The following five individuals represent people who possess major power in Metro Nashville and beyond, but we had to make tough decisions for only 10 spots.
Of course, each of these individuals met our criteria and/or exceeded them in one or another category. As we did in 2018 we’ve decided to highlight the top honorable mention.
Kevin Lavender
Kevin Lavender currently Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Banking, Fifth Third Bank. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Georgia.
Michael Carter
Michael Carter is the Co-founder and is currently serving as Managing Partner of Pinnacle Construction Partners, LLC. Michael earned his BA and MBA from the University of Detroit, Michigan. Pinnacle is a Tennessee and multi-state construction firm. Carter also serves on the board of the Nashville Public Education Foundation and for United Way of Middle Tennessee.
Lee Molette II
Lee Molette is a Detroit native and earned his BA in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from North Carolina Central University. Molette is the founder and CEO of Molette Investment Services which he launched in 2002. The company provides services in business consulting, real estate investing, and educational investing. Lee also co-owns the Franklin Tennessee Edible Arrangements franchise store. Lee serves on many community chairs in Nashville. He is also a member of Omega Psi Phi. Fraternity, Inc., and has received the Omega Psi Phi citizen of the Year award, among many others.
Brenda Gilmore
Senator Gilmore serves on the Tennessee State Senate for District 19. She has formerly served Director of Vanderbilt University, as a Member of Nashville Metro Council, and as a Representative for Tennessee State House of Representatives. She received her BS in Business from Tennessee State University and earned her MA in Human Resource Development from Vanderbilt University.
Vonda McDaniel
Vonda serves as President of the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee since 2013. She graduated from Tennessee State University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She serves as the Vice-Chair of Board for the Music City Center, she is Co-Chair of the State Fed/CLC Advisory Committee. Vonda believes it is imperative to emphasize how labor, civil rights, faith, and student activism all intertwine in building power and providing change for all.
