"The E-List: 75 execs join Chamber entrepreneurship project"

02-18-2008 10:10 AM -

NashvillePost.com has obtained the roster of the new Nashville Area Chamber-Partnership 2010 Entrepreneur Project, which plans to assess how Nashville can do a better job of spawning, attracting and retaining high-growth companies.

Beyond scrutinizing Nashville's strengths and weaknesses, a big part of the effort will be identifying what works in areas with extraordinary business cultures – such as Research Triangle Park – and then adapting ideas for Middle Tennessee.

Although such Old Guard worthies as Charlie Martin, Fred Goad and Toby Wilt are notable by their absence, the group has ample mass and two energetic leaders who've 'been there': Mike Shmerling and Bobby Frist, CEOs of Choice Food and HealthStream, respectively.

In addition to a healthy ration of VCs and angels, the group sports Mayor Karl Dean, VUMC's Harry Jacobson; serial entrepreneurs Marc Fortune and Farsheed Ferdowsi; Jim Sohr, and other quiet anchors; and ubiquitous entrepreneurs Cordia Harrington, A.J. Kazimi.

Vice President Christine McDonnell and her Chamber and P2010 colleagues are staffing the project, with additional research assistance coming from students at the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management.

Here's the list of 75 business, government, academic and nonprofit execs, plus Chamber staff, for your perusal:

Attorneys
Sam Bartholomew, Adams & Reese, Alston Hamilton, Miller & Martin
Allen Overby, Bass Berry & Sims
Chris Sloan, Boult Cummings Conners & Berry

Financiers
Michael Blackburn, Petra Capital Partners
Chuck Byrge, Harpeth Capital
John Chadwick, Claritas Capital
Sid Chambless, Nashville Capital Network
Michael Devlin, Pharos Capital Group
Kevin Esval, VelocityHealth Securities
Farsheed Ferdowsi, Victor Hope Capital
Katie Gambill, Council Ventures
Vic Gatto, Solidus
Clint Gwin, Southeast Community Capital
Matt King, Clayton Associates
Stuart McWhorter, Clayton Associates
Van Tucker, Avenue Bank
Tom Wylly, Brentwood Capital Advisors

Executives/Advisors
Carter Andrews, Notalone
Bo Bartholomew, PharmMD
Laura Campbell, Laura Campbell Associates
Ray Capp, Conduit Corp.
Michael Carter, Athena Company
Joseph Cashia, National Renal Alliance
Beth Chase, C3 Consulting
Tom Cigarran, Healthways
Bret Comolli, Asurion
David Condra, Dalcon Communication Systems
Jerome Edwards, Veran Medical Technologies
Marc Fortune, Century II
Brian Fox, Capital Confirmation
Joe Freedman, American Legal Search
Darrell Freeman, Zycron
Bobby Frist, HealthStream
Herb Fritch, HealthSpring
Keith Gregg, JRG Ventures
John Grzybowski, The Little Clinic
Cordia Harrington, Nashville Bun Co.
Joey Jacobs, Psychiatric Solutions
A.J. Kazimi, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals
Drew Kim, Southern Strategy Group
David Klements, Qualifacts Systems
Michael Krause, Dolphini Networks
Jim Lackey, PASSPORT Health Communications
Mark Montgomery, echomusic
Terry Pefanis, Big Idea Productions
Greg Post, Cricket Communications
Marty Rash, nTelagent
Mike Shmerling, Choice Food Group
Clint Smith, Emma
Jim Sohr, AIM Healthcare Services
Jim Stefansic, Pathfinder Therapeutics
Paul Vanhoesen, cTechnology
Earl Winter, nTelagent

Universities
Murat Arik, MTSU Business & Economic Research Center
Germain Boer, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
Jim Bradford, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
James Burton, Middle Tennessee State University
Jeff Cornwall, Belmont University
Bob Fisher, Belmont University
Harry Jacobson, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Melvin Johnson, Tennessee State University
Bruce Lynskey, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management
Lou Svendson, Tennessee Board of Regents

Government & Nonprofit
Amy Bunton, Tennessee Valley Authority
Eric Cromwell, Tennessee Technology Development Corporation
Jeff Costantine, Nashville Technology Council
Mayor Karl Dean, Metro Nashville
James Fenton, Cheatham County ECD
Margot Fosnes, Springfield-Robertson County Chamber of Commerce
Paul Haynes, Nashville Careeer Advancement Center
Jimmy Johnston, Forward Sumner Economic Council
Matt Kisber, State of Tennessee ECD
Michelle Lane, Metro Government
Christine McDonnell, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Blewett Melton, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Janet Miller, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Paul Ney, Metro Nashville ECD
Ralph Schulz, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Caroline Young, Nashville Health Care Council