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Class Notes
1970s
Fred Allen (’76), Little Rock, Arkansas, was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in April. He played basketball with the Blue Raiders (1974–76).
David Crabtree
The University of North Carolina Board of Governors named Crabtree (’72), a veteran broadcast journalist, as CEO of PBS North Carolina, serving the third-largest public media market in the United States. Crabtree previously enjoyed a distinguished career at WRAL from 1994 to 2022. An anchor and reporter, he received numerous awards, including 16 Emmy Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Regional Award, and the duPont and Gabriel awards.
Walter Chitwood (’78), Murfreesboro, was awarded the title of Fellow of the Academy for Sports Dentistry—the first dentist to have this designation in Tennessee. Chitwood has been very involved with MTSU athletics since 1985, providing dental services to studentathletes in all sports. He is currently involved at MTSU with a 10-year mouthguard study, evaluating effects of concussion prevention, airway improvement, and balance enhancement.
Keel Hunt (’71), Nashville, had his fourth book, a biography of the late U.S. 6th Circuit Judge Gilbert S. Merritt of Nashville, published in January. The title is A Sense of Justice: Judge Gilbert S. Merritt and His Times
1980s
Alan S. Frazier (’82), Grand Forks, North Dakota, returned to his roots as a public safety medevac pilot with Altru Care Flight after 30 years in law enforcement, 11 years as an associate professor at the University of North Dakota, and two years as a senior fellow at Georgetown University.
Beth Geer
Geer (’87) serves on the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Geer previously worked as chief of staff to former Vice President Al Gore. She has extensive policy experience in climate change and environmental justice, having previously served in roles in the Clinton-Gore White House, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Senate. Her TVA term extends to 2026.
Paul Ladd (’87), Nashville, was a three-time winner at the 2022 Music City Gold Pen Awards, sponsored by the Nashville chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. He also received the IABC Nashville Hall of Fame award, the chapter’s highest individual honor for individual and professional achievement, earlier in the year. Ladd is senior correspondent for World Christian Broadcasting and has been with WCB since 2005.
1990s
Jeffrey Ballard (’93), Brentwood, was promoted to president of Delta Dental of Tennessee. He joined Delta Dental as chief financial officer in 2015.
Brian Byrd (’91, ’96), Milton, was named CEO of Roscoe Brown Inc. heating, cooling, and plumbing company. Byrd has extensive financial, accounting, and managerial experience with several significant middle Tennessee employers, including a 13-year tenure with Gaylord Entertainment Company.
Kip Crowder (’93), Glasgow, Kentucky, band director for Barren County High School in Kentucky, was selected for induction into the MTSU Band of Blue Hall of Fame.
Andre Dyer
Dyer (’91), Atlanta, was named managing director, talent acquisition diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy and programs leader at Deloitte Services LP, where he now leads the DEI talent strategy in the U.S. Dyer boasts more than 20 years of experience in human resources, talent acquisition, and DEI. During his time at MTSU, Dyer was a part of the 1989 OVC championship football team.
Kevin Eady (’95, ’09), Columbia, was named principal of Mount Pleasant Middle School of the Visual and Performing Arts. Formerly he served as principal at Columbia Central High School.
Martina Suttle Harris (’92), Chattanooga, was appointed dean of the Nursing and Allied Health Division at Chattanooga State Community College. She has more than 21 years of higher education experience in both the classroom and the clinical setting. Prior to this appointment, she served as the assistant dean of the Nursing and Allied Health Division.
David Keylon (’95), Cleveland, is the mechatronics instructor at the Partnerships in Industry and Education (PIE) Innovation Center. PIE is a regional educational facility addressing the growing need to better prepare students for postsecondary careers and workforce opportunities.
Scott Langford (’95), Goodlettsville, was named director of schools by the Sumner County Board of Education. A Sumner County native, Langford has steadily worked his way up in the Sumner County school district since 2009, when he was hired to teach English at White House High School.
Tracy Graham-McGlocklin (’91), Columbia, was promoted to general manager of The Mulehouse, a 55,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art music and specialty event venue in Columbia. McGlocklin joined The Mulehouse in 2021 as the head of business development. Prior to that, she was vice president of sales and marketing for Advent, where she oversaw projects for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, University of Minnesota, and University of Pittsburgh. In 2001 she started Mission Management, and for the next 13 years represented some of Nashville’s best music artists, such as Little Big Town, Marty Stuart, Darryl Worley, Shelly Fairchild, and Danny Gokey. The previous decade she honed her music industry chops in Sony Music Nashville’s sales and marketing division.
Karen Petersen
Petersen (’98) was named the 13th president of Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. A native of northwest Arkansas, Petersen previously served as dean of the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tulsa. Before that, Petersen worked at MTSU for nearly 16 years, culminating with her tenure as dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
Sam Powers (’93), Nashville, was promoted to the position of partner at Nashville-based business and consulting firm O’Neil Hagaman. Powers, who previously served as a principal at the company, will continue as co-head of O’Neil Hagaman’s intellectual property (IP) group. He oversees all aspects of the company’s IP operations, including the purchase and sale of publishing, overseeing the administration of active artist-owned labels, related contract review, and consulting with music entrepreneurs.
Lacy Privette (’97), Arrington, was appointed Southeast regional sales manager for Casio America, responsible for promoting and directing sales efforts for the company’s award-winning electrical musical instruments in the Southeast. Privette began his career as a manager of the Keyboard/Technology Department at Sam’s Music in Brentwood and joined Yamaha in 2000 as a district manager for the company’s Pro Audio and Combo Division. In 2012, he was named Eastern U.S. sales manager for Yamaha subsidiary Steinberg North America, where he climbed the ranks to become national sales manager, director of recording, and ultimately national sales manager, recording/Steinberg/pro audio in 2017.
2000s
Jason Alexander (’04), Franklin, was promoted to senior vice president of agricultural lending for Tennessee at Farm Credit Mid-America.
Julie Basler (’01), Lone Tree, Colorado, president of the School of Nursing at Pratt College, was chosen as one of the “Top 20 People Changing Career Education” in December 2022 by the Career Education Review. Basler champions mental health and well-being efforts for students, faculty and staff, and campus leaders.
Marcus Brandon
Brandon (’07) has a recurring role on the hit series Mayor of Kingstown as Dedrick, the intimidating, deadly leader of the Bloods and rival to lead character Bunny. The show is from Academy Award nominee Taylor Sheridan, co-creator of Yellowstone. The series airs Sundays on Paramount Plus. Brandon earned his bachelor's at MTSU with a focus on computer engineering technology and played linebacker on the football team. He resides in Brooklyn and has upcoming roles in Poker Face on Peacock, Three Women on Showtime, and an indie film project that will be shooting in the Philippines.
Lauren Branson (’05), Franklin, joined River House Artists as vice president of publicity, following eight years at BMI as the senior director of media relations.
Brittany Cannon (’00), Cleveland, assumed the role of director of the Partnerships in Industry and Education (PIE) Innovation Center, a regional educational facility addressing the growing need to better prepare students for postsecondary careers and workforce opportunities.
Chip Carlton (’09), Riverview, Florida, joined Westcor Land Title Insurance as an agency representative in the Tampa Bay area. Brandi Crowell (’09, ’11), Unionville, transitioned from controller to chief financial officer for Roscoe Brown Inc. heating, cooling, and plumbing company. She previously served as a certified public accountant at Dempsey Vantrease and Follis for five years.
Eric Crump (’05), Bartow, Florida, was named the new executive director of the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), a 14-building aerospace STEM facility anchored by the Florida Air Museum and the Central Florida Aerospace Academy, a Polk County Public Schools Career Academy. Crump is credited with opening the Polk State College Aerospace program in 2012 and served as director since its launch.
Matt Jernigan
Ascend Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in middle Tennessee, announced Jernigan (’01) will assume CEO duties. Ascend has more than $3.8 billion in assets, 27 branches, and more than 255,000 members. Jernigan has been a key part of the Ascend executive leadership team since he was hired in 2005.
Josh Kendall (’01), Lebanon, was appointed chief operating officer of Unemployment Trackers, a full-service unemployment cost control provider.
Bryce Phillips (’05), Germantown, joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, assigned to the office’s Organized Crime and Narcotics Unit. He formerly served the office from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, where he worked as a prosecutor for more than a decade.
Andy and Jan (Crouch) Marshall
When Jones College of Business graduates Andy (’84) and Jan (Crouch) Marshall (’84) bought a little 1950s-era grocery in Leiper’s Fork in 1998, they inherited its 12-inch griddle and early-morning regulars: farmers and truckers and travelers craving a quick sausage biscuit to start the day. When they added a lunch menu, your basic meat-and-three, the couple had pushed the griddle to its limits. Convinced that a smoker in the parking lot where local folks could see and smell chicken, ribs, or pork cooking would change the game, they took the $8,000 plunge. Turns out they were right about the smoker. As they expanded Puckett’s menu to include breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and later added a stage and live music—they created more than just a restaurant and venue. They created community. The couple eventually chose nearby Franklin for a second location—and later expanded to downtown Nashville. There are now six Puckett’s in middle and east Tennessee, including one in downtown Murfreesboro. The success of the franchise has financed the launch of more A. Marshall Hospitality restaurant brands in Nashville and Franklin—Scout’s Pub, Deacon’s New South, Americana Taphouse, and Burger Dandy—as well as a food truck, Puckett’s Trolley. The holding company now has more than 400 employees.
Anna Powers (’08), Murfreesboro, was recently promoted to vice president of clinicals at HealthRev Partners, headquartered in Ozark, Missouri. Powers has more than a decade of experience serving local communities in the field of home health leadership. In her current executive role, she oversees a team of industry experts with a focus on revenue cycle management, as well as Medicare compliance and documentation accuracy to improve home care operations and ultimately the lives of the patients they serve.
Mat Leffler-Schulman (’00), Baltimore, is a mastering engineer for Mobtown Studios. He has been working with clients like Jon Batiste, Beach House, Blondie, Future Islands, Jackson Dean, Ice Cube, Lower Dens, Dan Deacon, Will.i.am, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Kevin Spann (’05), Knoxville, is co-owner, aircraft maintenance manager, mechanic, and pilot for Flight Choice, Knoxville’s only aircraft charter service. He also advises individuals and companies when purchasing airplanes. Additionally, Spann is a pilot for Functional Pathways.
Johnny Zvolensky
Zvolensky (’00), who works at Digital Audio Post studio in the audio post-production arena, mixed “The Judds: Love Is Alive—The Final Concert” television special that aired April 29 on CMT. The MTSU community came together last fall to host the made-for-TV event featuring Wynonna Judd at Murphy Center. Zvolensky also continues to work as a freelance audio engineer and previously served as a music producer and songwriter.
2010s
Jake Anderson (’13), Paris, is offensive coordinator for the Henry County High School football team.
Sarah-Taylor Argo Anderson (’13), Paris, teaches seventh grade math and is cheerleading coach at Inman Middle School. She is also director of the Miss Paris Tennessee Volunteer system.
Evan Braswell (’16), Cordova, joined the Overton Park Shell staff as operation manager. Before coming on board with the Shell, he was conference center coordinator for the Butler Snow law firm.
Joshua Bugg (’13), Murfreesboro, was named head coach of the Riverdale High School girls basketball team. He spent the past season as an assistant at Tullahoma and was an assistant at Hillsboro in 2021–22 after being the coach at Columbia during 2017–21. Prior to that he was an assistant coach at Independence.
Zach Campbell (’10), Lebanon, joined Cempa Community Care as a nurse practitioner.
Michael Cottone (’10), Fairview, was elected as a partner with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP. Cottone assists clients across industries with a variety of litigation, state and local tax, and unclaimed property matters. Prior to joining Waller, he served as a law clerk for 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Eugene E. Siler and for U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen of Tennessee’s Western District.
Darrius Dixon (’17), Knoxville, joined Lewis Thomason as an associate attorney in the firm’s Knoxville office.
Carlos Lopez
Lopez (’13), a native Venezuelan, former football kicker at MTSU, and current Spanish teacher at Alcoa High School, started doing play-by-play calls in Spanish for the Tennessee Vols football team on Twitter. Calling himself Juan Ward (after legendary UT announcer John Ward), Lopez has attracted national notoriety. Power Five schools are now calling and asking him to do voiceover highlights in Spanish. Lopez previously played professional football in the Arena Football League for the Tampa Bay Storm.
Marshall Ellson (’14), Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, director of learning services at Westminster Christian Academy, was named one of 12 nationwide recipients of the Herzog Foundation Christian Teacher of the Year award for embodying excellence in Christian education.
Amy Galloway (’15), Surgoinsville, joined Holston Medical Group as a family nurse practitioner at the Sleep Centers in Kingsport and Bristol. Galloway previously provided care at HMG Urgent Care centers since 2015.
Zane Gibson (’14, ’16), Chattanooga, was named head men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith. Gibson returns to UAFS after five seasons at the University of Texas–Permian Basin and Western New Mexico.
Heather Mathis McClarty (’11), Old Hickory, is the new co-host/producer of Talk of the Town. Mathis has been a meteorologist for NewsChannel 5 for the past five years.
Colton McGee (’10), Brentwood, joined Concord Label Group as senior vice president of business and legal affairs for Concord’s recorded music division, supporting the continued growth of the Concord Label Group and Craft Recordings through new artist signings, acquisitions, and management of historical rights. McGee previously spent 13 years at BBR Music Group in Nashville and was central in BBR’s acquisition by BMG in 2017. Following that transaction, McGee handled business and legal affairs for both BBR Music Group and BMG.
Stephen B. Smith
Smith (’11), chair of the MTSU Board of Trustees, former Blue Raiders pitcher, and championship walking horse rider and breeder, was elected to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class. Smith spent time as a scout with the St. Louis Cardinals, was an original partner and board member of the Nashville Sounds, and is a board member of Music City Baseball, an organization dedicated to bringing major league baseball to Nashville. Smith led the effort to construct the first lighted college baseball stadium in Tennessee—the current 3,000seat MTSU stadium—and MTSU’s new baseball clubhouse, which is named in his honor.
Logan Kilgore
The Denver Broncos hired Kilgore (’12, ’13), a former Blue Raider quarterback, as a quality control coach. Kilgore most recently worked as prep phenom Arch Manning’s offensive coordinator at the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Kilgore previously spent time with the New Orleans Saints in 2014, then played four seasons in the Canadian Football League.
Tyler Ballengee, Aaron Bedenbaugh, and Brian Vigouroux
These three College of Media and Entertainment graduates now work together at ESPN. Pictured from left to right are Ballengee (’22), audio operator I; Bedenbaugh (’97), lead technical director; and Vigouroux (’18), audio operator I.
Mike Spence (’10), Chattanooga, an Army veteran with combat tour experience (2014–15), has worked as a software engineer at Dell Technologies since 2015.
Kristy Yentes (’12), Estero, Florida, joined Physicians’ Primary Care of Southwest Florida as a family nurse practitioner.
2020s
Millicent Rooker (’22), Columbia, recently joined Maury Regional Medical Group Primary Care in Spring Hill.
Marcus Byrd
A former MTSU golf standout, Byrd (non-degreed alum) played in several PGA tournaments earlier this year, most notably the 2023 Genesis Invitational in February at Riviera Country Club. That PGA Tour event’s host (and Byrd’s hero) Tiger Woods invited Byrd—as the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption—to play in the event. The exemption honors golfing great Charlie Sifford and reflects the progress made toward promoting diversity in golf. Byrd made his PGA Tour debut at the 2022 Corales Puntacana Championship. He led the Blue Raiders to back-to-back conference championships in 2018 and 2019 and was named the 2019 Conference USA Golfer of the Year.
Jaren Watts (’22), Viola, joined the Nashville Predators as a sales associate.
Abigail Kwarteng
Recent master’s graduate Kwarteng (’23) has her sights set on her next dream—to represent her native Ghana in the high jump in next year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. Kwarteng, who was awarded her Master of Public Health degree at MTSU’s Spring 2023 Commencement in Murphy Center, ended last year as the No. 2 NCAA Division I high jumper and the 26th-ranked high jumper in the world. Kwarteng, whose parents are farmers, is the first person in her family to achieve a college degree.
