Class Notes

1970s

Andy and Cherry Womack

A former three-term state senator and State Farm Insurance agent for over 40 years, Andy Womack (’70) was recognized as the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce 2023 Business Legend of the Year. He and his wife, Cherry Womack (’68), a high school teacher for more than 25 years, were also honored for their commitment to public education at the Murfreesboro City School Foundation Excellence in Education celebration this year. Andy Womack also was the inaugural inductee into the MTSU Arts Hall of Fame.

Anthony Taylor (’74), Fayetteville, was inducted into the African American Credit Union Hall of Fame. In 2003, Taylor became the first African American appointed to Ascend Federal Credit Union’s Board Development Committee. Since then, he has been instrumental in propelling growth in the credit union’s assets and membership, transforming it into middle Tennessee’s largest credit union and one of the largest in the state. In 2021, Taylor was named Volunteer of the Year by the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions for his contributions within the industry.

Clyde Hall

Hall (’75) had 27 cents in his pocket when he graduated as a nurse anesthetist. He doesn’t want other students to struggle like he did. So Hall set up a scholarship fund that helps pave the way for other MTSU School of Nursing students who have persevered through tough times. Since 2015, 30 graduating Nursing students have received the Marie Potts/Clyde Hall Personal Achievement Award. Hall has enjoyed a 30-year career as a certified registered nurse anesthetist working with Dr. Fred Lovelace at Murfreesboro Anesthesia Group.

Ricky Carroll (’77), Center Point, Alabama, is Finn Nashville’s new production manager for the integrated marketing team, shepherding advertising and marketing collateral through the production process and serving as the communications liaison between Finn and its vendors and contractors. Carroll serves clients from all practice areas, including Jack Daniel’s, Nashville Electric Service, Tractor Supply, Bridgestone, and Wincup/phade.

Edd Hill, Collier Woods, and Stanley Murphy

Members of the MTSU Kool Club—which stands for Knowledge, Opportunity, Optimism, and Leadership—are celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding this year as it continues its mission to provide an annual scholarship to a worthy freshman minority student. Hill (’78), Woods, and Murphy (’77, ’80, ’00), who were among the MTSU students who formed the social service group on campus in 1974, were honored earlier this year as unsung heroes at the Unity Luncheon on campus. Club members continue hosting fundraisers to maintain the scholarship, named in honor of MTSU alumnus and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kenneth Lebron Toney. Other co-founders included Andrew Simmons, Ben Scruggs, Freeman Dukes, and Joe Tucker.

1980s

Linda Laughlin (’82), Lascassas, was acknowledged as a Pinnacle Platinum Professional for her contributions to the nurse practitioner field. She is the director of occupational health and a practitioner with the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, where she manages more than 500 employees, as well as overseeing COVID-19 care, vaccine administration, and flu campaign management. Formerly she was a nurse practitioner in the U.S. Army with a rank of lieutenant. Laughlin is also an actress who established a nonprofit community theater company, and she authored Raising Influence Acceptance in Long-Term Care

Gregory D. Smith, (’85), Clarksville, the chief judge of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Court of Indian Appeals, recently spoke at a Native American tribal court training conference in Miami, Oklahoma.

Jeff McCann (’87, ’92), Smyrna, was named school choice coordinator for Rutherford County Schools. Previously, he was principal of Thurman Francis Arts Academy.

Beth Goodner (’88), Lebanon, was appointed first assistant commissioner for children and youth mental health services by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Lisa Nix (’89), Murfreesboro, was presented the Joe M. Rodgers Spirit of America Award. Nix is a CPA and shareholder at LBMC, a top accounting and business consulting firm.

1990s

Eddie Davidson, (’92), Mount Juliet, was promoted to managing director, state government affairs and community relations, for Piedmont Natural Gas. In this role, he leads the external affairs teams in multiple states for the natural gas subsidiary of Duke Energy. Prior to joining Piedmont, he served in the administrations of former Nashville mayors Karl Dean and Bill Purcell. He also was deputy chief clerk for the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Jeff Ballard

Ballard (’93), CPA, CGMA, was named the new president and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee—the state’s largest independent dental benefits carrier with 1.4 million people covered. Ballard joined Delta in 2015 as chief financial officer and was elevated to president in 2022, leading the expansion of the company’s business offerings into vision insurance and overseeing accounting, finance, risk management, sales, and underwriting. Ballard was named a CFO of the Year by the Nashville Business Journal in 2020. A member of the MTSU Accounting Advisory Board, Ballard was recognized by MTSU’s Jones College of Business with its Spirit of America Award in 2022.

Chris Bishop (’94), Brentwood, was appointed CEO of Veterinary Innovative Partners. Prior to joining VIP, he l ed Regent Surgical Health. Bishop is an active member of the Nashville Leadership Healthcare Council and the C12 Executive Leadership Program, a founding board member of not-for-profit Cul2vate, and board of directors member for Faith Family Medical.

Shane Smith

Smith (’97), who is director of technology at LMG Inc.  in Florida, a global touring and entertainment provider, recently donated lighting equipment worth more than $18,000 to the MTSU College of Media and Entertainment to help train students to properly set up stage and studio productions.

Kay Martin (’99, ’05), Murfreesboro, was named deputy director for Rutherford County Schools. In this newly created position, Martin supports the director in a variety of daily managerial functions of the school district, the fourth largest in Tennessee.

2000s

Kim Ellis Chaudoin (’00), Brentwood, was appointed vice president of marketing and communications at Lipscomb University, where she has worked for the past 32 years.

Nic Dugger (’00), Nashville, accepted the role of executive director for the Midsouth Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, following five years leading its board of directors.

Michael TenBrink (’01), Milan, Italy, recently completed his master’s in Photography from Raffles Milano Istituto Moda e Design. TenBrink moved abroad to pursue the degree after nearly 25 years in marketing, first in the music industry in Nashville and then for a variety of professional services firms in San Francisco. He now works as a writer, photographer, and consultant in Milan.

Gary Sanders (’03), Chattanooga, was promoted to area executive for Tennessee at McGriff, which is part of Truist Insurance Holdings, one of the 10 largest insurance brokers in the world. Sanders now leads McGriff’s four insurance offices in Tennessee.

Jeremy Shulman

Shulman (’03) was hired as head men’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee–Martin after 14 seasons as head coach at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida. Shulman directed the Titans to 11 conference titles over his final 12 seasons. He was the youngest coach in Tennessee AAU history at 16 and founded the Midstate Ballerz Elite AAU program as a senior in high school.

L. Kasimu Harris (’04), New Orleans, was announced as a Prospect 6 Artist. Prospect 6, taking place from November 2 through February 2, 2025, is the longest-running, citywide contemporary art triennial. Co-curated by Miranda Lash and Ebony G. Patterson, the triennial’s theme this year is “Where the Harbinger Lives, The End Begins.” Harris, one of only 49 artists selected globally for this honor, will exhibit new work from his critically acclaimed Vanishing Black Bars and Lounges series.

Julie Drumm (’05), Murfreesboro, joined consulting firm GBQ Partners as a director within the tax practice. Drumm joins GBQ with more than a decade of industry experience, specializing in estate, gift, and trust taxation, as well as real estate taxation.

Daniel Stegall (’05), Raleigh, North Carolina, is the new assistant director for continuous improvement and customer service for the city of Raleigh’s Planning and Development Department. Stegall has been with the city since 2016 and formerly served as its land development manager.

Shane Curry (’06), Mount Vernon, Georgia, is the new executive director of the Vidalia Onion Committee, overseeing federal marketing order 955 and working to ensure the Vidalia onion industry’s growth and success. FMO 955 was established in 1989 to stipulate where the crop can be grown and to help with research and promotion of Vidalia onions. This federal program (along with Georgia state laws that protect the Vidalia trademark) have provided a legal framework for the industry. Farmers can try to grow a sweet onion elsewhere but cannot call it a “Vidalia” unless it is from Georgia.

B.J. Kerstiens (’06), Murfreesboro, was promoted to senior vice president of services at Vortex Companies. In his new role, he will draw on over 20 years of experience in construction, 15 of them spent in the trenchless infrastructure rehabilitation industry.

Wryan Bailey

Bailey (’07), a first officer, is a pilot for Atlas Air Worldwide. He started his aviation career as an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Army helicopter pilot. Bailey is also president of the Nashville Sportsman’s Club.

Kayla Hawkins

Wilson Bank & Trust promoted Hawkins (’08, ’10) to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Hawkins has been with the bank for more than 12 years and previously served in the role of senior vice president, reporting. Before coming to WBT, Hawkins worked in public accounting at Kraft CPAs.

Kyle McConnell (’08), Chicago, was promoted to partnership at Kaufman Dolowich. McConnell focuses his law practice on complex insurance coverage and litigation, specifically in fidelity and commercial crime, cybercrime, and financial institution bonds.

2010s

Hollie Alexander (’10), Gallatin, teaches World History and Dance 1 at Gallatin High School. She served as the Miss Tennessee outstanding teen state director from 2018 to 2021 with the Miss America Organization. In 2010, while an MTSU student, Alexander represented the University as an intern at the Tennessee State Capitol with the House Agriculture Committee. She also competed at the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant as Miss Middle Tennessee Blue Raider.

Amber M. Williams

The Greater Indianapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross named Williams (’10) to its board of directors. Williams, who earned a master’s at MTSU in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, currently serves as vice president of diversity, equity, and belonging for the Ivy Tech Community College system in Indiana.

Heather Moulder

The U.S. Postal Service unveiled a bluegrass-themed Forever postal stamp featuring the original art of Moulder (’11). The stamp, created in honor of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, was Moulder’s first project for the USPS. She works as a designer and printer at Hatch Show Print in Nashville.

Bob Squance (’11), Murfreesboro, joined Lady Luck Songs as creative director. Squance formerly served as senior creative designer for A&R at Round Hill Music.

Antwon Woods (’13), Brandon, Mississippi, was selected as one of the recipients of Mississippi’s Most Influential African Americans for 2023–24. Woods is dean of the Alcorn State University School of Business. Before arriving at Alcorn, he served as assistant to the president for special initiatives, associate dean of the School of Business, and associate professor of Business and Sports Management at Belhaven University. Woods also led the Southern Region Assembly of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education as its president.

Sam Featherstone (’14), Chapel Hill, was promoted to senior director, commercial and digital partnerships, at Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment (formerly BMLG Records). Featherstone joined the Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) imprint in 2023 as director of streaming and currently oversees its streaming initiatives.

Sarah Poss (’14), Watertown, was promoted to director of retail banking at First Freedom Bank. Poss began her career with First Freedom as a financial service representative in 2015.

Lucas Watson (’14), Franklin, was appointed chief sales officer for Parcel Logistics North America, within the Körber Business Area Supply Chain, which offers a broad range of supply chain software and intralogistics automation solutions. Watson will lead all business development and marketing functions for the region.

Emily Peoples (’15), Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, joined Chernoff Newman, an integrated marketing communications agency, as media supervisor and digital lead, based in its Charleston office.

Ryan B. Case (’16), Hermitage, announced that his first book, Mr. Bojangles, Dance: Jerry Jeff Walker, Sammy Davis Jr., and the Song That Made Nixon Cry, was published by McFarland Books. Three men’s lives are told through the story of one song. Jerry Jeff Walker, the singer and writer behind the classic hit “Mr. Bojangles,” never would have expected that his song, inspired by an experience in a New Orleans jail cell, would make President Richard Nixon cry, or that it would be covered by Sammy Davis Jr., a supporter of Nixon.

Caleb Powell (’17), Murfreesboro, was named president of the Tennessee Recycling Coalition. Serving a three-year term, he will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s mission and goals, working with the board to grow the organization. Powell is an environmental scientist with the Office of Sustainable Practices at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Reggie Coleman (’18), Murfreesboro, was named Outstanding Middle School Music Teacher of the Year by the Tennessee Music Education Association. He currently is the band director at Rocky Fork Middle School.

Catie Adams Motlow (’19), Elkmont, Alabama, was promoted to game development specialist at SAIC, a technology integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation.

2020s

Brittney Johnson, (’20), Martin, is the first MTSU alum awarded the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. This international award will fully fund her postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge in England.

Bill Lickman

Lickman (’24), a U.S. Air Force veteran, not only survived the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., but his actions led thousands of Pentagon staff members to safety. He later received a Purple Heart for his injuries from that day.

Nearly 23 years later, the Murfreesboro resident graduated from MTSU with a bachelor’s degree in Video and Film Production and received the Veteran Leadership Award during the spring Graduating Veterans Stole Ceremony. Lickman, 45, has been totally immersed at MTSU: production manager and highlight camera operator for MTSU’s ESPN+ sports broadcasts, a photographer for the Sidelines student news outlet, social media manager for MTSU’s student-run television production company, and Student Government Association veteran senator. He and his wife, Tracy, also have a son attending MTSU, Drew, who is a Computer Science major.

Serving in the Air Force for 23 years before retirement, Lickman was one of four USAF Joint Staff Military Security Forces members on duty when terrorists crashed an airliner into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. After helping people evacuate, he returned to the smoke-filled, burning building to protect critical facilities and senior Department of Defense leadership including Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.