Papel

Watkins College of Art, Design & Film has added two members to its Board of Trustees, attorney Laurence M. (Larry) Papel and William (Bill) Warfield, president of Brookside Properties, Inc. Each will serve a three-year term.

Papel is managing partner of the Nashville office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP. He concentrates his practice primarily in the areas of corporate and real estate.

Warfield directs all corporate operations within Brookside, overseeing more than 140 properties in 12 states.

Warfield

Board members continuing in their terms are Beth Scott Clayton Amos, Lynn Bennett, David H. Berryman, William H. Braddy III, James H. Clayton III, Stephanie Conner, Deborah G. Crowder, Dee Doochin, Taylor H. Henry (secretary/treasurer), Reggie Hill, James R. Kelley, Jerry L. Maynard II, Carol L. McCoy, Ken McDonald (vice chair), Eileen N. McGinn, Lucille Nabors, Debbye Oliver, Cano Ozgener, Walter F. Schatz, Steve Sirls, John M. Steele, Samuel E. Stumpf, Jr. (chair), Tarun Surti, Laura Turner, and Waddell H. Wright.

Continuing as commissioners are Susan A. Basham, Brownlee O. Currey, Jr., and Walter Knestrick.

Watkins President Ellen L. Meyer, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Attorney General Robert E. Cooper, Jr., serve as ex officio trustees.

Dickinson Wright attorney elected as TBA vice chair

Marsh

Darlene Marsh of Dickinson Wright has been named to serve as vice chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section for a one-year term.

Marsh is a member attorney with the firm and is involved in a wide range of environmental cases, with an emphasis on regulatory compliance and transaction support. She has been listed as an environmental specialist in both Best Lawyers’ in America and Chambers USA since 2011.

Marsh has been a member of the Tennessee Bar Association since 1988 and a member of its Environmental Law Section Executive Committee since 2010.

Luna honored twice by Tennessee Bar Association

Luna

The Tennessee Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division recently awarded Legal Aid Society attorney Aimee Luna with the 2014 President’s Award and honored her as the first place winner of its “Paying for Press” challenge.

Luna is an attorney with the Murfreesboro office of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands and has served Legal Aid since 2003.

The President’s Award is given annually to one TBA member for his or her exemplary work and tireless dedication to service within the YLD. Luna, who serves as the District 7 representative for the organization, was recognized by YLD President David McDowell for her exceptional efforts educating Tennessee lawyers and librarians about free legal resources through this year’s YLD public service project.

Luna also won first place in the YLD’s “Paying for Press” Challenge and designated her $500 prize for Unionville’s Community School Alumni Association, where Luna is a member of its board of directors. The organization supports community elementary, middle and high schools.

Bland named CEO of Nashville MTA

The Nashville MTA Board of Directors hired public transit veteran Stephen G. Bland to become the new CEO of the transit authority.

Bland

Bland, who has led the overhaul and modernization of several transit systems, will begin his new position on Aug. 25.

Bland’s seven-year tenure in Pittsburgh was highlighted by the completion of the $500 million New Starts Light Rail subway extension.

Additionally, during the development of the Connect ‘09 Transit Development Plan, the team engaged thousands of transit riders and community residents in an interactive process. Ultimately, this process led to the most comprehensive redesign of transit service in Pittsburgh’s history.

Bland also is credited for immediately recognizing the importance of multi-modal travel and integrating bicycling into the city’s transit system. Within a two-year period, bike racks were installed on the entire fleet of buses and fold-up bikes were permitted in all rail cars. Local cyclists say Bland’s actions introduced a new era for bicycling and transit in the city.

Currently employed at Michael Baker International, Bland is serving as the program director of CTfastrak, a 9.5 mile advanced bus rapid transit system between New Britain and Downtown Hartford, Conn.

Bland has a master’s degree in public finance and a bachelor’s in public affairs from Indiana University.

MTA’s former CFO Ed Oliphant is serving as the interim CEO of the Nashville MTA and Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee. Bland will serve as CEO of both organizations as well.

Chamber announces two new hires, promotion

Gregg

The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has announced new hires on its membership and economic development teams, as well as a staff promotion.

McDonald

Davis

Lauren Gregg has been named the organization’s new member relations coordinator. In this role, she will provide customer service outreach to Chamber members, particularly those who have recently joined. Gregg comes to the Chamber from the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation, where she provided Nashville tourists with information about hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Neil MacDonald has joined the Chamber’s staff as the director of business recruitment. He will work closely with companies that are considering doing business in Middle Tennessee to help bring new jobs and investments into the region. He comes to the Chamber from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, where he held the positions of legislative liaison and business development specialist.

Corey Davis has accepted the position of director of business growth initiatives for the Chamber. In this role, he will be responsible for developing programming for growing businesses in targeted segments of the Nashville market. Davis originally joined the Chamber’s staff in 2013 as a new member representative, and was previously in a sales position with ITAC Solutions, a local IT staffing firm.

Leadership Franklin selects 2014-2015 class

Leadership Franklin has selected 20 members to participate in next year’s nine-month program, the organization’s 19th year.

Founded in 1996 to develop leaders in Franklin and Williamson County, Leadership Franklin endeavors to provide class members with knowledge, network connections, and resources to bring new ideas to the table for the community.

The 19th Leadership Franklin includes:

Kenny Benge, senior pastor, St. John’s Anglican Church

Jayne Bibb, community volunteer

Chaz Corzine, partner, The MWS Group

Philip Feemster, vice president, Franklin Synergy Bank

Jon Finkel, director-Infiniti client experience and network development, Nissan North America, Inc.

Dennis Georgatos, vice president of operations, Skanska USA Building, Inc.

Kerri Hudson, public information coordinator, Williamson County Parks and Recreation

Taylor Irwin, financial advisor/account executive, TBH Global Asset Management, LLC

Aaron Kirchner, owner, Franklin Athletic Club

Shelley Moeller, president/owner, Harpeth True Value

Jimmy Moody, III, store manager, Moody’s Tire and Auto Service

Corey Napier, managing director of Middle Tennessee, Waddell & Associates; Mayor, Thompson’s Station

Alba Gonzalez-Nylander, managing partner, AJ Media Services, LLC

Greer Redden, president, Independence Trust

Jose Rodriguez, director of operations, TN Latin American Chamber of Commerce

Britt Rothrock, community volunteer

Susan Smallwood, owner, 12south events

Ed Smith, president, Williamson College

Laura Beth Stubblefield, senior director of media and communications, Propeller, LLC

Patsy Watkins, family consumer science agent, UT/TSU Williamson County Extension

Information: www.leadershipfranklin.org.

Nashville Junior Chamber recognizes award winners

The Nashville Junior Chamber recently hosted its 2014 Gala to recognize the organization’s award winners and celebrate general membership for the 2014 fiscal year.

Award winners include:

New Member of the Year: Chase Fisher

Member of the Year: Corey Almon

Board Member of the Year: Dr. Reca Barwin

Sheri Glover Outstanding Service Award: Dr. Carmen April

Spotlight Winners: Alex Hughes, Alison Miller, Alli Champagne, Brittany Shepard, Gina Muoio, Isaiah Adona, Josh Gilreath, Mark Silvestro, Sarah Vickery, Topher Flemming.

Sweeney is chair-elect of Judicial College board

Sweeney

Matt Sweeney of Baker Donelson has been named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees for The National Judicial College. Sweeney will serve a one-year term as chair-elect before assuming the role of chair in June 2015.

For more than 50 years, the NJC has remained the nation’s leading organization for the education of judges. The first to offer programs to judges nationwide, the NJC continues to work with the judiciary to improve productivity, challenge current perceptions of justice and inspire judges to achieve judicial excellence.

A former Davidson County Circuit Court judge, Sweeney is a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Nashville office, where he is a business trial and appellate lawyer, mediator and arbitrator. He has a background in white collar criminal defense and has broad experience in complex class action and shareholder derivative litigation in state and federal courts throughout the United States.

Nashville-area MPO names new senior staff

Lacewell

Emerson

Carpenter

The Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has announced the hiring of three senior staffers: Michelle Lacewell, APR, who will serve as deputy director and communications officer; Rochelle Carpenter as senior policy analyst; and Anna Emerson as senior transportation planner.

Lacewell worked as the director of communications, marketing and PR for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. In her new role, she will lead the PR and marketing efforts for the MPO and support operational goals.

Emerson comes to the MPO from AECOM Technical Services, a multi-discipline global consulting firm where she served as a technical planner.

Carpenter joins the MPO in a joint role, as a senior policy analyst and the deputy outreach director for the Transportation for America.