Former state ABC leader joining Adams and Reese

Friday, October 5, 2018, Vol. 42, No. 40

Clayton Byrd, executive director of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, will leave the ABC to join Adams and Reese as special counsel, beginning Oct. 15. Byrd will head the firm’s Tennessee alcoholic beverage practice and serve as part of the firm’s Tennessee Government Relations team.

Byrd has nearly a decade of experience with policy surrounding alcohol licensing and regulation. In May 2016, he was named executive director of the ABC and was responsible for overseeing the immediate rollout of wine sales in grocery stores in Tennessee, following the passage of state authorizing legislation.

He oversaw the ABC’s licensing and permitting process, including the new online platform, working closely with members of the legislature and other government officials in Tennessee. Additionally, Byrd led the ABC’s programs involving law enforcement and alcohol awareness.

Previously, Byrd served as assistant general counsel for the Tennessee comptroller of the treasury and as a legislative attorney for the Tennessee General Assembly, where he drafted legislation and helped develop alcohol regulations.

Byrd is a graduate of the Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, where he earned his J.D. in 2011. He earned a degree in religious studies and German from the College of Charleston in 2007.

Ramsey, Farrar & Bates adds strategist Russell

Ramsey, Farrar & Bates has hired Matt Russell to join its government relations team. Formerly of the Ingram Group, Russell is a respected political strategist and government relations professional who has represented clients at the local, state and federal levels.

Prior to joining the Ingram Group, Russell ran several campaigns across the state of Tennessee.

Ramsey, Farrar & Bates represents clients in various fields, including health care, local government, education, business, procurement and public safety. In addition to former Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and founding partner Russell Farrar, the firm includes lobbyists Ross Smith and Addison Russell.

Legal Aid Society taps managing attorney

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm, has promoted Emma Sholl to managing attorney of the Nashville office.

Sholl has been a staff attorney at Legal Aid Society since 2014 focusing on health, benefits and special education issues. Her accomplishments at the firm include securing coverage of life-saving medications and services for Medicaid clients, advocating for special education services for children with disabilities and obtaining home health care and nursing services for elderly clients. She co-chairs Legal Aid’s Gilbert Family Fellowship program.

Sholl previously was a legal extern at the Southern Poverty Law Center in New Orleans. She also has previous experience at Children at Risk in Houston, Texas; Children’s Hospital of New Orleans Advocacy Center; Southeast Louisiana Legal Services; and The Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York.

She earned her Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans in 2014 and a degree from Colgate University in 2011.

Galante joins board of Cumberland Pharma

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. has added Joe Galante, music industry executive, to its board of directors. He is the former chairman of Sony Music in Nashville and president of RCA Records in New York City.

Galante also is a member of the board of directors of Pinnacle Financial Partners, whose shares are listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, as well as the Country Music Association and the chair of CMA Foundation.

Galante played a key role in developing the careers of some of the top music artists in the world, including Alabama, Dave Mathews band, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and the Judds, among others.

He began his career at RCA Records in New York, followed by a transfer to RCA Nashville where he served as a director at the label, followed by the role of vice president promotion and marketing. At the age of 32, he became the youngest person ever named to run a major country music record label.

Fisk selects new provost, vice president

Fisk University President Kevin D. Rome, Sr., Ph.D. has announced the appointment of Vann R. Newkirk, Ph.D., as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs following a national search this past summer. He will begin his service on Oct. 1. In this new position, he will oversee all academics and play a crucial role in the implementation of a new strategic plan for the University.

Newkirk joins Fisk University from Elizabeth City State University, where he serves as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of history. He previously served as associate provost/dean of the graduate school at Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University.

The provost serves as chief academic officer and has the responsibility for providing strategic leadership to Fisk University, and to ensure the faculty and academic programs are of the highest quality – promoting academic excellence with a focus on Liberal Arts and Science.

Newkirk earned a degree in sociology from the Barber-Scotia College and master’s degrees from Winthrop University and North Carolina Central University. His doctoral degree in history is from Howard University.

Herrold to oversee Westhaven’s growth

Southern Land Company, a developer of mixed-use developments and master planned communities, has hired Jon Herrold as development manager. Herrold will oversee the continued residential build out of Westhaven, the company’s community development in Franklin.

Herrold joins SLC from BACAR Constructors, Inc. where he managed a diverse range of projects across Tennessee and Texas. He garnered similar experience at CIP Construction, Inc., Construction Enterprises, Inc., and Main Street Homes. He earned a degree in construction management from Middle Tennessee State University and served as an aviation ordinance petty officer in the United States Navy.

S&ME welcomes Hinchey as senior project manager

S&ME, Inc. is pleased to welcome Byron Hinchey, PE, as senior project manager for water resources. Hinchey will be responsible for planning and directing the execution of engineering projects of significant size and scope across S&ME’s offices in Nashville, Knoxville and Huntsville.

A professional engineer, Hinchey has dedicated 30 years of professional practice to water resources. His experience covers hazard mitigation, flood response and recovery, stormwater capital improvement planning and design, stormwater utility consulting, stormwater infrastructure inventory and analysis, detailed hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, watershed studies, municipal stormwater program development, MS4 permitting, stormwater user fees and green infrastructure planning and design.

Hinchey was previously employed with Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions and its predecessor companies as a senior project manager, serving 24 years in the Nashville office and the last six years in the Mobile, Alabama, office.

For 10 years, he served as program manager for numerous multi-faceted contracts for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Water Services Department.

Hinchey is a Tennessee native and graduate of the Tennessee Tech with a degree in civil engineering. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Resources Association, the Association of State Floodplain Managers, the Society of American Military Engineers and the Water Environment Federation.

FiftyForward hires executive director

Sallie Hussey has been named executive director of FiftyForward to oversee the 62-year-old Nashville nonprofit that supports, champions and enhances life for those 50 and older.

FiftyForward encompasses what might be 15 nonprofits in other communities to provide direct services, resources and engagement opportunities for older adults.

Hussey began her nonprofit experience 20 years ago at the agency as a development associate.

Hussey holds a degree in communication from Mississippi State and a master’s in public relations from The University of Alabama.

Heritage Foundation names Franklin leaders

The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has announced its newest Downtown Franklin Association community leadership team. Jason Collins, owner of Juice Bar Franklin, will serve as president.

Other members of the Downtown Franklin Association community leadership team are:

• Vice President: Bryan Doleshel, chief community development officer of Williamson, Inc.
• Treasurer: Brian Moyer, founder of Moyer & Company
• Secretary: Emily Marshall, executive assistant for A. Marshall Hospitality
• Organization Chair: Ryan McKinney, managing principal of John M. Green Insurance Inc.
• Design Chair: John Bond, co-owner of Twine Graphics
• Economic Vitality Chair: Joni Cole, owner of GRAY’S on Main and O’ Be Joyful
• Promotions Chair: Julie Walton Garland, manager of Walton’s Antique and Estate Jewelry

The Downtown Franklin Association has spearheaded the revitalization of Franklin’s historic downtown core through the four-point program of the National Main Street Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation: organization, design, promotion and economic vitality.

CapStar adds personnel to accommodate growth

CapStar Bank has announced the addition of four to teams throughout the bank:

Andrew Montgomery is a relationship manager with the Commercial & Industrial banking team, led by Brad Greer. Most recently, he was director and vice president at Silicon Valley Bank in New York City. He is a graduate of Wofford College and earned an MBA from the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business.

Kim McAfee joined CapStar’s Commercial Real Estate team as portfolio manager. He transitioned from Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he was on the Multifamily Business Development team with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. He earned a degree in real estate and entrepreneurship from Florida State University and an MBA from Christian Brothers University.

Matthew McElveen and Ashley Knock have been added to the Government Guaranteed Lending team. McElveen was most recently a Small Business Administration analyst with Synovus Bank in Cumming, Georgia.

Knock was previously a Government Guaranteed Lending and Small Business Administration Loan Specialist, also at Synovus Bank in Cumming.