Bass, Berry & Sims has added Remy Servis and Megan E. Smit in the firm’s Nashville office.
Servis advises clients on debt finance and real estate transactions across a variety of industries. Her practice includes the representation of borrowers and lenders in financing transactions and advising developers, investors and owners in the acquisition, financing, disposition and leasing of real property.
Servis holds a law degree and master’s degree from Wake Forest University and an undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
Smit counsels clients on corporate and securities issues with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. In addition, she represents private equity firms and portfolio companies in various transactions.
Before joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Smit was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Los Angeles. Smit is a graduate of the Washington University School of Law and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester.
AILA reappoints Littler’s Buchanan
Bruce Buchanan, a special counsel attorney in the Nashville office of Littler, has been reappointed to the American Immigration Lawyer Association’s Verification and Documentation Liaison Committee for the 2023-24 year.
Buchanan has been a member of the V&D Liaison Committee for the last three years and previously served during the 2015-2016 term.
Founded in 1946, the ALIA is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit, voluntary national bar association that provides continuing legal education, professional services, information and proficiency to more than 16,000 members through its 39 chapters and more than 50 national committees. The ALIA’s V&D Liaison Committee liaises with the Department of Homeland Security, the Immigration and Employee Rights (IER) Section of the Department of Justice and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) on matters involving employment verification, Form I-9 documentation requirements, immigration and customs enforcement efforts, OCAHO issues, and more.
Buchanan is a member of Littler’s immigration practice group and counsels employers on immigration compliance issues and on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement inspections and audits. He has significant experience with matters related to employment-based visas, asylum and frequently handles I-9 compliance issues. Before focusing on immigration, Buchanan served as senior trial specialist for the National Labor Relations Board for 20 years. In his employment and labor law practice, Buchanan focuses on counseling clients on union-filed representation petitions, representing employers in collective bargaining, and advising on wage and hour and Family and Medical Leave Act matters.
Additionally, Buchanan regularly writes and speaks on immigration compliance issues for employers. This year, he spoke at the AILA Annual Conference on immigration customs and enforcement of I-9 audits, Littler’s Executive Employer Conference on immigration issues and the AILA Georgia | Alabama Chapter Conference on immigration compliance issues. Buchanan is also the co-author of the I-9 and E-Verify Handbook and served as an adjunct professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.
Buchanan earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School. He also is a graduate of Florida State University.
M&A Advisor names Harris an Emerging Leader
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP partner Nathan S. Harris has been named a recipient of the 14th annual Emerging Leader Awards by The M&A Advisor for his accomplishments in business and his service to the community.
The M&A Advisor’s Emerging Leaders Awards program was created to promote mentorship and professional development amongst the emerging leaders of the corporate finance and dealmaking industries. Honorees are evaluated and selected by an independent judging panel for their significant levels of success and their notable contributions to their industry and community.
Harris is a member of Bradley’s corporate & securities practice group and works with clients throughout the entire business lifecycle, assisting with entity formation, providing guidance on commercial transactions and fundraising, and advising buyers and sellers in connection with complex M&A transactions. He frequently represents clients across a variety of industries, including technology startups, electronic payments companies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, veterinary practices, community banks and restauranteurs.
An active member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Harris is immediate-past chair of the Business Law Section and serves as a member of the executive council.
Harris earned his J.D. and his B.S. from the University of Kentucky.
Heritage Foundation names Cunningham CFO
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has selected Troy Cunningham as its chief financial officer. He will play a key leadership role in the organization’s financial stewardship as it executes on its core initiatives such as preservation, large-scale cultural events and the restoration of key assets like Franklin Grove and the History and Cultural Center.
Cunningham replaces Wendy Dunavant, who retired earlier this year.
Cunningham joins the organization following a 33-year career with Belle Meade Country Club, where he served the past 18 years as controller. He earned a degree in business administration in accounting from MTSU and has been actively engaged in community and philanthropic organizations, having previously served as treasurer and vice president for Windsor Park Homeowners Association, as foundation officer for Green Hills Rotary Club and as board member for Nashville chapter of Buoniconti Fund.
He is a Veteran of the Gulf War, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and has been a Williamson County election machine operator since 2010.
Leadership Nashville announces 2024 class
As one of the oldest community leadership programs in the country, Leadership Nashville’s nine-month independent executive program strengthens Nashville through deep connections formed among proven leaders while experiencing a three-dimensional view of the city. The goal is for these leaders emerge better equipped to make decisions that support Nashville’s continued growth.
The course, which begins in September, focuses on issues related to government, media, education, business, diversity equity and inclusion, quality of life, health, arts and entertainment, and public safety.
Chairing this year’s selection committee was Agenia Clark, president & CEO, Girl Scout Council of Middle Tennessee. Linda Rebrovick, president of Impact Consulting, is president of the Leadership Nashville board of trustees.
The new members of Leadership Nashville 47th class are:
• Shawn Bakker, president, Nashville Public Library Foundation
• Lyle Beasley, managing partner, West End Holdings, LLC
• Lillian Blackshear, public finance partner, Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
• Terrence Brooks, principal, Google Cloud
• Christiane Buggs, board member/chair emeritus, Metro Nashville Public Schools
• John Cannon, EVP, commercial real estate manager, Pinnacle Financial Partners
• Sidney Cherry, SVP Tax & Treasury Operations, Ryman Hospitality Properties
• Monica Cintado, vice president corporate development, HCA Healthcare
• Michael Collier, EVP, corporate strategy & development, HealthStream, Inc.
• Alfred Dowell, executive vice president & chief financial officer, Ingram Industries Inc.
• Seth Feman, executive director and CEO, Frist Art Museum
• Jeff Fincher, chief development officer, Nashville Christian School
• Nicole Flynn, director, marketing strategy - Hotels, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
• Malone Gilliam, rector, St. George’s Episcopal Church
• Erica Gilmore, Metropolitan trustee
• Ben Goad, news director, The Tennessean
• Andrea Hart, vice president human resources, Caterpillar
• Shubhada Jagasia, president and CEO, Ascension St. Thomas Hospital
• Lynda Jones, judge, Metropolitan Government
• Winston Justice, investment manager, Alliance Bernstein
• Andrew Kintz, executive vice president, First Horizon Bank
• Lisa Lankford, EVP, chief corporate strategy officer, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
• Minh Le, partner, Finn Partners
• Becky Magura, president & CEO, Nashville Public Television
• Rod McDaniel, CEO, S3 Recycling Solutions
• John Mikos, president and CEO, YMCA of Middle Tennessee
• Matt Nicholson, director of development & operations, The Clear Blue Company
• Judy Orr, executive director, Catholic Charities
• Perri duGard Owens, president & CEO, duGard Communications
• Lauren Lane Payne, senior vice president of philanthropy, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville
• Jamie Pfeffer, principal, Pfeffer Torode
• Allison Reed, president-elect, Junior League of Nashville
• Amani Reed, director, University School Nashville
• EJ Reed, CEO, Slim and Husky’s
• Kabir Sandhu, vice president, R.C. Mathews Contractor
• Ashlee Sellars, director of restorative justice initiatives, Raphah Institute
• Jeremy Swartz, vice president, CRM Strategy, Jackson National Life, Inc.
• Tina Tuggle, vice president, DEI Officer, Tennessee Titans
• Matt Van Epps, deputy chief operating officer, Office of the Governor
• Chandra Vasser, vice president, chief diversity equity & inclusion officer and president of the Nissan Foundation, Nissan Group of the Americas
• Tash Weddle, CEO, The New Beginnings Center/TNB-Fitness
• Tommy Widener, deputy chief of police, Metro Nashville Police Department
• Sally Williams, president, Nashville Music & Business Strategy, Live Nation
• Rick Wright, chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Vicki Yates, journalist, formerly NewsChannel 5
• Russell Ziecker, executive vice president, global head of television music, Lionsgate/Starz