Noro-Moseley digi-partner out

Greg Foster (left) has, according to the Atlanta Business Journal, been edged-out of the VC firm, Noro-Moseley, as the firm reportedly perceived little role for digital media in its portfolio, going foward. HT to TechJournalSouth.

SEC attacks VR offering

Here's a fresh example of desperation and how not to do business, courtesy of the SEC, which is attacking most of those involved in 3001 AD LLC, a virtual non-entity that made wild promises about relations with Disney execs and more, en route to raising a reported $20MM, fraudulently. While the 3001AD site is apparently gone, here's how they once described themselves.

RePower TN expands

Nashville-based Repower Tennessee has opened a Chattanooga office, the TFP reports. As part of the Repower America campaign, the TN operation aims to spur clean energy and creation of Green jobs.

TN academics for consolidation

The AP reports the majority of TN universities' faculty members are in favor of integrating into a single higher-ed admin system the campuses currently controlled by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Related VNC item on Frist and Bredesen education initiatives here.

Solar sausage-making

The KNS's Larisa Brass reports on Lenoir City's Wampler Sausage adopting Solar energy, and federal and local agencies are on the bandwagon. Here's the story.

Eastate Facebook trouble

Apart from all the good that comes with it, Facebook has been at the center of at least two eruptions of badwill in E.TN.: A week ago, the Chattanooga Chamber's lobbyist was compelled to resign, after he apparently posted anti-Muslim comments on a Facebook page... Now, comes word of litigation between a Knoxville pizza purveyor and his marketing agency, with Facebook again at the center of the conflict.

CBU-Memphis spawn Geeks

Cooperation between Christian Brothers University and Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering may be producing future engineers for Tennessee. The CA reports.

NetGain IT to Noog

NetGain Technologies is adding Chattanooga to its locations, in addition to headquarters Lexington, Ky., and an office in Little Rock. Chattanoogan.com reports.

Megasite advances

A 1,700-acre Megasite in Haywood County, west of Jackson, moved a step closer to reality, with the vote yesterday of the State Building Commission to allow spending about $40MM for land. Gov. Phil Bredesen has previously committed to building a 20-acre solar farm on the property that's being assembled, with much of the Solar expenditure funded by Federal Stimulus funding. The Jackson Sun reports. Related: The Tennessean reports further on threatened lawsuits that could yet slow the megasite's development, if environmentalists, landowners left out of the deal and others follow through.

VU names Admin chief

Jerry Fife (left), who had held down half of former Vice Chancellor Lauren Brisky's job since her retirement, has been named vice chancellor for administration, which includes overseeing the physical plant, information technology, business operations and related matters. In June, VU named Brett Sweet, a former Harvard executive, to handle CFO duties previously held by Brisky. Many of Brisky's other duties are held by Betty Price, deputy vice chancellor of finance and controller, reporting to Sweet. VU's release on Fife is here.

TechCrunch blowsup NV firm

Nashville-based Nicholas Holland and Jackson Miller's (at left) gpsAssassin game for iPhone gets one helluva sendup on TechCrunch, by writer Jason Kincaid. Here's our earlier story on the game's launch. A year ago, Jackson Miller was presenting in the TechCrunch demo pit, a startup showcase, and hoping to launch Statzen, which has taken somewhat of a backseat to gpsAssassin, which recently passed the 10,000 simultaneous users milestone.

Hammond to Gen Cap

Christopher Hammond (left) in August joined Burton Hills-based Gen Cap America, the private equity firm, from Calvert Street Partners, a mez-fund in Baltimore. He was previously with GE Capital, Heller Financial and Ernst & Young. PEHub reports. Hammond earned his degrees at Northwestern's Kellogg School and at Notre Dame.

Baptist-Memphis adopts Allscripts

Memphis-based Baptist Memorial Health Care has adopted Chicago-based Allscripts Misys Healthcare Solutions technology for EHR and practice-management. Release here. Also, with an HT to NashvillePost, BlueCross BlueShield of TN's VSHP had adopted CH Mack's care-management technology, release here.

Debut Broadcasting refinancing

Nashville-based Debut Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.(OTC BB: DBTB), a startup media and entertainment company that, among other things, buys and-or syndicates radio stations in exurban areas in the South, on Sept. 28 announced completion of a $1.5 million financing agreement with River Falls Financial Services, LLC (Lacrosse, Wisc.) as part of an overall restructuring of the company. VNC's original story on Debut is here.

10 Worst Pitch Lines

Michael Burcham, the VU Owen GSM fellow who runs the summer Accelerator program, offers the "10 Worst Opening Pitch Lines of Entrepreneurs" on his blog.

GeneIndexer breakthrough

Memphis-based Computable Genomix LLC, formed in 2007 after about four years concerted work by a couple of Memphis-area informatics experts, is launching GeneIndexer, which the company and its beta customers say drastically reducing the time spent on sorting genomic information for the data most useful in studies. The CA reports.

ORNL: $400MM in Stimulus

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thom Mason says, when all is said and done, Oak Ridge's Stimulus funding will probably be about $400MM, and the path ahead looks pretty good. The KNS' Frank Munger reports.

Fred-Ex happier

FedEx Founder, Chairman, CEO and President Fred Smith is probably happier, given a union proposal to separate him from some of his duties failed, again, in a vote by shareholders; and, given he believes "guarded confidence" prevails regarding the economy. The CA reports. We think that's a BusinessWeek photo of him, at left.

Knox ivi videocaster launches

[Updated] Knox ivi, an Internet video channel, has set up shop in Market Square in Knoxville, in the space previously held by another short-lived videocaster. The KNS reports the story here.

TTDC grant announcements

Six grants totaling $502K have been made by Tennessee Technology Development Corp. to a half-dozen research and commercialization teams around the state, for projects ranging from cancer research to new auto engines. The story's here.

NEWSBITS, Sept. 28, 2009

A strategic hire at Healthways, an update on TNInvestcos, a deadline at the local Entrepreneurs Organization chapter, new board members at Tenn. Biotechnology Association, major local tech-venture events, and Bill Frist's next step as part of an alliance to dramatically reshape Tennessee education. Here's the roundup.

Airplay Direct update

In June we reported Airplay Direct, which enables artists to distribute songs and presskits, was considering moving from Atlanta to Nashville, tho the decision seemed to us then and now to hinge largely on attracting NV capital. In reviewing Airplay entrepreneur Robert Weingartz's background, we (and he) omitted that he previously had some kind of relationship with a company called Radio Submit, which operates in the same space and is also a licensee of JamRoom, software apparently key to the rival companies' models. We learned this from the RadioSubmit guys in the past few days. Reached by VNC this weekend, Weingartz politely declined to comment on remarks sent us by RadioSubmit's Robert Bartosh, out of Austin. The Radio Submit guys said indicated they were mainly irritated not to have been credited in the story with being first (their claim) in the space. Weingartz said he'll soon provide an update on his company. (JamRoom is owned by Tall Dude Networks.)

IT Prof's innovation laurels

University of Tennessee Prof. Carol Tenopir (at left) has received the 2009 American Society for Information Science and Technology Award of Merit, which is accorded those who have, according to a UT release, "made a noteworthy contribution to the field of information science, including the expression of new ideas, the creation of new devices, the development of better techniques and outstanding service to the profession of information science." UT adds, "A major study of information science scholarship recently found Tenopir to be the most frequently cited researcher in the field and ranked her first in terms of scholarly productivity. Her research, with a strong user focus, covers the evolution and development of databases, online systems and searching, and, more recently, scholarly communications on a broad scale."

Props for Clean E-nergy

As this article suggests the Germans amply demonstrate, if the U.S. or Tennessee fail to see the opportunity in Clean Energy, others will.

Great Recession Notes

Well, the Fed may say it's ending, but in the past few days the Great Recession spawned a couple more factoids we'd rather not see: Job-seekers outnumber openings 6:1, the worst ratio since tracking the trend began in 2000. The NYT reports. This next one is probably for the good: Frugality may become permanent, an AP story via the CA.

InvestTennessee site up

That InvestTennessee.org site that was touted during the Governor's annual economic-development conference a couple weeks ago is now live. Nice cache of resources.

Ingram's VitalSource update

Ingram VitalSource e-book downloads with interactive features, plus its Bookshelf platform, are helping Ingram Digital become the textbook publisher's best friend, despite a field of competitors who don't have Ingram's publisher network. Ingram bought VitalSource about three years ago. William Williams reports it in The City Paper.

MDN's Stanford Financial update

Andy Meek at the Memphis Daily News continues his superb coverage of the Stanford Financial Ponzi-scheme proceeding and punishments, in the Sept. 28 edition of MDN.

TNInvestco adds two apps

Add local funds Teleion and Ashton to the TNInvestco applicants queue, as the official list rises to 14, ahead of the October 1 COB deadline.

NV 'Profit Engineer' wows 'em

Nashville 'profit engineer' and social-media expert, David Bullock (left) of White Bullock Group, wowed 'em in Memphis with his presentation about online marketing. The CA reports.

TN economic outlook

It'll be 2014 before we're collectively on a roll and reducing unemployment, according to the MTSU Economist David Penn, during yesterday's economic-outlook conference in Murfreesboro. The Murf. Post reports. Coincident with the MTSU event, the WSJ was reporting a Barclay's appraisal that we're about to have a strong wave of recovery...followed today by reports of disappointing durable-goods orders.

Sci-research network launches

Former Vanderbilt University Vice Chancellor Mike Schoenfeld, now at Duke University, is among the ringleaders in Futurity.org, an online science-research news service recently launched by Vanderbilt and 34 other universities.

ORNL PhD explosion

Frank Munger of the KNS provides stats on the origins and specialties of 946 staff holding Ph.D.s at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including the fact 37 percent of the doc-holders have been there five or fewer years and the biggest supplier of doctorates: University of Tennessee.

Music up online

NBJ's Jeannie Naujeck reports on resurgence of Music Videos, driven by online and video on demand.

UT energy scientist holds Gov's Chair

Thomas Zawodzinski, an expert and innovator in fuel cell and related energy storage science and technology, now holds the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor's Chair designated for electrical energy storage. Zawodzinski was previously at Case Western's Advanced Power Institute. The UT release is here.

VU endowment drops

On roughly a par with the erosion of the Vanderbilt University endowment as reported earlier this year, VU today announced that for the year ending June 30, 2009, the endowment stands $2.8 billion, a drop of 16.3 percent from year-earlier's $3.5 billion (prior to the full effects of the market crash).

Rockhouse launch

Nashville Entrepreneur Center (NEC) Project Manager Joe Kustelski and former colleagues at Echomedia (now part of Ticketmaster, and mostly in LA) have a new venture, Rockhouse Partners, that's focused on data-driven brand and marketing supporting for sports, music, entertainment venues, sponsors, et al. The VNC story's here.

SSM Partners raise update

SSM Partners, which is an investor in payment-solutions provider Frontstream Payments in Brentwood, said in an SEC filing that, as of its filing, it had raised $56.7MM toward a targeted $125MM for its fourth fund. SSM is based in Memphis, and typically invests $5MM-$20MM.

Gemino debt for Enduracare

Gemino Healthcare Finance, which is allied with Clayton Associates here, has provided $6.5MM in revolver and loan support for Enduracare Critical Care, Mobile, Ala.

NV adds Health IT firm

SergeMD, a Memphis firm that began life in IT services, is now pushing into electronic health and medical records, and has opened a Nashville office, with a staff of four, according to the Memphis Business Journal. SergeMD has partnered with NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, based in Atlanta. NextGen has a suite of health IT, EHR and related products and services.

Entrepreneur Center kickoff

Here's VNC's advance story on the scheduled unveiling of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and a new ChamberP2010 marketing campaign. Updated: Here are post-announcement stories from TSN, NBJ and NvP..

Jaworski's new ventures

Dave Jaworski and Skip Franklin, both former execs with the now-deceased PassAlong Networks, aren't letting moss grow on their plans for new ventures. Here's what they're up to, now.

Partnership honors Ingram

The Nashville Downtown Partnership is honoring Ingram Industries Chairman Emerita Martha Rivers Ingram today for her visionary leadership, focused on downtown Nashville. She is also chairman of the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt University. She is regularly listed among the world's wealthiest human beings. A native of Charleston, S.C., Ingram has been the mother of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the savior of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, the main private sponsor of the Tennessee Bicentennial celebration, and more. The Tennessean reports.

Memphis BioWorks links scientists

Memphis BioWorks Foundation continues to find new ways to span boundaries, evaporate silo walls and bridge stakeholder groups. The MDN reports on it.

State social-media push

Tennessee's tourism officials have been pushing their messages via social media, and Kate Gallagher blogged about the results of the state's recent survey of its audience regarding what consumers would like to see the State tweeting, Facebooking, etc. Here's Kate's post.

Rhodes alum in The White House 2.0

Rhodes College alumna ('91) Katie Jacobs Stanton is in charge of The Obama White House's citizen participation and social-media efforts. Earlier, Stanton worked for Google Finance, Yahoo, Chase and others, and attended grad school at Columbia University. The CA reports.

Paramore reveals all

Hannah Paramore (left), the entrepreneur who founded Paramore|Redd online marketing, will address the Nashville Chapter of the American Marketing Association, Oct. 7. Details here.

TN Megasite update

Tennessee's megasites have stood it well, helping win investment here by Hemlock Semiconductors, Volkswagen, and others. Despite some recent flags tossed by some politicians, officials surrounding the proposed megasite West of Jackson say they'll meet the Oct. 31 deadline for exercising land-acquisition options. Yesterday, WPLN Nashville Public Radio reported that the group and the State Department of Economic and Community Development are working hard to finalize land-configuration and -purchase details, prior to a State Building Commission next week. Related VNC story.

Wright Medical to Oz

Memphis-based Wright Medical announced a new subsidiary based in Australia and a new distribution partner, there. The CA reported it. Here's the company's release.

Energy Summit, Sept. 23-24

The National Energy Summit and International Dialogue sessions are viewable via online videoconference, visit here. HT: Frank Munger, KNS.

AuthorsWay from Stagepost

Nashville production house StagePost has launched AuthorsWay, providing webpages, content distribution, satellite interviews and more for authors. The service is analogous in some ways to the offerings of a former Ingram publishing exec-turned-entrepreneur, via FiledBy. HT: NashvillePost.com.

Franklin seeks PE fund mgrs.

The City of Franklin has an RFP on the streets, and is looking for one or more good fund-of-funds managers to oversee investment of Franklin municipal pension assets in private-equity secondary markets. Here's the latest.

Chambless heads new fund

Nashville Capital Network Executive Director Sid Chambless is now also managing partner of the newly christened Tennessee Angel Fund. Chambless also operates NCN Angel Fund I LP, a sidecar fund. The VNC story's here.

HealthStream-Quorum pact revealed

Today, not long after an analyst questioned HealthStream's strategy and supposed lack of adequate synergy between learning and research, (quoting the companies' release) "HealthStream, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSTM), a leading provider of learning and research solutions for the healthcare industry, and Quorum Health Resources (QHR), the nation’s largest hospital management company and one of the top 10 healthcare consulting firms in the United States, announced today a partnership that enables both HealthStream and QHR to deliver a wider range of best-in-class solutions to the hospital market. Through the new partnership, QHR will be able to offer hospital clients industry-leading learning and research solutions from HealthStream while, concurrently, HealthStream will be able to offer hospital clients QHR’s proven consulting and innovative education and training solutions."

FCC's fresh Net push

[Updated] True to his word, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski outlined an ambitious broadband agenda, yesterday at the Brookings Institution. Read his remarks here (pdf). He's taking on Net Neutrality, provider transparency and other hot-button issues. Genachowski was running a VC fund before joining the Obama Administration. Update Sept. 30: The FCC estimates it'll cost $50BN or more to ensure broadband access to Americans who don't have it, and to increase broadband speed. The WSJ reports.

Emdeon jury out

As we reported early yesterday, analyst Bret Jones expected the underwriters of Emdeon's IPO to send strong signals of support yesterday. But the banks' actions seemed lackluster, taken overall. It's still early, Jones told VNC later yesterday, but given it was the first day after the Emdeon quiet period ended, Jones said "it was not as positive of a reception as I imagined." NYSE:EM 30-day charts ending Sept. 21, at left.

Bredesen Solar update

That discussion with the Feds about how to spend Stimulus moneys destined for the Tennessee Solar Institute has ended in an agreement that while the State may fund basic Solar research, Stim funds will go toward quicker results: Larisa Brass reports in the KNS that Stim funds will fuel a Solar Opportunity Fund, which will be administered from UT's Cherokee Farms research campus and will be focused on helping "businesses looking to reduce energy consumption and utilize solar technology. Other money will be available for work force development in order to prepare workers for new jobs building, installing and maintaining solar systems." Related VNC coverage here.

Decosimo adds exec

Decosimo Corporate Finance, based in Chattanooga, has appointed Jack Zollinger (left), an entrepreneur and consultant based in Florida, as managing director of its business-intermediary business. The former business owner and manufacturer is also a retired U.S. Navy officer, a N.C. State University-education electrical engineer and a Dartmouth Tuck School MBA. Chattanoogan.com reports.

2009 'Genius Grants' told

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, based in Chicago with four ex-U.S. offices, named 24 Fellows, each of whom gets $500K to use as they please, with hope they'll build upon their previous achievements. The Foundation's announcement is here. The selection process: Annually, new fellowship nominators are chosen. Read more here. The majority,but not all of this year's recipients live in major U.S. urban centers, with links to major universities.

Economic indicators up

The Conference Board reports via a release, "The Conference Board Leading Economic Index(TM) (LEI) for the U.S. increased 0.6 percent in August, following a 0.9 percent gain in July, and a 0.8 percent rise in June. Since reaching a peak in July 2007, the LEI fell for twenty months - the longest downtrend since the mid 1970s - but it has been rising since April and its gains have become very widespread," says Ataman Ozyildirim, Economist at The Conference Board. "The six-month growth rate of the LEI continues to accelerate. At the same time, the downtrend in the coincident economic index, measuring current economic activity, seems to be stabilizing, with the index flat so far this quarter."

Firm aids EHR tech apps

Clarksville-based DataSource Mobility, a specialist in mobile technology, offers to help customers apply for grants for electronic health records.

IASIS to Inc.'s Top Rev Cos

Franklin-based IASIS Healthcare has made it into the INC. 5000 list of Top 10 private companies, by revenue, hitting $2.1 Billion.

Class action: Psych Solutions

Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP today announced that a class action has been commenced on behalf of an institutional investor in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on behalf of purchasers of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc.

LP offers up 20.7MM shares

Something in the air? Louisiana-Pacific (NYSE:LPX), based here, today announced plans to offer up to 20.7MM shares of its common stock, and will use the proceeds to paydown debt and for other corporate purposes. The company has been buffeted by financial problems, as the housing market imploded.

Dell Inc., Perot, EHR

Dell Inc. announced today it's buying Perot Systems for $3.9 Billion. The company, which has a major assembly and logistics operation in Nashville, also said recetly it's jumping into electronic health records, bigtime, prompting iHealthBeat's comment.

TNInvestco boosts VC forum

Tech2020's annual Venture Forum gets an added boost this year, with the prospect of an additional pool of TNInvestco funding. The story's here. Y'know TNInvestco's a hit when you have the TN Department of Revenue sporting such a spiffy logo and slogan.

Knox cos in Social Media

Larisa Brass produces the KNS' roundup on social-media software development in the Knoxville area, touching on Spruz, SlamDot, LocalChirps, Carp Data, et al. The story's here.

Eastate health info net

The Knoxville Business Journal (KNS) provides a great overview of the renewed push for a regional health information exchange in East Tennessee, the story's here.

TNInvestco Update

Over at The City Paper-NashvillePost.com, Tom Wood provides a recap of the TNInvestco program and current applicants. Note: Although $120MM is the nominal value of tax-credit allocations, $84MM has been cited by officials as the net capital available for investment among up to six TNInvestco-certified companies. Story here; City Paper applicants list here; official State applicants list, here.

Gratis space in NV incubator

If your startup can pass muster at XMi, including a background check, you may win at no cost free office space in a Church Street building controlled by XMi Capital and XMi Commercial Real Estate. Here's what's up.

Analyst targets Emdeon

Analyst Bret Jones apparently doesn't render many "Sell" ratings, but Nashville-based Emdeon got one. In an interview with VNC, Jones also sent plaudits to Passport Health. Here's the story.

Kudos! to TN bikemaker

Tennessee designer-manufacturer American Bicycle Group, Ooltewah, has returned from Germany with a prize for excellence. ABG specializes in Triathon machines. Read about it, from the Times Free Press.

Saturn under Penske

The New York Times reports on how Roger Penske intends to salvage the Saturn brand and its dealerships, if he can secure a foreign automaker to supply vehicles after GM's stand-down in 2011. Penske expects to close the Saturn deal, in October.

NYTx: Gadgets, Gigawatts

The New York Times reports on the prospects of federal mandates for efficiency and conservation of energy used by computers, video games, power supplies and other e-gadgets.

SiValley jobless record

Silicon Valley joblessness has hit a record 12 percent, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Oak Ridge centrifuge layoffs

With a federal loan guarantee nowhere in sight, layoffs now total about 163 workers at Oak Ridge's American Centrifuge Project. The KNS reports.

MLGW covers pension losses

Memphis Light Gas & Water Division has to come up with about $60MM over two years, based on current estimates, to cover losses in its portfolio. The CA reports.

Crow now Mercer Cap prez

At Memphis-based Mercer Capital, a business-valuation and investment banking firm, the retirement of Ken Patton led CEO Chris Mercer to elevate Matthew Crow to the president's post. The firm's release. Crow has been with Mercer Capital 15 years. He earned his master's at UNC Chapel Hill and his bachelor's at Vanderbilt University.

gpsAssassin passes 10K users

gpsAssassin, which as reported earlier by VNC was developed here locally by Nick Holland and Jackson Miller (at left), has passed the 10,000 simultaneous gameplayers mark, according to a release this morning.

Software Summit here, Nov. 5-6

The open-source LAMP Summit and Camp are convening in Nashville, Nov. 5-6, driven by a host of Middle Tennessee tech and recruitment organizations. The release is here. Sponsors and leaders include Emma, RemarkableWit, and others.

IBM Speaker, Oct. 28

In Chattanooga, IBM transformation expert and business strategist Mark Cleverley will speak at UT-Chattanooga. Chattanoogan.com reports.

NV biz, tech clubs

Nashville Business Journal's latest issue (Sept. 18th edition, p. 19) provides an update on the Nashville chapter of Ladies Who Launch, a nationwide organization that helps incubate women-owned businesses, projects and ideas. The same issue of NBJ includes Social Media Club Nashville, which is just getting organized. Visit their chapter site here.

e-Discovery grows at CoC

Brentwood-based Counsel on Call announced today adding former King & Spalding and Bass Berry lawyer Barry Willms to its e-Discovery team. The release isn't posted yet, but the site's here.

Forbes taps VEXTEC #1

Brentwood-based VEXTEC Corp. has been named No. 1 among the top 20 most-promising companies in America by none other than Forbes magazine. Related, ABCNews, Sept. 29.

Health Care Council beefs-up

Nashville Health Care Council announced today some new staff and some shifting of duties, under President Caroline Young (at left): Sophie Moery now headsup communications, after a stint in the office of Tennessee Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr. Caleb Graves, previously associated with the Bush White House, takes over Membership. Other staff had their duties redefined, with Mark Richards now manager for overall Operations; Judith Byrd handling Leadership Health Care; and, Jamie Lee running special events. The Council also recently announced its updated board of directors complement.

Traditional Media retain edge

The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University says in a report just out that traditional media have greater impact and influence than social media and other e-phenoms. The release is here.

Chatta. State Health Sci. Center

Health information management, nursing and other fields get additional support with the reinvention of the health sciences center at Chattanooga State University. The TFP's story's here.

New Biz startup center

With a federal grant inhand, Chattanooga leaders have begun work on a new business development center, run by the Chamber. Chattanoogan.com reports here.

Tennessee airports advance

[Updated Sept. 20] The KNS reports there's serious discussion of creating a general-aviation airport at Oak Ridge. The story's here. Meanwhile, the Memphis airport is in for improvements, the CA reports here and here, too. And, here's a story, Sept. 19, about airport progress at Cleveland, Tenn. Also: an LA Times story about federal funding for improving community air-access.

TBA leadership condundrum

The Tennessee Biotechnology Association Board of Directors is regrouping and will confer tomorrow on how to proceed with recruiting a new chair, setting strategy and priorities and more. Here's our story. That's TBA President Joe Rolwing, at left.

VU Venture exec eyes cap gaps

Vanderbilt University technology transfer and commercialization Venture Manager Christopher Rand reports on the 'disconnect' he senses between VCs and seed-stage companies here. Here's the VNC story.

Passport names CTO

Passport Health Communications today announced the appointment of Seth Rupp as its chief technology officer. Rupp has previously been with Cerner, Grant Thornton, Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and others. Related Passport coverage on VNC.

Varallo to March biz broker

A release today from the South Florida-based March Group business brokerage about a native Nashvillian joining the firm: "James E. 'Jim' Varallo (at left) has joined The March Group as Senior Managing Director for Capital Markets announced Robert W. Scarlata, CEO / President of the private mergers and acquisitions firm that specializes in the sale of middle-market businesses throughout North America.
Jim Varallo has more than 35 years of business experience, both as an entrepreneur in commercial real estate and as a specialist in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Since 1990, he has owned and operated Varallo Investment Properties, assisting business sellers and buyers in hundreds of transactions throughout the U.S." The Varallo family has been a presence in Nashville business circles for generations.