Zeitlin adds multi-lingual expert Realtor

Yordan Porashki has joined the Green Hills office of Zeitlin & Co., Realtors as a new affiliate broker, according to Jessica Averbuch, Managing Broker of the Green Hills location.

A native of Bulgaria, Porashki and his family moved to Nashville from San Diego, CA in 2005. He has a Master’s degree in Finance and previously worked as a financial advisor with SunTrust Bank.

Porashki’s multi-lingual expertise and finance background will be tremendous assets allowing him to provide professional guidance through any transaction, says Averbuch.

Armstrong honored with Pinnacle Award

Aaron Armstrong has been honored with The Pinnacle Award for Real Estate Entrepreneurship.

He is the second Keller Williams agent to receive the award, and was recognized for his success in building The Armstrong Group in Nashville.

The award applauds his innovation and dedication to creating a successful regional business that is outperforming other top producers.