Nashville Emerging Leader Award Winners

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• 2012

  	Architecture, Engineering & Construction Fiona Haulter, P.E., LEED AP CBRE Program Manager, Global Change Management, Global Corporate Services Fiona Haulter is a registered professional civil engineer and project manager with more than 10 years of experience in land planning, urban design and commercial real estate development in both the public and private realms. Her previous professional experience includes work with Gresham, Smith and Partners, as well as other design and construction companies. For her numerous professional achievements, she received NAIOP's 2011 Developing Leader award, which recognized only 15 young professionals nationally, and the 2012 Middle TN Developing Leader award. She currently serves on the Tennessee Economic Development Council and is also a member of the Urban Land Institute. Haulter is involved in nonprofit organizations such as the Martha O'Bryan Center, Young Leaders Council, Rotary Club of Nashville and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
  	Arts, Entertainment & Music Ashley Segroves Ashley Segroves Photography Owner and Photographer Ashley Segroves is the owner of the Ashley Segroves Photography and Bombshell Creative photography studios. She has been named Nashville's best photographer by Nashville Parent magazine for nine years. She started an "I Am Beautiful" video campaign to encourage a movement in which women start seeing themselves and other women in a different, positive way. She is involved with monthly student mentorship with Metro Nashville Public Schools, and she helped found the YMCA's artEMBRACE, a no-cost afterschool arts program that serves 8,000 youth each year. In 2008, she won Volunteer of the Year for YMCA's school-age services. Segroves is also chair of the Nashville Chamber's East Advisory Council.
  	Business Services June Manning VerusMed, Editor-in-Chief Premier W.E.D., Director of Events June Manning is editor-in-chief at VerusMed, where her key responsibilities are hiring, training and managing an editorial department of writers and editors. She manages the editorial budget (up to $1 million), and she received the Employee Leadership Award, which is given to only three employees annually. Manning also works as the director of events for Premier W.E.D. She is a member of CABLE Young Professionals, where she was awarded the Rising Star Award. Manning is an alumna of Young Leaders Council, and serves on the board of PENCIL Foundation and the American Cancer Society's Junior Board. She also volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank.
  	Community Service & Nonprofit Ronda Helton Nashville Symphony Senior Director of Marketing Ronda Helton, senior director of marketing for the Nashville Symphony, joined the orchestra's staff in 2005. Helton directed an award-winning campaign to introduce the orchestra's new music director, Giancarlo Guerrero. She also led the efforts to communicate with patrons in the wake of the May 2010 flood that forced the Schermerhorn Symphony Center to be closed for eight months. Helton is an active member of the Young Leaders Council and Avant-Garde of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and she is currently vice president of communications for the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She serves as steering committee co-chair for Generation Conservation, and she spends much of her time volunteering as a board member for the Martha O'Bryan Center. While serving there, Helton has participated in strategic planning sessions that have resulted in a new charter school, East End Prep in East Nashville.
  	Education Laura A. Williams Lipscomb University Assistant Professor of Management Laura Williams is an assistant professor at Lipscomb University, where she has taught classes including Foundations of Business, Principles of Management, Women in Corporate Leadership, Global Business, Culture and Travel to China and Management Communication. She completed her Ph.D. in organizational behavior at the University of Mississippi, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. She was the only student to be awarded the School of Business Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award and the Graduate Instructor Teaching Award. Williams is a member of Academy of Management, the Southern Management Association and CABLE, where she serves on the Women on Corporate Boards committee. She is also involved in two prison programs (LIFE and DC4) specifically designed to reduce the criminal recidivism rate of incarcerated individuals.
  	Environment & Sustainability Emily Parish The Land Trust for Tennessee Land Protection Manager Emily Parish is the land protection manager for the Land Trust for Tennessee, one of the most successful land trusts in the Southeast. As a team leader, she has been instrumental in the permanent protection of more than 60,000 acres since starting with the Land Trust for Tennessee in 2004. Parish is the founding member of Farmland Legacy Partnership, which received the Governor's Environmental Stewardship Award for Excellence in Agriculture. She has played a key role in forming a strong partnership with the State Department of Agriculture, and the Land Trust for Tennessee receives an annual grant to protect working farms in the area. Parish is a member of the USDA technical committee and the Nashville Audubon Society, and she has represented the Land Trust by speaking at the Farmland Conference and numerous other conferences.
  	Financial Services Michael D. Williams, Jr. Reliant Bank Vice President, Commercial Banking With more than nine years of banking experience in the Middle Tennessee community, Michael Williams works for Reliant Bank as vice president of commercial banking, where he is responsible for developing and managing commercial deposits and lending relationships. Williams graduated from the University of Wisconsin's Graduate School of Banking, and is an honors graduate of The Southeastern School of Commercial Lending. He has volunteered for many organizations, including United Way of Williamson County, Waves, The Boys and Girls Club and Second Harvest Food Bank. Williams is past chair for the Young Professionals Council of the Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber. He is a Leadership Brentwood graduate, and he currently serves on the board for the Interfaith Dental Clinic of Nashville.
  	Government and Public Affairs Michael Skipper Nashville Area Metro Planning Organization Executive Director Michael Skipper has more than a decade of experience in transportation policy, planning and research, beginning his career with the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in the mid-1990s. Since his return to the MPO in 2007, as its executive director, Skipper has played a leading role in the passage of state legislation to provide additional authority to Tennessee's large urban areas to address their multi-modal needs. He is a member of the American Planning Association, Urban Land Institute, Institute of Transportation Engineers and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, where he serves on the technical committee. He is a graduate of Leadership Middle Tennessee, and is heavily involved with Cumberland Region Tomorrow and the Middle Tennessee Mayors Caucus.
  	Hospitality & Tourism Phillip Shmerling Choice Food Group Director of Retail After working for three years in investment banking, at the age of 26, Phillip Shmerling was recruited to run the retail division at Choice Food Group and moved to Nashville to begin working at Nashville Cash and Carry. He is now responsible for operations, management, marketing and accounting, as well as strategy and project execution. In 2010, Shmerling was invited to serve on the Nashville Food Policy Council, where, as chair of the Issues Committee, he helps identify policy issues and form the strategies to address them. Shmerling also serves on the board of the Nashville Junior Chamber and is currently the Civic Committee Chair, for which he created VoteTN.com to help members learn more about election candidates and encourage more young professionals to vote. He also serves as an advisor for BBYO, Inc., which has allowed him to teach teenagers about leadership, charity and community service.
  	Human Resources Matt Lowney The Buntin Group Executive V.P., Talent and Operations Matt Lowney has 11 years of recruiting and talent development experience, having worked for large Fortune 500 companies and smaller, locally owned organizations. Lowney is president and co-founder of Talent Acquisition Networking Source (TANS), a Middle Tennessee recruiting organization that has grown to more than 500 members in the past five years. Lowney directs TANS events, including the Career Expo, an awards luncheon and other events throughout the year. He also created "Career Talk," which was a weekly career advice program on NewsChannel5+. Each Thanksgiving, Lowney and his wife organize a food drive for families in the Franklin community, and he is also involved in the Buntin Group's charitable outreach, AdHope, which supports the Carter Lawrence School.
  	Legal Services Kolin B. Holladay Adams and Reese, LLP Partner and Corporate/Securities/Mergers and Acquisitions Regional Team Leader Kolin Holladay joined Adams and Reese in 2001 and is a partner and the team leader of the corporate/securities/mergers and acquisitions team. Holladay focuses his practice on a wide range of legal matters, including reporting and filing obligations under federal and state securities law, public and private offerings of securities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and contract negotiation and interpretation. While holding his full-time job at Adams and Reese, Holladay also owned and operated two BlueCoast Burrito franchises, which he later sold. Holladay also serves on the boards of the Nashville Sports Council, Front Porch Ministry and the Middle Tennessee Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is a member of the National Alumni Advisory Council for Lipscomb University, and former board member of the Maryland Farms YMCA.
  	Medical & Health Care Services Candice Haynes BioHorizons, Inc. Manager of Market Development and Senior Product Support Specialist Candice Haynes currently works for BioHorizons, Inc., one of the fastest-growing oral reconstructive device companies worldwide. Haynes has been the manager of market development and senior product support specialist since 2008, and has experience in biomedical research, development, marketing and sales. Within her second year at BioHorizons, Inc., Haynes received the Representative of the Year award based on her sales in competition with 60 representatives in North America. She volunteers with the Arthritis and Juvenile Arthritis Foundation, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, the Interfaith Dental Clinic's annual gala committee and a domestic violence shelter. Haynes also participates in Gift of a Smile, a volunteer organization that helps people receive life-changing oral and dental treatment.
  	PR, Advertising & Marketing Mary Beth Ikard Nashville Area Metro Planning Organization Communications Director Mary Beth Ikard is an accredited public relations practitioner with more than 10 years' experience in service to government, nonprofit and private-sector organizations. She currently directs communications for the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) - a regional partnership for mobility, economic prosperity and environmental sustainability through quality investments in transportation. Ikard is the founding co-chair of Generation Conservation (Gen C), and she is an alumna of Nashville Emerging Leaders and Young Leaders Council. She serves on the board of Tennessee Conservation Voters and the advisory board for Transit Now Nashville. She is a member of the Nashville Women's Political Caucus, Friends of Warner Parks, the West Meade Conservancy and the 2012 class of Leadership Middle Tennessee.
  	Real Estate Services Matthew Wilson Gateway Property Services President/CEO Matthew Wilson is the president and CEO of Gateway Property Services, a second-generation commercial real estate, investment and development company that serves the Middle Tennessee area. He has played a direct role in brokering, building and developing commercial real estate with a combined value in excess of $85 million in the Middle Tennessee market over his career. Since 2007, Wilson has been an adjunct professor at Belmont University's business school, where he teaches various courses such as Family Business Management, New Venture Management and Stakeholders Relations Management. He is an alumnus of Young Leaders Council, and he has been an active volunteer for organizations such as Junior Achievement, Monroe Carell Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt Cancer Center. Wilson is also active with Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity, serving as vice chair in 2009 and board chair in 2010.
  	Technology Kate Bamberg Advanced Network Solutions Manager, Marketing and Communications Kate Bamberg is the marketing and communications manager at Advanced Network Solutions (ANS), where she helps manage the sales team and develops strategic initiatives to successfully hit multimillion-dollar goals per quarter. In 2011, Bamberg contributed to the 18 percent growth of ANS. She is a board member of Women in Technology Tennessee and maintains memberships with the Nashville Technology Council and Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. She is active with Nashville Downtown Kiwanis and has co-chaired events for the organization including Children's Christmas Party, Dog Days in the District and Amour on the Avenue. She also is a past president of the University of Notre Dame Young Alumni.

• 2011

  	Architecture, Engineering & Construction Dominique Gobbell Arrieta Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. Architect Dominique Arrieta is a licensed architect with Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc. where she works with representatives from Vanderbilt University, Metro Nashville, Nashville Public Library and private clients. Arrieta is a LEED 2.0 accredited professional and has received commendation from the Metro Nashville Historical Commission for her work with the Church Street Lofts and the Werthan Mills Lofts. Arrieta is involved with the Urban Land Institute Young Leaders, NAIOP Developing Leaders and the U.S. Green Building Council. Since 2006 she has been actively involved as a mentor and program team leader in the ACE Mentor Program of America, which encourages high school students to go to college and consider careers in architecture and engineering. Additionally, she is volunteering her time to Abintra Montessori School to create plans for a grant for a new break room.
  	Arts, Entertainment & Music Katherine Beakes Universal Music Group Director of Finance Katherine Beakes began her career at Universal Music Group (UMG) as senior accountant, and has since assumed the role of director of finance. Beakes took an active role in the 2005 merger of UMG and Dreamworks, which involved accepting additional duties for both labels. Later, Beakes took on another challenge by earning her MBA while working full-time, completing her coursework during evenings and weekends. Staying active in the community, Beakes is a member of SOLID, SOURCE, the Recording Academy, Women's Music Business Association and the Country Music Association. She volunteers with the Belmont Accounting Advisory Board, Junior League of Nashville, Hands on Nashville, Our Kids and the Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital.
  	Business Services Jeff Gowdy J. Gowdy Consulting - Profitable Sustainability Solutions Founder and Lead Consultant Jeff Gowdy created his own corporate consulting business in 2006; he has worked with companies such as Bridgestone, Gaylord Entertainment, and Ingram Barge to minimize the businesses' impact on the environment and improve their impact on society and the financial bottom line. Gowdy teaches sustainability at the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management's Executive Development Institute, as well as the University of Auckland (New Zealand) Business School. He is an author of several publications, and has spoken about sustainability at national conferences. Gowdy co-founded the Nashville Net Impact chapter and is the current chapter leader. He serves on the board of Clean Air Partnership of Middle Tennessee, and has volunteered for seven years with the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission.
  	Community Service & Nonprofit Kent Miller The Martha O'Bryan Center Director of High School and Young Adults Kent Miller supervises 13 staff members, and is responsible for designing and implementing Martha O' Bryan's Top Floor and Young Adult Programming. In November 2010, Miller created the Top Floor at Stratford High School, which provides students with free homework help, tutoring, life-skills training, ACT prep and other opportunities to enhance their futures. Previously with Rocketown, he developed the afterschool program Re-Act, serving students with emotional and behavioral problems at Johnson School and McGavock High School., The program raised math and reading grades while decreasing school absences. Additionally, Miller is a head facilitator with the Nashville Youth Coalition and the founder and organizer of Friends of Stratford High School. He is a member of the Nashville After Zone Alliance and Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Leadership Program.
  	Education Dr. Allison Burgess Duke Lipscomb University Assistant Professor of Management, Director of Master of Human Resources Dr. Allison Duke has worked in the education field since 1997. She started her career as a high school teacher, then became a community college instructor, and she is now an assistant professor of management at Lipscomb University. In addition to her full teaching load, Duke created the master's program for human resources at Lipscomb University, featuring a concentration in conflict management; and the first class of 18 students is graduating this August. Between 2007 and 2010, she also worked with CABLE to conduct a three-year "Women in Corporate Leadership" study, which has garnered statewide recognition. Duke stays active in the community as a board member of Youth Encouragement Services (YES) and a volunteer for Room in the Inn, Brentwood Hills Children's Ministry and Nashville Rescue Mission Hope Center. Since 2005, she has also been involved with a boys' home in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  	Financial Services Lane Newell Rhodes Fifth Third Bank Vice President SBA Lending Officer Lane Rhodes has worked in the financial industry for more than 10 years, starting her career with CIT, Inc. as a Small Business Administration lender. In 2008, she was recognized as the number-one SBA lender in the state of Tennessee. In 2000, Rhodes and her husband formed the Barefoot Republic Camp, a unique summer camp where children of diverse backgrounds interact. The camp provides scholarship assistance to more than 75 percent of the children, and the camp and Barefoot Clubs impact more than 2,000 local children each year. Rhodes is president-elect of the Nashville Women's Political Caucus and the treasurer for the American Society of Women Accountants. In 2010, she won the CABLE Diversity and Inclusion Nonprofit Award, and she is a two-time winner of the SunTrust Edge Master Award, given to the top 10 business bankers within the entire corporation.
  	Government and Public Affairs Ellen Zinkiewicz Nashville Career Advancement Center Director of Youth and Community Services Ellen Zinkiewicz has 12 years' experience in the field of workforce development, and is a licensed advanced practice social worker. In her current role, Zinkiewicz is responsible for Workforce Investment Act youth programs. She was elected to the National Young Employment Coalition Board of Directors in 2009, where she helps shape national policy for at-risk youth. In addition, Zinkiewicz was the founding chair of Fostering Success, an initiative for children coming out of the foster care system. This initiative started locally and is now statewide. Zinkiewicz is also a founding member of the Alignment Nashville Operating Board, where she chairs the Alternative High Schools Initiative Committee. She is a member of the Nashville Women's Political Caucus, serves on the board of the YBuild/YouthBuild Program of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and is a graduate of Nashville Emerging Leaders.
  	Hospitality & Tourism Yolanda Harris-Jackson Relâche Spa at Gaylord Opryland Resort Spa Director Yolanda Harris-Jackson is the spa director for Relâche Spa at Gaylord Opryland Resort, the largest spa in Tennessee. She is also the founder and president of Thrive Professionals Network, where spa and salon leaders and service providers can share valuable resources to help grow their businesses. In 2006, Harris-Jackson founded the Daughters of Destiny Ministry to inspire young women to be aware of the possibilities in their lives; the organization began with five participants and now has more than 30 participants. Harris-Jackson serves as a board member and networking committee chair for Nashville CABLE and volunteers as a program advisor for YMCA's Black Achievers program to inspire local youth to stay in school. She also serves on the board for TOUCH, Inc., and has won numerous awards at Gaylord, including the Hedgehog Award for Leadership and the Excellence in Leadership Award.
  	Human Resources Christy M. Pruitt-Haynes, SPHR CORE Consulting Owner/Consultant Christy Pruitt-Haynes spent three years in the Memphis Grizzlies' human resource department, during which time she was the youngest HR director in NBA history. She left the Grizzlies to serve as HR director of MTV and CMT Networks Nashville. Currently, Pruitt-Haynes owns her own HR consulting business, working as a trainer and mediator for nonprofits and small businesses. Pruitt-Haynes volunteers with the University School of Nashville, serves as a Girl Scout troop leader, and mentors college students through the MT|SHRM program. Pruitt-Haynes is an alumna of Young Leaders Council, a former board member of Residential Services, Inc., and was the founder and first president of the Tennessee chapter of the National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications.
  	Legal Services Brad Lampley Adams and Reese LLP Partner in Charge, Nashville Office Brad Lampley joined Adams and Reese in 2006 and was promoted to partner in charge, becoming the youngest to hold that position in the company's history. Lampley's work helped pass a statewide bill to ban texting while driving, which since has become a national model. Active civically, Lampley serves on the Music City Bowl Executive Committee and will serve as chairman in 2011 and 2012, the youngest in the bowl's history. He has also volunteered with organizations such as the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Second Harvest Food Bank and the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. Additionally, he serves on the board for the Middle Tennessee chapter of the National Football Foundation; as an advisor for The Jason Foundation, which works to prevent teen suicide; and as a volunteer children's football coach.
  	Medical & Health Care Services Natasha Halasa Vanderbilt University Medical Center Assistant Professor Dr. Natasha Halasa is a physician-scientist and divides her time between research, teaching, and patient care. Halasa traveled to Amman, Jordan in 2007 to assist in a pilot respiratory surveillance trial that would help more than 700 children under the age of five afflicted with respiratory disease. In May 2010, Halasa received the Young Investigator Award from the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society for her research accomplishments. She stays active in the community by mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and residents. Halasa is also a faculty advisor for International Health Committee and Pediatric Global Health Program. She is also the medical director for Communities and Students Together for Learning-Enhanced Service and is a member of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society and American Society for Microbiology, along with many others.
  	PR, Advertising & Marketing Alice Chapman McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations Vice President Alice Chapman started her career at McNeely Pigott & Fox in 1995 and has since worked with a variety of clients at the local, regional and national levels. Her specialties include grassroots campaigns, media relations and event planning. In 2009, Chapman helped organize Earth Hour Nashville, an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund that encouraged businesses and households to go without electricity for one hour. The event was a success, with more than 300 Nashville businesses and landmarks participating, including AT&T, Bridgestone Arena, Davidson County Courthouse, the Parthenon and the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has served as a board member of CABLE, and received their Civic Outreach Award in 2006. Chapman is the immediate past president of Book'em and an alumna of Young Leaders Council. She also volunteers with the Nashville Women's Political Caucus.
  	Real Estate Services Brian Copeland Village Real Estate Services Broker Brian Copeland is a practicing REALTOR® in Nashville and is the 2011 National Young Professional Network board chair. Copeland is the 2010 National Association of REALTORS' (NAR) Technology Advocate Award winner, and he became a national media spokesperson for Inman News, the leading source of independent real estate news. Copeland organized REBarcamp Nashville and speaks at more than 40 real estate conferences annually. He has served on NAR's professional standards committee and the federal technology advisory board, and is currently a member of NAR's cultural diversity committee and the Tennessee Association of REALTORS' Governmental Affairs and Regulatory Affairs committees. Copeland has also served on the boards of Hands On Nashville, Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Conference and the James White Preservation Board.
  	Technology Jacob Arthur FDH Consulting Senior Security Consultant Jacob Arthur created Frasier, Dean & Howard Consulting's security consulting division, and is one of the top penetration testers in the Nashville area. Arthur is a Microsoft Certified Professional and holds the Subject Matter Expert designation on Windows Server 2003. He has also assisted in the development of certification tests for Microsoft learning. Arthur is an adjunct professor at Lipscomb University, and has helped more than 600 local students prepare for the ACT exam. He is an active volunteer with City of Children Mission Team in Ensenada, Mexico, and he was actively involved in rebuilding and relief efforts in New Orleans in 2007 and after the Nashville flood in 2010. Arthur's professional associations include the Nashville Technology Council and Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants.

• 2010

  	Architecture, Engineering & Construction Richard Perko established industry-leading safety and training programs for the Lee Company, which creates job and educational opportunities for high school graduates. These programs allow field-level personnel to learn a trade and increase their quality of life through trade education and growth opportunities. In his first year as president, Perko led his company through a transition from a traditional mechanical contracting firm into a position as a leader in facility services, home services and energy services, while remaining profitable throughout the economic downturn. Perko pushes the Lee Company toward leading the industry in sustainability and improving the energy efficiency of buildings and homes in Middle Tennessee. He also serves his community with time and resources through organizations including Nashville Union Rescue Mission, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, American Heart Association and Boy Scouts of America.
  	Arts, Entertainment & Music Lucia Folk has been a leader in creating the first-ever public affairs department for CMT. She oversees the network's pro-social initiative, CMT ONE COUNTRY, which promotes civic participation and inspires CMT viewers to actively bring about change in their communities. Under Folk's leadership, CMT ONE COUNTRY has received multiple awards, engaged more than 1 million viewers, and donated substantially to five national nonprofits and multiple local nonprofits. Because Folk also guided the governmental affairs for the channel, CMT was able to secure the final three presidential candidates to participate in the opening of the 2008 CMT Music Awards, as well as the participation of former President George W. Bush in the show CMT Giants, honoring Alan Jackson. In addition to her dynamic accomplishments at CMT, Folk also serves on the boards of Hands On Nashville and Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity, and she is president of the Tennessee chapter of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications.
  	Business Services Justin Crosslin has led Crosslin & Associates through a successful reorganization throughout the last two years, which included the development and implementation of a new multi-year strategic plan. The plan required a new set of company goals, software conversions, educational initiatives, a mentoring program, a new website, marketing and public relations initiatives, as well as a companywide development program. The company experienced a new client revenue growth of 26 percent in the first year following these changes. Crosslin also pours his leadership skills into the community through mentoring and volunteering with the Boy Scouts. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Nashville Health Care Council, Young Leaders Council and Leadership Health Care.
  	Community Service & Nonprofit As founder & CEO of Hope Empowerment Center, Chatiqua Vaughn has dedicated her life to reaching out to the growing population of aged-out foster youth. She received the Local Hero Award for the state of Tennessee in 2008 for her work in bettering the Nashville community. Vaughn has overcome her own obstacles of poverty and homelessness to obtain higher education and establish a nonprofit organization serving homeless young ladies. She works to reduce the number of homeless, agedout foster youth in the area, and guide them to a better future. Vaughn is a member of the Davidson County Community Advisory Board and the National Foster Care Alumni Association.
  	Education As director of executive learning and marketing for The Scarlett Leadership Institute at Belmont University, Jill Robinson manages the marketing and educational programs that inform Middle Tennessee's top executives. Through the educational meetings she coordinates, Robinson helps Nashville's leaders make better decisions for the futures of their industries. She also volunteers her time with various organizations in fundraising events, such as the Cancer Society, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Bethany Christian Services. Robinson serves on the boards of directors for Nashville Emerging Leaders and Young Leaders Council.
  	Financial Services Brian Shaw, EVP/chief retail & deposit officer of Reliant Bank, works diligently to challenge not only himself, but his entire company, to higher standards within the banking industry. He recently attended an industry-leading university in banking education to obtain a graduate degree, which allowed him to further Reliant Bank with new ideas and strategies that have increased their bottom line and expanded their customer services. Shaw is a member of the American Bankers Association and the Tennessee Young Bankers Association. He also serves on the board of the Brentwood Family YMCA and is head coach of the Crievewood Baptist High School boys' basketball team.
  	Government and Public Affairs Jennifer Hagan-Dier stepped in to serve the State of Tennessee in an unprecedented role, creating a niche and definition for her position in economic development. Through her leadership, the position is now an integral part of the state's economic development team, and a role that is respected by the statewide economic development community. Beyond Hagan-Dier's professional impact on the community, she also commits her time to Manna-Food Security Partners and the Nashville Earth Day Festival Planning Committee, and she is president and co-founder of Friends of the Nashville Farmers' Market. Hagan-Dier is a member of Nashville Emerging Leaders and the Martha O'Bryan Young Professionals Committee.
  	Hospitality & Tourism In his role as VP of marketing and development for the Nashville Sports Council, Dave Herrell has worked on nearly 100 sporting events that have yielded more than $350 million in direct economic impact. Under his direction, the Nashville Sports Council, which was named 2003 National Sports Commission of the Year, developed one of the largest and most comprehensive membership programs for sports commissions. In addition, he served on the team that helped create Nashville's post-season collegiate bowl game, the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl. He was also involved in the NFL relocation for the Tennessee Titans and the NHL expansion bid for the Nashville Predators. Herrell serves on the Football Bowl Association Marketing and PR Committee, on the board of directors for the Nashville Downtown Partnership, and is board chairman for the DISTRICT. He is also past president of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the American Marketing Association.
  	Human Resources Tiffany Coursey provides human resources for many aspects at Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon. She has worked with the implementation of a performance management system and a learning management system, she helps managers develop new positions, and advises on all HR issues. Previously, Coursey worked solely in recruiting, but was able to successfully take on a role that delves into every HR aspect. In addition, she volunteers with Junior Achievement, serves as the workforce planning chair for the MT|SHRM board and volunteers with the Safe Haven Family Shelter.Award for the State of Tennessee in 2004.
  	Legal Services Samuel Funk became a partner at Sherrard & Roe after just four years of practicing law in Nashville. He was recently named to the Best Lawyers in America for the third year in a row, and was listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers and Corporate Counsel Super Lawyers. Funk's service on the Second Harvest board has helped the organization grow exponentially. He led the organization in one of its strongest years in fundraising and amount of distributed food. Funk also works with the International Justice Mission as a volunteer lawyer, fighting for justice for the oppressed. He earned a spot on the Nashville Business Journal's 2009 "Forty Under 40" list, and is a member of Young Leaders Council and the Nashville Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division.
  	Medical & Health Care Services Dr. Michael Dale Warren works to pave the way for future successes for others in the health care community, and one of his major contributions has been his establishment of the Resident Advocacy Group that involves medical residents in school and community health activities. With the Governor's Office of Children's Care Coordination, Warren advocates the medical home model, a comprehensive and coordinated approach to providing health care. He also helped establish the first-ever Child Health Week for Tennessee, complete with a proclamation from the governor. Warren is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and serves on the board of directors for Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee and the Tennessee Rural Health Partnership.
  	PR, Advertising & Marketing Jenny Barker is one of the youngest PR practitioners in the country to have earned the Accredited in Public Relations designation, and is one of only 5,000 PR professionals worldwide to hold the certification. Barker received the Public Relations Society of America's Mercury Award in 2009 for her demonstrated accelerated progress in her career field. She serves on the board of the Oasis Center, is an alumna of Nashville Emerging Leaders, a member of the Junior League of Nashville, and she volunteers at Safe Haven Family Shelter and the Pencil Foundation.
  	Real Estate Services Jessica Averbuch has set high standards for herself as a broker and partner of a successful realty company. Despite unprecedented market conditions, Averbuch achieved her best sales year in 2009. The opportunity to take on the position as a partner at Zeitlin & Co. allows her to share her positivism, expertise and leadership skills, impacting the success of others. She also stays active in the community, sitting on various committees at West End Synagogue, as well as the board for the National Council of Jewish Women. Averbuch is a board member with Renewal House, and has chaired their annual "A Women's Thanksgiving" event. She is a member of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Tennessee Association of Realtors, and National Association of Realtors.
  	Technology Mark Burnette has helped found several information security organizations and entities to provide an avenue for security leaders and professionals to further their education, build a network, and share their expertise among peers. In 2009, Burnette was named one of ComputerWorld magazine's Top 100 Information Technology Leaders. Additionally, he serves as a board member for the Foundation for Advanced Science Through Distributed Computing, is the co-founder of the Middle Tennessee chapter of the Information Systems Security Association, and is a member of Young CPAs.

• 2009

  	Architecture, Engineering & Construction As design director for the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, Robert Ramsey's primary responsibility is the overall management of the design division of the planning, design and construction department. Prior to his career with the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, he served as a project engineer, electrical design and design manager. Ramsey was previously employed with Corning Cable Systems and worked on various projects for the U.S. Air Force. He is an active community leader, with involvement in the Leadership Donelson/Hermitage Class of 2008, Project Pencil for Hermitage Elementary School, Mt. Juliet/West Wilson County Chamber of Commerce and the West Wilson County Exchange Club.
  	Arts, Entertainment & Music Nashville native Jessica Myers is an eight-year veteran of the Nashville music industry. With Bluewater Music, Myers is responsible for more than 100 catalogs and overseeing the registration of songs in more than 50 countries around the world. She recently completed the planning and development of an in-house software program which will execute online song registration. Myers is active in Society of Leaders in Development, where she chaired the University Outreach Committee and currently serves as secretary. She has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Conexion Americas as an English-language mentor for Hispanic immigrants.
  	Business & Entrepreneurship Rachael Qualls is founder and CEO of the Angel Capital Group (ACG), which aims to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams of business ownership. Since its inception in January 2007, ACG has grown to two locations in Nashville and Knoxville, reached 43 members, reviewed more than 500 business plans, and funded three companies last year. Qualls has used her previous experience to launch and operate several profitable companies, including BugleMe, FastPitch, Qualls Properties, Katalyst, and Qualls Management Group. She has also served on the boards of the Sumner County Humane Society, Optimist Club of Hendersonville and TRAC House Inc, and she is currently the publicity chair for the Hendersonville Rotary Club.
  	Community Service & Nonprofit Throughout Audra Davis's career, she has been committed to finding resources for nonprofits that serve the needy and improve communities. She has used her skills to raise money and awareness through special events such as NFL Charity Golf Tournaments, 5K and 10K runs, celebrity concerts and fundraising dinners. She has also implemented corporate sponsorship programs involving companies such as Willis Corroon, NationsBank, Purity Dairies, Coca-Cola, Journeys and Cricket. At Rocketown, she served on the Leadership Team, overseeing all aspects of fundraising, community awareness, board development and financial management, and doubling the number of foundations giving to Rocketown. She recently accepted the position of vice president of development and marketing with the Sexual Assault Center.
  	Education At the Nashville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Jackie Morgan is responsible for building a comprehensive educational program and coordinating educational activities, among other responsibilities. Prior to joining the Reserve, Morgan worked for the University of Tennessee conducting educational programs for urban youth. She serves as president and board member of Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, which, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education, played an integral role in the addition of personal finance as a required course in the Tennessee high school curriculum. Morgan is past president of Greater Nashville Business and Professional Women, and she is actively involved with Toastmasters International and United Way, for whom she has helped raise nearly $180,000.
  	Financial Services With nearly 15 years of financial experience and series 7, 63 and 66 licensures, Brock Kidd is Pinnacle Asset Management's youngest senior vice president and was also their number-one producer in 2007. Kidd was recognized by Bank Investment Consultant magazine as No. 11 of the top 50 Investment Consultants in the United States in 2008. For the past three years, Kidd has been named in the Nashville Scene as a "Best Community Role Model." He supports and speaks on behalf of Village of Hope in Zimbabwe, a home to 18 orphans with AIDS and a feeding program for hundreds of people each week. He has been involved as a Junior Achievement teacher, Hillsboro Presbyterian Church Elder of Session, and has served as a board member for the Martha O’Bryan Center, CommunityNashville and the Salvation Army Adult Rehab Center.
  	Government Jason Holleman represents all boards and commissions within the Mt. Juliet government and manages all litigation on behalf of the city of Mt. Juliet. Holleman also serves as a district councilman on the Metropolitan Council for Nashville and Davidson County, where he is chair of the Charter Revision Committee and a member of the Greenways and Homelessness Commissions. Holleman serves on the board of directors for Historic Nashville, Inc., and is chair of the Nashville City Cemetery Association. He is past chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Nashville Bar Association, and is a member of the Environmental Section of the Tennessee Bar Association. He is a past member of the executive board of the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the board of directors of Nashville's Table.
  	Hospitality & Tourism Diane Skrabec is catering manager at Gaylord Opryland, where she specializes in custom, creative menu designs and extraordinary events. She works with clients on 12 to 18 conventions a year, and she is solely responsible for food and beverage programs. Skrabec regularly works with a budget of more than $1 million to arrange all details of food and beverage events, from setup to teardown. Skrabec will be featured in an article on "Flawless Execution" in Food and Beverage magazine for her work as catering manager with Rockwell Automation's 11,000-guest convention. She was also a finalist for the President's Award for Citizenship, given by Gaylord Hotels. In addition, Skrabec chaired Williamson County's 95th Girl Scout Anniversary event.
  	Human Resources Kellie Conn is director of human resources for the Paradigm Group. She is certified by the Human Resource Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. She currently serves as Middle Tennessee district director for the Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management State Council, and is past president for the Middle Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management. She is a member of the HR Executive Forum for Middle Tennessee, and currently co-chairs the HR Excellence Award Committee. She is also a board member of the Davidson County Court Appointed Special Advocates. Conn is a founder and facilitator of HR Leadership Group, a local roundtable organization for senior executives of small companies. She received the HR Management Excellence Award for the State of Tennessee in 2004.
  	Legal Services Tonya Mitchem Grindon was selected as a shareholder with Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC a year ahead of schedule, the only woman among more than 500 attorneys in the law firm to have that distinction. Grindon is secretary of the board of the Nashville Bar Association and is a past president of the Young Lawyers Division of the Nashville Bar Association. Since 2004, she has served on the Nashville Bar Association Pro Bono Program Board of Directors. She was named the Baker Donelson Nashville Pro Bono Attorney for 2008, and chaired the Charitable Contributions Committee for five years. She is immediate past president of the Nashville Humane Association, having served two terms, and she actively volunteers with St. Luke's Community House, the Legal Aid Society and Empowering Endless Possibilities, a summer camp for moderately to severely disabled children.
  	Medical & Health Care Services With 13 years of experience in three multi-national firms, Jennifer LeMieux is responsible for the sales support functions of Passport Health Communications, including marketing, product pricing, legal/contracting, training and enrollment, for Passport Health's 5,300 health care providers. She finalized eight new business development opportunities in 2008 and launched and directed nine new communications tools in the past two years. Previously, LeMieux was director of sales and marketing for HCA, where she led and facilitated strategic planning, managed prospect development and developed the overall communication efforts. LeMieux has served on the marketing committee for Leadership Health Care, the membership committee for the Nashville Health Care Council, the marketing committee for CAQH's CORE initiative in the health care IT industry, and as a certified therapeutic foster parent with Youth Villages.
  	PR, Advertising & Marketing Entering her ninth season with the Tennessee Titans, Tresa Halbrooks is responsible for working with the players on their community appearances, special events and foundations, as well as serving as the team's nonprofit and community liaison. She also manages the Tennessee Titans Women's Association. She is a member of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Sports Council. At the age of 26, Halbrooks led a yearlong campaign for her employer, Service Merchandise Corporate Headquarters, to raise $1.7 million to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Halbrooks serves on the advisory committees for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Dinner of Champions with the Nashville Sports Council. She is also involved as an event advisory and keynote speaker for the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
  	Real Estate Services In her first two full years as a Realtor, Keri Kidd Cannon was awarded the Silver Award of Excellence from the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, and in 2007, she was one of 10 honorees to win the Good Neighbor Award from the National Association of Realtors. Cannon serves on the board of directors for the Children of Zimbabwe Fund. She co-founded Village of Hope and Home of Hope, a rescue organization for Zimbabwe children. Through her contributions, she has provided a safe home for 20 children and has given various levels of support for hundreds in Zimbabwe, raising in excess of $250,000. She also volunteers with Room at the Inn, and she co-chaired the 2007 Hillsboro Alternative Gift Market.
  	Technology In 2005, Mike LaLonde joined Sirius Computer Solutions and built a new market in Tennessee for IBM’s top North American partner and the largest worldwide reseller. For the past three years, LaLonde has established Sirius as one of the top IBM resellers and overall IT consulting firms in Tennessee. His focuses are in IT business efficiencies, data storage and management, data center design, disaster recovers solutions and infrastructure security solutions. LaLonde serves on the boards of the Catholic Business League, Camp Marymount and the Tennessee InfoSec Conference Planning Committee. He is a member of the Nashville Technology Council, the Middle Tennessee Information Systems Security Association, and he served three years as a program director for the Nashville Cathedral of Knights of Columbus.

• 2008

  	Architecture & Engineering In 2007, Sara Snodgrass was appointed to the Tennessee Healthcare Facility Licensure by Gov. Bredesen and is currently a licensed architect in 49 states. Snodgrass has served on the board of Williamson County Works, and she volunteers with Love Helps, a Nashville-based non-profit.
  	Arts, Entertainment & Music Tina Tuggle's department won the Winston/Shell Award in 2006 for its innovation and commitment to player development. She is the only female across the league to have participated in the NFL Football Operations Personnel Symposium.
  	Business & Entrepreneurship Ben Hanback served as board president for the start-up chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee, where he granted more than 500 wishes and coordinated the merger of the Dream Makers organization and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
  	Community Service & Nonprofit Under Nancy Denning-Martin's leadership, Hospital Hospitality House has doubled the size of its residential program, increased donor support by 130 percent, and added a waiting room adoption program at five hospitals. Denning-Martin serves as co-chair of National Philanthropy Day, and is co-owner of the East Nashville School of Music.
  	Education Karen Johnson is outreach director for the Governor's Books from Birth Foundation. As the youngest member of the Metro Nashville Board of Education and chair of the board's Advocacy Committee, Johnson is also actively involved with several organizations, including Society for Human Resource Management and 100 Black Women Nashville Chapter, where she chaired the 2006 Sister for Sister Conference.
  	Financial Services Harry Allen currently serves as alumni regent for Belmont University's board of trustees and serves on its Young Alumni Council. In 2003 and 2004, he was recognized as the INROADER of the Year, and he serves on the John L. Glenn Residential Center for the Elderly board of directors.
  	Government Christina Coleman oversees the statewide financial literacy initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions. She chairs the publications committee for the Nashville Coalition of 100 Black Women Foundation and the education committee for the Parthenon Chapter of Links, Inc., and she chaired the Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition's IDA committee.
  	Hospitality & Tourism Connie Kinnard is senior vice president of multicultural sales & development for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. She is also the chief operating officer for Nashville's forthcoming Museum of African American Music, Art and Culture. She has earned Pacesetters and Local Hero recognition, as well as several awards from Black Meetings and Tourism magazine. She currently serves on the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners board and with the American Diabetes Leadership Council.
  	Legal Services Jonathan Cole served as the first-ever Nashville lawyer to chair the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division, representing the interests of more than 120,000 lawyers from around the country. Cole was named Volunteer of the Year by the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, and he currently sits on the board of directors for Young Leaders Council and the Nashville Bar Association.
  	Medical & Health Care Services Michel McDonald is director of cosmetic surgery and assistant professor of medicine and dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. McDonald is president of the Tennessee Dermatology Society, and the founder of the Blade and Light Society serving underserved communities internationally. She was appointed to the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health, and she is a two-time recipient of the Dermatology Education and Mentorship Award.
  	PR, Advertising & Marketing Anthony Davis founded iDesign in 2005 and is co-founder of Greener Nashville, a nonprofit organization geared toward providing sustainability and "green" resources for Middle Tennessee. He has also been the primary local volunteer instrumental in starting the largest Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter in fraternity history with 75 men at Vanderbilt University.
  	Real Estate A licensed REALTOR® and former cast member of The Apprentice, Charmaine Hunt has received awards including Affiliate of the Year, Sales Achievement and President's Circle while also serving as special events chair for Habitat for Humanity. She was also the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Woman of the Year" in 2007.
  	Technology Cristina Welhoelter is a regional sales manager for Dell. She is an advocate for women in the workplace, arranging monthly luncheons for female managers at Dell. She is a member of the Women's Executive Peer Exchange Network, and serves on the boards for the Harpeth Hall Young Alumnae and the Adventure Science Center, as well as coordinating Dell's PENCIL Partners, managing 30 math and reading volunteers.

• 2007

  	Architecture & Engineering Hunter Gee joined Looney Ricks Kiss in 1998 and currently is director of community planning for the Nashville office. He has led several notable projects, such as the $350 million Gulch Redevelopment Master Plan, mixed-use "greenfield" projects, including Lenox Village and South Village, and the privatization of family housing at Ft. Campbell, Ky., and Fort Drum, N.Y. In addition to his work with LRK, Gee chaired a steering committee of more than 60 community leaders to work with the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team to develop a vision for East Nashville following the 1998 tornadoes. After this, he helped create and later served as president of Rediscover East!, a not-for-profit organization focused on continuing the success and representation of East Nashville.
  	Arts, Entertainment & Music Lori Badgett currently serves as vice president of SunTrust Bank's private wealth management sports and entertainment group. In 2001, she became the first MBA graduate of Belmont University's music business program. Badgett has served in leadership positions with the following organizations: American Music Association, Leadership Music, Nashville Screenwriters Council, Society of Leaders in Development and SOURCE. Badgett was the founding chair for the Country Music Hall of Fame's 90 Degrees Society, and served as president of the Young Leaders Council. She also contributes to the community through Habitat for Humanity, W.O. Smith School of Music, American Heart Association, T.J. Martell Foundation and Buddies of Nashville.
  	Business & Entrepreneurship As managing partner of DEX Imaging of Tennessee, Mark Blaze has helped grow DEX Imaging to 33 branches with more than 300 employees, and is responsible for Tennessee operations. He has been instrumental in conceiving and overseeing innovative business strategies, such as DEX's employee profit-sharing and charitable programs, the latter of which has donated more than $250,000 to Middle Tennessee non-profit organizations. Blaze also developed and implemented the DEX Score and Win program with the Nashville Predators, raising more than $55,000 for local charities. Blaze is a board member of the Equal Education Opportunity Group, Tennessee Minority Supplier Development Council and the Predators Foundation.
  	Community Service & Nonprofit As Team Green director, Laurel Creech successfully created and developed a regional outdoor adventure/environmental organization that has grown to more than 2,000 members and 60,000 participants. Since 2003, she has worked with the Mayor's Office to obtain the needed grant and served as team leader for Music City Moves, a partnership to help our community become healthier and more livable. Creech is one of the lead organizers for the Nashville Earth Day Festival, and in June 2007, she took 12 Nashvillians to South Africa to work at an orphan care center. In working with Team Green, Creech has also led hundreds of volunteers to community organizations such as Hands On Nashville, Elephant Sanctuary, Walden's Puddle and Safe Haven Family Shelter.
  	Financial Services In addition to her current role as vice president of business development and relocation for First Tennessee, Nicole Dunigan has a proven track record of success in mortgage lending, sales, public relations, event planning and program development. In 2005, Dunigan co-founded Coffee Talk, Inc., a monthly networking event that has received local recognition as it unites businesses and brings greater awareness of the importance of relationship-building. Dunigan chairs the board of directors for the Interdenominational Service Organization of America, and is a board member of the Northwest YMCA, Nurses for Newborns and the Nashville Technology Council. She has also volunteered with Smithson Craighead Academy, Brookmeade and Henry Maxwell Elementary Schools.
  	Government Meredith Sullivan currently works as the assistant commissioner for the division of regulatory boards for the State of Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. While overseeing more than 30 programs, she was the youngest participant in the 2006 class of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute, supervised CLEAR's 2006 Investigations Team of the Year and led the Fire Mortality Prevention Task Force, which reduced Tennessee's fire death rate by 36 percent. Sullivan has served on the boards of Hands On Nashville and Generation Tennessee, and is also active with the Nashville Child Advocacy Center, Magdalene House, Nashville Women's Political Caucus, Pulse Day and Scarritt-Bennett Center's Celebration of Cultures.
  	Hospitality & Tourism Lisa Garramone is district manager for Starbucks Coffee Company, making her responsible for eight to 17 Nashville-area stores. Additionally, Garramone has opened the East Tennessee market and assisted in opening the Memphis and Nashville markets. Garramone led Starbucks Coffee Company in supporting "Safe Place" programming, spreading this support to the Memphis and Knoxville markets for a total of 60 "Safe Place" Starbucks. Garramone also built a relationship with the Charles David Foundation, where volunteers from Starbucks stores donate their time to mentor teenagers in the art of finding their first job.
  	Law James Crumlin has spent the past five years at Bone McAllester Norton, PLLC, concentrating on the area of litigation, with an emphasis on employment-related litigation. Prior to his work with Bone McAllester Norton, Crumlin was a senior attorney at King & Ballow, as well as a law clerk for the Honorable William J. Haynes, Jr. Through his board positions and volunteer work, Crumlin has been able to talk to many students about staying in school, and also about the opportunities law school can provide.
  	Medicine & Health Care Rob Pittman holds several medical certifications and is currently the owner of Superior Orthotics and Prosthetics, Bioplex Orthotics Laboratory, WalkRite Footcare and Orthonediq Healthcare. At age 24, Pittman became the youngest certified orthotist in the country. Pittman created a "turn-no-patient-away" policy, leading to more than $1 million in donated prosthetic devices. In addition, Pittman created an indigent DME program installed in 14 Middle Tennessee hospitals, offering ambulatory aids and soft goods to all discharged patients, regardless of financial position. Superior Orthotics and Prosthetics has also created the only mobile labs of their kind, serving patients in their homes and outside facilities.
  	Public Relations & Advertising Shelby White has continuously made an impact on Nashville, first in his role as director of government relations and community improvement with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and also in his current role as senior account supervisor with Seigenthaler Public Relations. In the past three years, White has led accounts for Tony Giarratana (including Signature Tower), Crescent Resources, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, Market Street Investments and Shirley Zeitlin Realtors. In addition, White has worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council to protect the public health and environment on a national scale. Many of White's projects have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, New York Times and CNN.
  	Real Estate Alice Walker is a native of Nashville and an affiliate broker with The Wilson Group Real Estate Services. Walker entered the real estate profession after several years of sales and event planning for a multi-million-dollar company and heading the local marketing efforts for one of the world's largest non-profit agencies. During her first year in real estate, Walker was named 2004's "Rookie of the Year" by the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors (GNAR). Walker has since served on the GNAR board of directors, and received the GNAR Awards of Excellence Gold in 2004 and 2005, and Silver in 2006. Walker also serves on the steering committee for her neighborhood association, is co-chair of the Sylvan Park Home Tour, a member of the Nashville Women's Political Caucus and a lunch mate at Park Avenue Elementary.
  	Technology Nicholas Holland is founder, president and CEO of CentreSource, Inc., which focuses on providing three core services for clients worldwide: custom web application development, digital marketing and business web solutions. CentreSource has experienced exponential revenue growth, is a leader in its market and has received a number of awards. Prior to founding CentreSource, Holland was a senior risk analyst with Reliant Energy, a firm based in Houston, Texas, where he was responsible for performing daily analysis and reporting of the firm's energy asset portfolio. In addition, Holland is an active member of the Nashville Technology Council, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement and the Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce. Holland also serves on the boards of the Better Business Bureau, Stratford IT Academy and Nashville OIC.