By Milt Capps
Published Tuesday, March 5, 2019 3:30 pm
|
BELIEVE IT or not, it'll soon be time to submit nominations for the Nashville Entrepreneur Center's 2019 NEXT Awards and Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame inductions.
Nominations for the 2019 NEXT Awards cycle are due to open in mid-June, about 90 days from now. Details TBA here.
Given the increasingly crowded Nashville and Tennessee entrepreneurial calendars, would-be entrants shouldn't wait til the last minute to frame-out their nominations. Finalists are normally alerted in August and the awards conferred in early November.
The Awards represent some of the most intense exposure that both startup and mature 'market-moving' businesses and entrepreneurial nonprofits can obtain in Music City.
Adding weight to the process: The EC describes its NEXT Awards judges as "Nashville business leaders who demonstrate a strong level of industry expertise, passion for innovation, and exemplary commitment to the startup ecosystem."
 |
So, although there's typically turnover in judges each year, Venture Nashville has with the help of EC staff gathered below details on the judges who presided this year.
To put it all in perspective, there's a recap farther below in this article of 2018's Finalists and Winners (scroll down or click here to jump).
VNC hopes this will crank readers' nomination ideas. First, the most recent NEXT judges:
| Judges | Organization | Role |
| April-Washington, Carmen | The Foot and Ankle Healthcare Ctr. | Healthcare D.P.M. |
| Ballard, Mitch | now: Sr. Dir.-Creative, BMI Austin, Texas | DevDigital prtnr |
| Cobb, Marcus | Jammber | CEO, Musictech |
| Crane-Jones, Angela | Nashville Business Incubation Ctr. | Entrepreneurship |
| Fetherling, Tod | Perception Health | HCTech Mkt intel |
| Goldner, Andrew | GrowthX | Advisor, VC |
| Gortmaker, Elizabeth | Belmont U. Cntr for Entrepreneurship | Director |
| Greider, David | Nashville Health Care Council | VP-member svcs |
| Hayes, Leslie | Pathway Lending Women's Bus. Cntr | SVP-Education |
| Hoff, Sandi | Nashville Technology Council | Chief of Staff |
| Leach, Jimmy | TOM Shoes | VP intl sales |
| Lee, Jennifer | Metro Nashville Public Schools | Software Dev. |
| Levenson, Justin | Lev's House Entertainment | Content; Advisor |
| Lewis, Greg | TN Center for Family Business | Advisor |
| Leyrer, Don | Conclusive Marketing | Marketing |
| Lorrenzi, Brittany | 3R LLC: Blueprint Strat'y; Collaborate | Principal |
| Oliphant, Thom | Taillight TV | video marketing |
| Oppong, Daniel | Briovation | HC talent platform |
| Patterson, June | Events, Project management | Frmr NHCC |
| Reed, Martin | RANDA Solutions | Founder-CEO |
| Sinks, Adam | Full Circle Disposal | Co-Founder |
| Van Beke, Jill | Launch Tennessee (TTDC) | Chief Prog. Ofcr |
| West, Matt | Dexterity LLC publishing | CEO |
FINALISTS & WINNERS of 2018:
NAVIGATION PARTNER OF 2018 -- Pathway Women's Business Center (The only NEXT award selected by EC staff.)
Pathway WBC is a unit of Pathway Lending (Southeast Community Capital Corporation, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution)
ENTREPRENEUR OF 2018
Andy Bailey, Petra Coach
Michael Burcham, Narus Health Inc. **WINNER
Chris Hefley, LeanKit
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF 2018
Emily Arrow, Singalong Shop
Josh Durham, Weighting Comforts LLC ** WINNER
Liz Rogers, Anacrusis
INTRAPRENEURIAL COMPANY OF 2018
Bass, Berry & Sims
Trilliant Health
Vaco LLC **WINNER
GAME CHANGER
A Head For Profits
Hirebotics
IQuity Inc. **WINNER
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND SUSTAINABILITY - MARKET MOVER
Knowledge Academies, Inc.
Project 615
Soles4Souls Inc. **WINNER
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND SUSTAINABILITY - STARTUP
Hytch LLC **WINNER
Nashville Classical
Project Return
FAMILY BUSINESS - MARKET MOVER
Advance Financial Administration LLC **WINNER
Edley's BBQ
R.C. Mathews Contractor
FAMILY BUSINESS - STARTUP
312 Pizza Company LLC **WINNER
Libra Business Solutions
I See You Company
HEALTHCARE - MARKET MOVER
axialHealthcare **WINNER
Emids
Pharos Funds
HEALTHCARE - STARTUP
GreenLight Medical Inc. **WINNER
RyMed Technologies, LLC
Upperline Health
MUSIC AND MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT - MARKET MOVER
Moo TV **WINNER
Penalty Box Radio
TNDV
MUSIC AND MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT - STARTUP
EvaMore
Hurdl Inc. **WINNER
Hustle Media
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES - MARKET MOVER
Infinity Hospitality Group
Lee Company
Music City Tents & Events LLC **WINNER
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES - STARTUP
Ancient Nutrition
JumpCrew LLC **WINNER
Scout Properties
TECHNOLOGY - MARKET MOVER
Absolute Wireless
Campaign Monitor (acq. Emma Inc.) **WINNER
RJ Young
TECHNOLOGY - STARTUP
Acumen Technology LLC **WINNER
Ciblee Solutions cloud
Mitech USA
The NEXT Awards rendition of 2018 was the first time the Nashville Entrepreneur Center executed the program solo, without the Greater Nashville Chamber of Commerce. The first Awards were bestowed for 2011.
The most recent celebration was held at Rocketown, with Lipscomb University as presenting sponsor for NEXT Awards.
As happens each year, the NEXT Awards event also brought Hall of Fame induction for some of Nashville's highest-profile entrepreneurs.
This year's Hall of Fame honorees were Scott Borchetta, president, CEO and founder of Big Machine Label Group; Tom Cigarran, co-founder of AmSurg Corp and HEALTHWAYS and Chairman of the Nashville Predators; and Ron Samuels, co-founder and CEO of Avenue Bank, which was acquired by Pinnacle Financial Partners, within which Samuels is now vice chairman of the board of directors.
Co-chairs of the latest NEXT event included Stuart McWhorter, a former EC CEO and a co-founder of Clayton Associates, and now the commissioner of Finance and Administration in the Administration of Gov. Bill Lee; Dee Anna Smith, CEO of Sarah Cannon, the cancer institute of HCA Healthcare; and John Zarling, who was at the time of the Awards the EVP for marketing and new business within Sony Music Nashville. VNC
. last edited 1549 5 March 2019