Bass, Berry & Sims has hired 15 new attorneys, 10 of whom are located in Nashville. They are, grouped by specialty:
Corporate and securities
• Dixon Babb, a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and the University of Georgia.
• Nicholas M. Bessette, who previously was an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York. Bessette earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.A from Texas State University.
• Courtney L. Black, who earned a law degree from Washington University School of Law and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University.
• Kolby A. Boyd, who earned a law degree from Cornell Law School and a B.S. from Indiana University.
Health care
• Zachary J. Baumann, who earned a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and a B.A. from The University of Texas.
• Jacob B. Stansell, who earned a law degree from Boston College Law School and a B.S.B.A. from the University of Arkansas.
Intellectual property
• Elizabeth Harwood, who earned a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and a B.A. from the University of Tennessee. Before joining the firm, Harwood clerked for the Hon. Thomas A. Varlan of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
• Emily C. Snyder, who earned a law degree from William & Mary Law School and a B.A. from Penn State University, Schreyer Honors College.
Complex litigation, contract disputes and business torts:
• Michael K. Bassham, who previously served as a consultant to health care companies providing assistance with the contract procurement process. Earlier in his career, Bassham was general counsel with The Bureau of TennCare and was senior counsel at the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. Bassham also represents clients in government enforcement and compliance actions, with a particular focus on matters involving health care fraud and abuse. He earned a law degree from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from the University of Kansas.
• Casey R. Malloy, who earned a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School and a B.A. and a B.S. from the University of Louisville. He served in the U.S. Army before attending law school.
Buffkin / Baker names Bradley partner
The executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has promoted Jen Bradley to partner.
Bradley joined the firm in 2008 as an associate actively engaged in executive and senior-level assignments. She has completed more than 100 search assignments and has secured executive leadership talent in the health care, digital and private equity practices for both national and global clients.
Bradley previously served in the treasury management division of Fifth Third Bank, where she was responsible for client presentations, analysis and training of treasury products. She also worked in institutional sales for Fifth Third Securities.
Bradley holds a degree in communications from Wittenberg University. She also holds an advanced certificate in executive search and leadership consulting from Cornell University.
Winstead retiring from Tennessee National Guard
After 30 years of service, Brig. Gen. Kurtis J. Winstead, a Franklin resident, is retiring from the Tennessee National Guard.
Winstead is serving as the director of the joint staff for the Tennessee National Guard, a position he has held since February 2017. He began his military career in 1990 when he received a direct commission as a first lieutenant in the Judge Advocate Corps. He was assigned to the Tennessee National Guard’s 194th Engineer Brigade, where he provided legal services to Soldiers in the unit.
Winstead served in numerous positions of increased responsibility. In 2004, he deployed to Iraq as the staff judge advocate for Jackson’s 194th Engineer Brigade. Following his deployment, he became Tennessee’s senior staff judge advocate at the Joint Force Headquarters in Nashville (2009-2017).
Winstead earned numerous recognitions, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal and the Iraqi Campaign Medal. He also earned a master of strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2010.
A graduate of the University of Richmond with a juris doctorate, Winstead has been practicing law for more than 32 years and is a founding partner in Nashville’s Rudy Winstead Turner, PLLC.
Channer joins BehaVR as chief commercial officer
BehaVR, a provider of virtual reality-based digital wellness and digital therapeutics experiences, has named Rory Channer its chief commercial officer.
Channer, who has served as an adviser to BehaVR for four years, joins the company from McDermott Will & Emery, where he served as chief business and client development officer.
He will provide strategic guidance on business growth initiatives, oversee the sales and marketing teams, pursue novel partnerships and engage payers, employers, health care providers and consumers to boost adoption of BehaVR’s behavioral health programs.
Channer has more than 25 years of experience driving businesses’ growth and has directed growth initiatives, large enterprise sales, demand generation and product marketing at companies including Ruffalo Noel Levitz, Circleback, Corporate Executive Board and Portrait Software.
Barge Design names IT, operations director
David Ferguson has been promoted to director of information technology infrastructure and operations at Barge Design Solutions, Inc.
Ferguson joined Barge 30-plus years ago and has since been an integral contributor to the advancement of the firm’s IT Infrastructure, which supports all aspects of the firm. In this new role, Ferguson will implement technology, hardware, and software upgrades to streamline internal operations and help optimize their strategic benefit.
In addition, Brooke Barrett has the firm as a client service leader for the Middle Tennessee area.
Barrett has more than 20 years of experience as a communications and client relations professional, most recently working with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, where she served as the director of external affairs.
Barrett holds a degree in electronic media journalism from Middle Tennessee State University and is a graduate of Leadership Middle Tennessee, LEAD Tennessee and TDEC Green Leadership Training.
Reliant Bank welcomes HR executive director
Reliant Bank has appointed Olivia Hill executive director of human resources.
With more than 15 years of experience, Hill’s expertise includes HR strategic planning, performance management, workforce and organizational design, employee relations and executive coaching. Before joining Reliant, Hill held several roles at Regions Bank, most recently serving as human resources business partner for the bank’s commercial and treasury management business group.
Hill, a Colorado native, holds a degree in business administration from Colorado State University.
General manager named for Conrad Nashville
Chartwell Hospitality and Conrad Nashville, a luxury hotel schedule to open in Nashville in the first quarter of 2022, has tapped Martin Wormull as its general manager.
Wormull most recently served as general manager of The Candler Hotel in Atlanta and brings more than 30 years of luxury and boutique hotel leadership experience from leading hotels such as The Drake Hotel in Chicago, Conrad Miami and Conrad Fort Lauderdale among others.
Located at 1620 West End Avenue, the 234-room Conrad Nashville will open in midtown’s new mixed-use complex, Broadwest, at the Broadway/West End junction. Conrad Nashville will be the first luxury brand by Hilton in Nashville.