Bills

Attorney Anthony C. Bills has joined Wiseman Ashworth Law Group, PLC, as an associate.

Bills was previously an associate with the Nashville firm Manier & Herod. His professional experience includes all phases of litigation and practice including personal injury, products liability, nursing home litigation, health care law, mental health law, premises liability and fidelity and surety law.

He is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law (2010), with a concentration in Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. He earned a degree in communication from the University of Tennessee in 2007.

FirstBank names director of corporate development

Craig

FirstBank has named Paul Craig director of corporate development.

Craig, who has been with FirstBank since 2011, was previously a senior vice president in the commercial real estate group.

Prior to his roles with FirstBank, Craig worked in the real estate sector as chief operating officer at J&C Properties and president of Craig Development. He began his career as a certified public accountant with Arthur Andersen and later Lattimore, Black, Morgan & Cain.

Craig earned a degree in accounting from Lipscomb University.

Leadership Franklin announces 2015 graduates

Leadership Franklin held graduation ceremonies recently for its 19th class at the Embassy Suites of Franklin.

Graduates are executives and senior community leaders selected to represent a cross-section of Franklin and Williamson County.

The 2014-2015 Leadership Franklin class is composed of:

Aaron Kirchner, owner, Franklin Athletic Club;

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

Britt Rothrock, professional non-profit fundraiser and entrepreneur

Chaz Corzine, partner, The MWS Group

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

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

Ed Smith, president, Williamson College

Greer Redden, president, Independence Trust

Jayne Bibb, community volunteer

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

Jon Finkel, director - Infiniti Client Experience and Network Development, Nissan North America, Inc.

Jose Rodriguez, owner, R&Co. Building Construction, LLC

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

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

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

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

Philip Feemster, vice president, Franklin Synergy Bank

Shelley Moeller, president/owner, Harpeth True Value

Susan Smallwood, owner, 12south events & 12south design

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

Pinnacle adds Jones, Sykes to commercial real estate

Jones

Brian Jones and June Sykes have joined Pinnacle Financial Partners’ commercial real estate team. They are the third and fourth major CRE hires for Pinnacle this year.

Jones brings 14 years of financial services experience to his role of senior vice president and senior real estate analyst. He comes most recently from SunTrust Bank, where he was a group vice president and portfolio specialist team lead for its Tennessee commercial real estate team. Previously Jones worked for U.S. Bank as a portfolio manager.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Middle Tennessee University State University. Jones also served six years in the United State Marine Corps, where he held the rank of sergeant.

Sykes

Sykes joins Pinnacle as a financial advisor assistant. She has 36 years of experience and comes from Regions Bank, where she was a commercial banking officer and paralender for its commercial real estate group. Sykes previously held paralending and treasury management roles at US Bank and AmSouth Bank/First American.

She attended the Tennessee School of Banking and the American Institute of Banking.

Veterinary Medical Association announces 2015 board

Conn

Joe Ed Conn of the Belle Meade Animal Hospital has been named vice president and Margaret Phillips, DVM, Animal Allergy & Dermatology of Nashville, secretary/treasurer of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association’s 2015 executive board.

Other newly elected officers are:

President - Maben Thompson, DVM, Upper Cumberland Veterinary Clinic, Crossville;

Phillips

President Elect - Susan Moon, DVM, Brooks Road Animal Hospital, Memphis;

Immediate Past President - Frankie Locklar, DVM, Maury County Veterinary Hospital, Columbia.

Six members-at-large were also elected to represent East, West and Middle Tennessee. They are: Marisa Shulman, DVM, Riverview Animal Hospital, Chattanooga; Kristi Lively, DVM, Village Veterinary Medical Center, Farragut; Danny Walker, DVM, University of Tennessee at Martin; Lauren Olavessen, DVM, Merial Limited, Delta District, West Tennessee; John Bennett, DVM, Equine Services, LLC, Shelbyville; and Mandy Hagan Willis, DVM, Middle TN Veterinary Service, Morrison.

Enliven announces hiring of managing director

Harms

Enliven, a beverage consultant to hospital systems, has promoted Tim Harms to managing director and hired Brian Bergeron as an account executive.

Harms, who joined Enliven in September 2013, will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the company’s operations, including oversight of exclusive pouring rights agreements with 13 hospital systems. This includes tracking all beverage volumes in multiple channels for more than 332 facilities nationwide, examination and review of approximately $24 million in beverage purchases yearly, and ensuring prompt payment of rebates and commissions due clients.

Prior to joining Enliven, Harms was an audit senior with Deloitte. He is a licensed CPA and earned a business administration degree from Belmont University with a double major in accounting and finance.

Bergeron

Bergeron will assist Harms to ensure the proper execution and implementation of the beverage contracts Enliven manages.

Prior to joining Enliven, Bergeron was a health care coordinator with Healthways, where he worked to implement wellness programs for Fortune 100 companies and support client executives with performance analytics and strategic recommendations. He earned a degree in nutrition and food science from Middle Tennessee State University.

Bradford Group adds to Nashville staff

Davis

The Bradford Group has announced the hiring of two new account executives, Caitlin Davis and Paula Jones, as well as account associate Melody Kitchens and an account coordinator Erica Freckelton.

Previously, Davis was a broadcast news producer for stations in Richmond, Va., and Nashville. She graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a degree in journalism.

Jones

Jones goes to the Bradford Group from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), where she was a public information officer. There, she worked with local, national and international media outlets to secure expertise from Vanderbilt physicians and researchers on timely healthcare subjects.

Prior to her work with VUMC, Jones completed internships with Ogilvy Public Relations in Washington, D.C., and Peritus Public Relations in Nashville. She holds degrees in psychology and communication studies from Vanderbilt University.

Kitchens

Kitchens gained extensive experience in writing and editing at Southern Living magazine, where she wrote several feature stories, curated blog and social media content and conducted interviews. She graduated from Auburn University with a degree in journalism and held several editor positions at The Auburn Plainsman, Auburn’s student newspaper.

Freckelton is graduate of Central Michigan University with a double major in Integrative public relations and broadcast and cinematic arts.

Assured Neace Lukens hires senior vice president

Woodson

Assured Neace Lukens recently hired Jacob Woodason as a senior vice president. In his new role, Woodason will provide employee benefits programs and services to Assured Neace Lukens clients in the Tennessee market.

Woodason focuses on private, public and governmental Tennessee entities with 100 employees or more, servicing their benefit plans and ensuring their compliance with the new health care laws. Previously, he was employed with Dell Computers and Bankers Life and Casualty Company.

Land Trust’s Nelson sets May 2016 retirement

Nelson

The Land Trust for Tennessee’s founding CEO and president, Jeanie Nelson, has decided to retire effective May 2016.

Nelson co-founded the Land Trust with former governor and Nashville mayor Phil Bredesen in 1999.

As part of the transition plan, Liz Edsall McLaurin, director of external affairs, will become president and assume responsibility for day-to-day management of the organization.

Also, Emily Burnett Parish has been promoted to conservation director.

The statewide organization works to preserve public and private landscapes and their natural, agricultural and historic values.