Ben Middleton Named Centerstone Regional CEO for Tennessee and Georgia

Ben Middleton

Brad Nunn

Matt Hardy Drs. Matt Hardy and Brad Nunn named chief operating officer, chief clinical quality officer

Following the retirement of Dr. Bob Vero as Centerstone regional chief executive officer for Tennessee and Georgia, the organization’s longtime executive Ben Middleton has stepped into the regional CEO role.

Middleton has worked for Centerstone and its legacy organization since 1985 and previously held the positions of regional chief operating officer, vice president for core services, and director of substance use programming. As regional CEO, he now leads every aspect of Tennessee and Georgia operations—from evaluating and expanding service lines to talent acquisition, training, and ensuring high-quality clinical outcomes for clients.

“I’m a ‘let’s get it done’ kind of guy. I’m constantly looking for how we can be better and how we can grow,” said Middleton. “And not just financially, but growing in terms of our service system and how we deliver care, and thinking about new ways of doing things with new technology or evidence-based treatments. We’ve grown a lot since 1985, and I’m excited to see what opportunities we will have in the future.”

In relation, Centerstone’s Dr. Matt Hardy has moved from his regional vice president role into the chief operating officer position vacated by Middleton. Hardy holds a PsyD in psychology and is a licensed clinical psychologist and critical incident responder. He also helped launch three Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics at Centerstone which provide mental health services to veterans, active duty soldiers, and their family members.

“I’m excited to continue working with Centerstone clients and staff as well as with our behavioral health partners in the communities we serve,” said Dr. Hardy. “The need for life-changing and life-saving mental health services continues to grow, and I’m honored to be part of a team that is committed to delivering care that changes people’s lives.”

Centerstone has also promoted Dr. Brad Nunn, who joined the company in 1987, from vice president of quality improvement to chief quality officer. In his new role, Dr. Nunn facilitates organizational planning for improvement in care and services. He is also responsible for performing, coordinating, and facilitating quality assurance and performance improvement activities related to clinical practice.

“I welcome the opportunity to further expand and formalize my role within this important organization,” said Dr. Nunn. “I have always been interested in how to make things work better, and I look forward to continuing to help make our clinical services be the best.” a