BusinessTN

Experimental condensed matter physicist and former head of the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source who in July 2007 was named to run Tennessee’s national lab—the go-to lab for top federal projects, ranging from neutron-scattering to supercomputing. Across the country, the profile of all national labs is expected to grow with President Obama’s focus on cleaner energy and innovation. ORNL should be in the catbird seat and at the forefront of needed breakthrough research.

Powell-based businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and innovator who founded a huge medical equipment and surgical supplies company that employs thousands around the world, including many in depressed areas. DeBusk is a graduate and board chairman of Harrogate-based Lincoln Memorial University and the primary supporter behind the school’s mission and success, including its new $24 million medical school. DeBusk is a force behind the LMU law school planned at a Knoxville campus.

Former project engineer with Exxon and a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, Shorb is now running Memphis’ second-largest employer. He serves on the boards of Memphis Tomorrow (current chairman), the National Civil Rights Museum, the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce (2005 chairman), the Memphis Bioworks Foundation and the University of Memphis Board of Visitors, which is working to loosen ties between the university and the Board of Regents system.

Award-winning scientist at the helm of an internationally renowned institution that treats thousands of children each year for cancer, AIDS and other catastrophic diseases. A highly engaged and visible member of the Memphis and Tennessee business communities, Evans serves on the boards of the Memphis Regional Chamber, Rhodes College, Methodist Le Bonheur Health System, Accredo Health and the Tennessee Technology Development Corp. (TTDC), where he is chairman.

Runs the Memphis-based, 15-hospital system in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas comprised of 13,000 employees and 2,700 physicians—one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the country. Past chairman of the National Committee for Quality Healthcare, the Health Care Institute, a national think-tank of health system CEOs and the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce. Reynolds is also on the boards of Ducks Unlimited, Memphis Tomorrow, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis Bioworks Foundation and the University of Memphis.

Runs Franklin-based CHS, the nation’s largest publicly traded hospital operator, owning, leasing or operating approximately 118 hospitals in 29 states. Since Smith took over about a decade ago, CHS has grown from $742 million in net revenue into a multi-billion dollar company. A leader in Nashville health care circles (a global epicenter of the industry), Smith is a former chairman of the Nashville Health Care Council. More than 900 analysts, portfolio managers and other investment professionals from over 425 institutions have voted Smith Institutional Investor magazine’s No. 1 CEO in the health care facilities sector on multiple occasions.

Leads the largest regional airline carrier operating at Memphis International Airport. The airline operates a fleet of 139 regional jets as Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection. Colgan Air, which Pinnacle bought under Trenary’s leadership in 2007, operates a fleet of 51 regional turboprops as Continental Connection, United Express and US Airways Express (and recently bought $432 million in new jets). Pinnacle boasts 1,000 daily flights and transports 13 million passengers a year to 144 cities. Long-term impact of the Delta-Northwest merger on Pinnacle remains to be seen. Trenary is a member of Memphis Tomorrow.

Prominent Chattanooga businessman and GOP fundraiser. Decosimo runs one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing accounting firms with an ever-growing presence across Tennessee. Decosimo’s investment banking affiliate closed some $17 billion in transactions over the past three decades. His father is legendary businessman and civic icon Joe Decosimo, who is senior chairman emeritus at the firm and still a must-see for local political aspirants.

Clarksville’s most decorated businessman and its most generous philanthropist, Turner has a substantial presence throughout the Middle Tennessee region. As civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army, Turner actively lobbies for military base funding in Clarksville and is integral to the fundraising effort for the $25 million Wings of Liberty Military Museum at Fort Campbell. Among the highest-profile insurance agents anywhere, Turner runs a nationally known insurance firm from his hometown of Clarksville.

Recently announced his bid for a second term as Scenic City mayor. A key player in the recent successful recruitment of German automaker Volkswagen to build a $1 billion plant in Chattanooga, Littlefield is now charged with extracting the maximum benefit from VW’s arrival on Chattanooga’s shores. Littlefield garnered national attention when, in response to the Georgia legislature’s overtures of relocating the TN-GA border to gain access to the Tennessee River, he sent lawmakers in Atlanta a truckload of bottled water.

Former deputy governor under Don Sundquist. Wilson’s power can be summed up by the fact that no other Republican candidate statewide even applied to become state comptroller—the fiscal watchdog for the state—following the GOP’s November takeover of Tennessee’s Capitol Hill. Certainly, no other candidate needed as little runway as Wilson to hold constitutional office. Wilson recently departed as chairman of Nashville’s Electric Power Board, which governs the Nashville Electric Service, the nation’s eleventh largest public power distributor. He is also a member of an advisory board to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The top lobbyist on Capitol Hill, a title he likely deserved even before the GOP’s recent takeover of the state House (though he benefits greatly from the sea change). Key Democratic relationships (including that with House Speaker Pro Tempore Lois DeBerry) make him one of the few lobbyists who can effectively work both sides of the political aisle. McMahan’s stewardship of PAC money is significant. The son of former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker’s chief of staff, McMahan is remembered for successfully representing tobacco giant Philip Morris in a legislative fight against home state FedEx.

Selected in June 2008 to helm Tennessee’s largest school district. The former superintendent of Martha’s Vineyard (Mass.) Public Schools from 1995 to 2004 and, most recently, the chief of accountability and system-wide performance for Miami-Dade County (Fla.) Public Schools, Cash replaced former Memphis superintendent Carol Johnson, who left to take the top post with Boston Public Schools. Cash’s early focus has been security and engagement of the local business community. At press time, he was advocating a local tax increase for schools.

Ramsey is getting more credit than anyone for the announcement that German automaker Volkswagen will build a $1 billion plant in Chattanooga. Hamilton County’s mayor since 1994 and a former state representative, county commissioner and property assessor, Ramsey was a key player in the acquisition and development of Enterprise South industrial park, where Volkswagen now has about 1,300 acres for its plant. Ramsey is also getting kudos for his perseverance in holding out for a major industry after overtures to Kia and Toyota fell on deaf ears.

Another board warrior. Chairman of the Tennessee Lottery Corp. and vice chairman of Vanderbilt University’s Board of Trust. Bottorff also sits on the boards of Ingram Industries and TVA. He is the non-executive chairman of CapStar Bank, which raised $85 million. The former AmSouth chairman and First American CEO is founder and partner of a Nashville-based venture capital firm serving the increasingly prevalent intersection of health care and financial services.

Leads the owner of the Grand Ole Opry as well as the Gaylord Hotels, a force in the convention industry. At press time, though, Reed was fighting recent aggressive takeover efforts by a Texas investor who has been openly critical about the company’s stock drop, recent management decisions and even Reed’s compensation and personal use of a company plane. Gaylord opened its much-anticipated resort and convention center on the banks of the Potomac River in Maryland last year. Plans in San Antonio and San Diego, however, were terminated. Expansion plans are on hold in Nashville, where the Opryland complex is already the largest convention hotel outside of Vegas.

The most influential federal official in Tennessee, Boyd oversees the multibillion-dollar business comprised of the U.S. Department of Energy’s facilities, assets and contractors in Oak Ridge. Boyd established himself as a regional leader with the cleanup effort at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. During a recent ceremony kicking off the demolition of the historic K-25 uranium-enrichment facility, DOE’s acting assistant secretary for environmental management called Oak Ridge a model, in part because of its excellent leadership. The DOE awarded $616 million in contracts to Oak Ridge area small businesses in 2008.

Along with husband Pitt (No. 1) comprises the most philanthropic outfit in Memphis. She runs the Hyde Family Foundations, which focus on educational reform at the city and state levels, as well as city revitalization. The foundation recently issued a $20 million challenge grant aimed at turning Shelby Farms Park into the premier urban park in America. Other causes include Ballet Memphis, the National Civil Rights Museum and the Memphis Zoo.

Arguably the most thanked man in Music City—that is if you like to watch the country music award shows. Galante controls all Sony BMG Nashville labels, which include RCA, BNA, Arista, Columbia and EPIC. Award-winning artists/groups whose careers he oversees include Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, to name a few. Galante serves on the Country Music Association Board of Directors and was involved in the recent creation and launch of Nashville’s Avenue Bank.

Grew Knoxville-based Anderson News from a small family-owned magazine distributor to a national multimedia entertainment company with more than 10,000 employees. Anderson acquired over a decade ago what is now one of the nation’s largest distributors of pre-recorded music. The former UT-Knoxville football player now serves on the UT Board of Trustees. Anderson’s power extends to Nashville as a board member and past chairman of the Country Music Association.