Windsor Capital Group, which owns and manages 20 hotel properties in 11 states, has named has hired Paul Francisco as its chief operating officer.
Francisco joins WCG Hotels from John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, where he served as regional vice president of operations for five years. He oversaw the operations for 16 hotels with nearly 800,000 square feet of meeting, convention and exposition space.
The brands under his purview while at John Q. Hammons included Embassy Suites, Marriott, Renaissance, Holiday Inn, Sheraton, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites. He oversaw the Embassy Suites in La Vista, Neb., which was ranked the brand’s top hotel for three consecutive years, as well as the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro, which was the brand’s third-ranked hotel.
In his role as COO, Francisco will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operating activities and long-term growth initiatives. These include revenue management and sales; expense, cost and margin control; operating procedures and initiatives as well as acquisition and growth activities.
Prior to his leadership role at John Q. Hammons, Francisco was senior vice president of operations for Shaner Hotel Group. He oversaw the operation of 58 nationally branded full-service and all-suite, extended-stay hotels.
Former SEC attorney joins Bass, Berry & Sims
Bass, Berry & Sims has hired Jay Knight as an associate in the firm’s Corporate and Securities Practice. Knight was formerly an attorney in the Division of Corporation Finance at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Knight will counsel clients in matters related to securities, mergers and acquisitions, real estate capital markets and structured finance. Jay’s experience in the Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC included serving as special counsel in the Office of Structured Finance, where he led a team of attorneys, economists and accountants charged with implementing an inter-agency joint rulemaking project under the Dodd-Frank Act. He also served in the Office of Rulemaking, where he was a member of the Dodd-Frank Implementation Team, and as an attorney-adviser in Disclosure Operations. Jay earned his law degree from the Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law.
Nashville Business Hall to induct commissioner
Mark Emkes, commissioner of finance and administration for the State of Tennessee, will be recognized for his extensive contributions to business and community when he is inducted into the 2012 Nashville Business Hall of Fame. The retired chairman, CEO and president of Bridgestone Americas will be honored at a dinner event held October 9 at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.
The Nashville Business Hall of Fame is hosted by Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee and recognizes the city’s outstanding contributors to business and philanthropy. Many of Commissioner Emkes’ peers and friends will join him in celebration of his induction.
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest and fastest-growing non-profit organization dedicated to providing Kindergarten through high school students with education in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and workforce readiness skills. In Middle Tennessee, JA reaches 31,000 students annually in an 18-county region by placing volunteers directly in the classroom to share their real-world experiences in conjunction with JA’s turnkey curriculum.
Hands On Nashville announces promotions
Hands On Nashville has announced several promotions and expanded roles within the organization.
Lisa Davis Purcell, formerly Hands On Nashville’s director of external affairs, has been promoted to vice president of external affairs. In her new role, Purcell oversees Hands On Nashville’s contributed-income strategy and implementation for foundations, individuals and corporations. She also supports the agency’s communications and program teams.
Erika Burnett, formerly service learning manager, has been promoted to director of community programs. In her new role, Burnett provides direction and support for Hands On Nashville’s youth and urban agriculture programs, and she targets and engages underrepresented populations in service. She also oversees the qualitative and quantitative assessment of agency programming.
Jaclyn Khoury, formerly manager of HON’s Home Energy Savings Program, has been promoted to director of sustainability. In her new role, Khoury oversees the organization’s sustainability goals and initiatives. She also leads the Home Energy Savings Program, which helps to improve the energy efficiency of homes owned by low-income residents in North and East Nashville through volunteer engagement.
Elizabeth Madsen, formerly volunteer program manager, is now director of nonprofit and volunteer relations. Madsen oversees the adult volunteer and nonprofit partner programs, and runs the organization’s database management system.
Becca Stinson, formerly community relations manager, has been promoted to director of communications. In her new role, Stinson oversees HON’s communications and marketing strategy, and manages cause-marketing events that benefit the agency.
Role Changes:
Colleen Callaghan oversees the coordination of youth volunteer opportunities and days of service for Hands On Nashville. She also manages a high school internship program to empower youth to serve as leaders in the community, overseeing 13 interns who teach monthly lessons to at-risk youth clients at nonprofit partner agencies and lead youth service events.
Caroline Foley oversees the evaluation of the organization’s programs and community development opportunities. Previously program manager for Hands On Nashville, Foley managed several initiatives, including the university partnership program and skills-based volunteering.
King & Ballow hires 2 for litigation staff
Chase D. Fisher II and R. Douglas Hanson II have joined the Litigation Section of King & Ballow.
Fisher earned his law degree from the University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where he received the CALI Award in Employee Benefits and was a member of the Moot Court Board. He earned his undergraduate degree from Murray State University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a double major in political science and economics.
Hanson also earned his law degree from the University of Memphis. While in law school, he earned the American Jurisprudence Awards for Torts II and Constitutional Law. He was a member of Law Review and was published during his second year of law school. He earned his undergraduate degree from University of Memphis, where he received a B.A. in insurance & risk management. Mr. Hanson has also passed and held both a Series 7 & and a Series 66 Securities license.
Prior to joining King & Ballow, Mr. Hanson spent the last 13 years primarily representing doctors, lawyers, hospitals, nursing homes, accountants and brokers. He specializes in federal litigation, complex litigation, commercial litigation, securities litigation and class action/mass tort litigation.
BOHAN Advertising adds 4 staff members
BOHAN Advertising has added Wade Breaux, Brandy Burnett, Tara Leek and Audrey Weddington to its staff.
Breaux, who formerly vice president of marketing at Thompson Hospitality in Washington,D.C., joins as group account director. Breaux’s experience also includes being director of marketing and creative services for O’Charley’s and vice president of the Buntin Group. He helped launch the Stormy Kromer Mercantile outdoor apparel company.
Burnett joins as broadcast producer. She has more than 20 years of experience in production and most recently was a television producer at Filmhouse in Nashville. She has filmed commercials, PSAs and short- and long-format programming across the U.S. and overseas.
Leek, formerly marketing coordinator for Front Burner Brands in Tampa, Fla., joins as a project manager. At Front Burner Brands, she supported the 140-location Melting Pot restaurant franchise community. She has a mass communications degree from the University of South Florida.
Weddington, who has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in mass communication from Middle Tennessee State University, has been hired as a brand engagement specialist. She has media buying experience from J&A Integrated Thinking and the Buntin Group.
HORNE LLP promotes Papineau
HORNE LLP, a national accounting and business advisory firm, has promoted Kim Papineau to associate. Papineau works in HORNE’s Nashville office and focuses on franchise services.
HORNE helps guide businesses to success by providing comprehensive franchise services, including franchise consulting, accounting, cost segregation study, bookkeeping, tax services and accounts payable.
HORNE LLP has served clients across the nation for 50 years. Ranked as one of the top CPA and business advisory firms in the United States, HORNE has offices throughout the Southeast in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas.
Anderson joins Pinnacle Financial
Jeff Anderson has joined Pinnacle Financial Partners as a senior vice president and mortgage advisor.
Anderson brings 29 years of experience from Bank of America Home Loans, where he was a vice president and senior mortgage loan officer for its Music Row, Hillsboro Village/Vanderbilt banking center and Belle Meade offices.
Anderson holds a degree in business administration from MTSU.
He is currently based at Pinnacle’s downtown Nashville office at Pinnacle at Symphony Place. Anderson’s permanent location will be the Brentwood office.
FiftyForward elects new board, officers
New officers for the 2012-13 fiscal year are: Tracy Rode, president; Don Greene, president-elect; Carolyn Schott, secretary; Scott McKean, treasurer
New members: Michael Aulisio, Melinda Drennan, Margaret Dunlap, Robin Fritz, Jeri Hasselbring, Renee Jenkins, Barbara Moss Dr. Charles Mouton, Janet Rachel and Allyson Young.