Dani Bhadare-Valente and Elizabeth C. Tirrill have joined Neal & Harwell, PLC as associates in the firm’s litigation group.
Bhadare-Valente’s practice will focus on complex business litigation and entertainment law litigation. She is a graduate of the Belmont University College of Law and participated in Neal & Harwell’s summer associate program. She also served as extern for the Tennessee attorney’s general office.
She holds a degree in international relations from the University of Virginia.
Tirrill is a litigation associate whose practice focuses on complex business litigation, entertainment law and intellectual property matters.
She is a graduate of the Belmont University College of clerked for the Hon. Eli Richardson of the United States District Court of the Middle District of Tennessee. She also participated in Neal & Harwell’s summer associate program.
Tirrill holds a degree in political science from the University of Mississippi.
Barge Design names chief marketing officer
Barge Design Solutions, an engineering and architecture firm, has promoted Erika Booker, senior vice president, to chief marketing officer.
Booker, who has served as the director of marketing and communications since 2022, will be responsible for leading and executing the overall marketing and communications strategy of the company, including branding, market positioning and customer acquisition efforts. She will play a key role in driving growth, fostering innovation, and enhancing the company’s reputation with its industry and target markets.
Before joining Barge, Booker held marketing leadership roles at prominent companies in the civil engineering and architecture sectors, including water/wastewater and transportation. She holds a degree in business administration/marketing from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in mass communications from Webster University.
Turner promotes Gills to business manager
Suzannah Gills has been promoted to business manager for Turner Construction Company’s Nashville office. In her expanded role, she will be responsible for longterm business planning, serve as a project principal for select work and lead the local efforts of SourceBlue, the company’s direct procurement arm.
Gills joined Turner in 2010 and has held multiple roles for the company in the field and in the office. She most recently served as business development manager beginning in 2020.
Gills led numerous health care projects for Ascension Saint Thomas and Vanderbilt University Medical Center over an eight-year period. During this time, she held the titles of engineer, project manager and senior project manager for Turner’s Special Projects Division.
She holds an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Lipscomb University.
State vet association names award winners
Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association announced recipients of its 2024 awards recently during the Music City Veterinary Conference. Award winners are nominated and chosen by an awards committee of their peers.
This year’s winners include:
• Lifetime Achievement: Allan Holladay, DVM, retired
• Dr. Walter R. Clark Distinguished Service: Karin Collins, DVM, Animal Wellness Center, White Pine
• Outstanding Practitioner: Jerry Wilhite, DVM, Old Hatchie Veterinary Clinic, Bolivar
• Outstanding Technician: Amanda Waldon, LVMT, University of Tennessee at Martin
• Legislator of the Year: Sen. Shane Reeves, District 14
• Outstanding Commercial Representative: Joe Sims, sales representative, Zoetis, Hixon
• John C. New Service Award: Zenithson Ng, DVM, MS, DABVP, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville
• Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame Inductee: Scout, posthumously honored for his service as a law enforcement and service dog; owner Gavenn Ross
Holladay served as Tennessee’s AVMA delegate before his retirement. A life member of TVMA, Holladay served as president of the organization in 2005 and has been recognized as an Outstanding Practitioner (2016) and with the Distinguished Service Award (2011). He owned and practiced at Brentwood Veterinary Clinic in Brentwood until his retirement from practice a few years ago.
Scout, a German shepherd, began his career as a law-enforcement officer in Miami. After a traumatic event on duty forced his retirement, he was transitioned to a service dog. He came to the Ross family as an assistant to Gavenn, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Scout provided Gavenn with an independence he would not have otherwise had.
Earnest named CFO at veterinary company
Veterinary Innovative Partners, a network of veterinarian-owned/operated hospitals in nine states, has appointed Matt Earnest CPA, as its new chief financial officer.
Earnest’s background spans public accounting, investment banking and corporate finance with a focus on privately held physician management companies. He previously served as the chief financial officer at QualDerm Partners, a multisite dermatology physician management company.
VIP’s network spans 40-plus hospitals across Tennessee, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Bobby Hotels appoints Phillips Nashville GM
Bobby Hotels, the independent hospitality brand, has selected Tony Phillips, a veteran of 25 years in hotel management, as general manager of Bobby Nashville.
Phillips joins Bobby Nashville following a tenure at Loews Hotels, where he began as director of rooms at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in 2008. He was named director of operations in 2012 and general manager in 2013.
During his time in Nashville, Phillips was recognized by both the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association and the Tennessee Hospitality Association as Outstanding General Manager of the Year. In addition, Phillips has served in various leadership roles across the U.S., including Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Loews Santa Monica Hotel and more, ultimately returning to Nashville in 2021.
Four Seasons adds to food, beverage team
Four Seasons Hotel Nashville in SoBro has Francesco Greco as executive chef and Hector Llompart as pastry chef.
A native of Milan, Italy, Greco joins Four Seasons Hotel Nashville from Four Seasons Hotel Amman in Amman, Jordan, where he has served as executive chef since 2021. Throughout his career, he has worked with some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants across the globe and with a number of highly respected Italian chefs including Michelin-starred Paola Budel, protégé of Gualtiero Marchesi, Romano Resen and French chefs Alain Soliveres and Christian Rassinoux.
Greco was named Shanghai Chef of the Year 2009 and Italian Cuisine Master Chef 2011 by GVCI group and Academia Barilla.
Llompart, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is an experienced pastry chef with a resume that includes seven years with Ritz-Carlton properties in Half Moon Bay, California; Washington, D.C.; Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico; and Carolina, Puerto Rico. Most recently, he has served as the executive pastry chef at Four Seasons Hotel Miami since 2019.