CEO Connect executive leadership program for business leaders graduates fourth cohort
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University is celebrating the graduation of its fourth cohort of business leaders to complete its CEO Connect executive leadership program, one of the core offerings of Spark, Lipscomb’s idea center. A ceremony celebrating each participant and featuring highlights of the seven-month program took place Tuesday evening.
One of the core offerings of Spark, Lipscomb’s idea center, is the creation of leadership development programs to help transform leaders by engaging them in innovative and quality learning programs. To help prepare business executives for future leadership opportunities, Spark launched CEO Connect in 2017.
CEO Connect is designed to connect business leaders with Nashville’s top executives in a highly relational and powerful leadership learning experience. Designed for busy professionals, the curriculum focuses on essential executive leadership competencies and includes interactive sessions.
“Most CEOs agree that cultivating the future leadership development of team members is imperative to strategic planning and long-term business results,” said Deborah Watts, executive director of Spark. “We are so grateful to have CEO's in Nashville that want to give back and share their stories with new and current leaders of others in the community so that they can reflect and grow and transform into the best leaders they can be.”
CEO Connect Class of 2022 members are:
- Madeline Artibee, Historian, FEMA/Tennessee Department of Transportation
- Courtney Blaise, Director, Community Engagement, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
- Nathan Burton, Systems Support Group Pinnacle Financial Group
- Kevin Crawford, Vice President External Affairs, UnitedHealth Group
- Dustin Farthing, Senior Manager, LBMC
- Alice Finn, Vice President, Talent Development, FirstBank
- Clayton Foster, Project Manager, Barge Design Solutions
- Steven Gore, IT Manager, Genetics Associates, Inc.
- Troy Grant, Senior Director of College Access, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
- Tracie Haislip, Vice President, Supply Chain Planning, Tractor Supply Company
- Michael Harrell, Vice President of Facility Services, Lee Company
- Dustin Haupt, Corporate Advertising Manager, FirstBank
- Trina Hayes, Director, Merchandise Planning, Tractor Supply Company
- Teddy Hillard, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Investments, Brookdale
- Ryan Hollis, Senior Direct Operations Finance, CoreCivic
- Samantha Joyce, Aftermarket Business Systems Analyst, Nixon Power Services
- Michael Kniery, Area Vice President, Gallagher
- Sri Kumar, CEO, Connico
- Matt Leavell, Director of Operations, BuyLow Warehouse
- Johari Matthews, Executive Director, YMCA of Middle Tennessee
- Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier, Executive Director/Founder & CEO, Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership/AQP Consulting
- Cody Riggs, Private Wealth Associate, Alliance Bernstein
- Kelly Shearin, Director, Member Experience & Strategic Partnerships, Amerigroup Community Care
- Maggie Smith, Director of Marketing and Client Relations, Benefits, Inc.
- Ben Sterling, Senior Director of Content, tnAchieves
- Will Voss, COO, TN Voices
- Megan Wise, Director, Brand Partnerships, CMA
Faculty included some of Nashville’s most successful CEOs. This year’s faculty includes Michael Burcham, formerly of Narus Health and Nashville Entrepreneur Center; Maura Cunningham, Rock the Street, Wall Street; Aaron Dorn, Studio Bank; Sherry Deuschmann, BrainTrust; Bob Higgins, Barge Design Solutions; Tim Ozgener, Oz Arts; Ronald Roberts, Finn Partners/DVL Seigenthaler; Sharon Roberson, YWCA of Nashville of Middle Tennessee; Ron Samuels, formerly of Avenue Bank; Greg Sandford, formerly of Tractor Supply Company; Ralph Schulz, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce; Sarah Trahern, Country Music Foundation; Clark Vitulli, Music City CEOs; and Jeff Whitehorn, Hospital Corporation of America. Topics included business intelligence, self development, executive presence, communication skills, performance improvement and peer-to-peer networking.
Participants in CEO Connect apply or are nominated and are admitted into the program by a selection committee. Goals of the program include participants to building a network of CEOs, gaining valuable experience engaging and communicating with high-level executives; synthesizing their understanding of the practice of leadership; reflecting on their own leadership challenges at work relative to competencies and skills of the program; and increasing self-awareness and intentionality of their careers through exposure to CEO career stories, values and lessons learned.