Centennial Park Conservancy preps for Nashville Earth Day

Local nonprofit Centennial Park Conservancy has announced that Nashville Earth Day will return to Centennial Park Bandshell on April 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

According to a release, Centennial Park Conservancy (which works to preserve and enhance Centennial Park and the Parthenon while providing accessible cultural programming for the city) will partner with Urban Green Lab (led by executive director Todd Lawrence) for the free event.

Sustaining partners include Amazon, Nissan and HCA Healthcare Foundation, while presenting sponsors are Kroger, WM and the Sandra Schatten Foundation. Supporting sponsors include Republic Services, Nashville Parks Foundation, First Horizon Foundation and BMW of Nashville Nashville Earth Day will feature live music and more than 75 exhibitors and vendors, including local growers and makers, nonprofits, sustainable small businesses, and state/Metro government agencies.

“Centennial Park Conservancy is honored to host Nashville Earth Day at the park once again,” Justin Branam, Centennial Park Conservancy vice president of programming, said in the release. “We’re so grateful to our partner Urban Green Lab for bringing their sustainability expertise to the event, not only to provide practical and helpful tips for attendees but to also help eliminate event waste. Between our fantastic lineup of speakers, on-site exhibitors and vendors, live music, and Kidsville activities, there’s truly something for everyone at this year’s Earth Day celebration.”

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Local Nonprofit To See Ceo Step Down

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Nashville-based nonprofit PENCIL announced Wednesday resignation plans for President and CEO Angie Adams.

According to a release, Adams will step down in spring 2024, at which time her daughter is expected to graduate from high school. The search to find a replacement will begin in June.

Adams began her tenure at PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership) in 2016. She has helped grow the value of annual distributions of free products to Metro Nashville Public Schools teachers from $350,000 to $3 million. In addition, Adams oversaw the creation of PENCIL’s first-ever endowment fund. Also, founding PENCIL partner Ingram Industries, through its Ingram Charities program, this spring will match new gifts to PENCIL’s endowment up to $20,000.

Board members Hasina Mohyuddin, assistant dean of equity, diversity and inclusion at Peabody College, and John Doerge, Deloitte community relations leader for Tennessee, are co-chairing the committee that will seek a new CEO.

“Angie will also leave us in very sound financial standing,” board chair Wes Payne said in the release. “To further ensure a seamless transition, Angie will remain with us and help onboard our new CEO. We are beyond grateful for what she has been able to do as our leader and wish her the best moving forward.”

Founded in 1982, PENCIL works with more than 800 partners, according to its website.

BERRY HILL RESTAURANT PROPERTY SELLS FOR $1.4M

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

The Berry Hill home of Vietnamese restaurant Vui’s Kitchen has sold for $1.4 million.

The address is 2832 Bransford Ave.

According to a Davidson County Register of Deeds document, the new owner is an LLC affiliated with Bodnar Investment Group. That entity oversees Nashvillebased Fresh Capital, the real estate arm of restaurant holdings company Fresh Hospitality. The latter is an investor in Vui’s Kitchen.

The seller was a trust, a member of which paid $115,000 for the 0.36-acre property in 1988, Metro records show. The trust also owns two adjacent properties: one at 522 Heather Place and the other at 2830 Bransford Ave.

The building housing Vui’s is located at the split of Bransford and Heather and, as such, is one of the most visible properties in Berry Hill.

Vui Hunt and John Hunt own and operate Vui’s Kitchen. In addition to the Berry Hill restaurant, which opened in 2016 and is the concept’s original location, the couple also operates Vui’s in East Nashville’s Hunters Station (a Fresh Capital property).

A Vui’s Kitchen previously operated in Germantown before closing.

The Post was unable to determine if brokers were involved in the transaction

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

DECADES-OLD NASHVILLE COMPANY CEASING OPERATIONS

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Commercial lighting company Universal Douglas Lighting Americas Inc. is ceasing manufacturing operations immediately, according to a letter to vendors acquired by the Post.

The company’s facilities across North America will close by July, chief restructuring officer Steve Wybo wrote in the letter.

Universal Douglas was created via the combination of Universal Lighting Technologies and Douglas Lighting Controls. The combined company traces its history to 1947 and since 2021 has been owned by private equity firm Atar Capital.

Previously, the two companies were owned by Panasonic.

The Universal arm was founded in Nashville and is known in part for securing patents related to engineering and lighting design. The Douglas arm was formerly based in Canada.

“As we move towards winding down operations, we ask that you continue to support our company and its customers with [the] same high level of partnership that has characterized our relationship for years,” Wybo wrote. “We are committed to filling as many outstanding customer orders as possible and maximizing recovery value on asset sales. We intend to use the funds received from liquidation proceeds to pay down existing liabilities to all creditors. … Please bear in mind that these are extremely stressful times for our employees as we finish production.”

A Universal Douglas representative could not be reached for further comment.

The company lists its headquarters on Century Boulevard near Nashville International Airport.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

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