BusinessTN

Next week, BusinessTN magazine will unveil its sixth annual Power 100 list of the most influential people in Tennessee. As a testament to the relative stability of the power structure in Tennessee, 86% of those selected in 2008 return in 2009.

Who are the new additions? Readers will have to wait until next week to find out. Here, however, is a list of a handful of the 14 people who fell off the coming year's list and an explanation of why.

Stuart Brunson

Recently resigned his post as deputy governor, the most powerful non-elected post in state government, where he had served since December 2006. Brunson has been a long-time advisor to Gov. Phil Bredesen, serving as campaign manager for Bredesen's election in 2002 and for his re-election in 2006.

John Moses

The former CEO of the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, or ALSAC, the mega-fundraising arm of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, announced his retirement in 2008.

Richard Saluzzo

Departed as president and CEO of Wellmont Health System in Kingsport following a significant financial turnaround to return home to New England and run the Cape Cod Healthcare system in Hyannis, Mass.

Gary Odom & Lois DeBerry

High-ranking Democrats in the state House (Odom was majority leader; DeBerry remains speaker pro tempore) whose power took a significant blow as a result of the surprise GOP takeover in the November elections.

Gary Wade

From an East Tennessee perspective, Wade really doesn't deserve to fall off the list. The Supreme Court Justice and former two-time mayor of Sevierville is still a powerful force in the East and widely respected by both Democrats and Republicans. As one informed source said, "Whatever it is, having Gary for it is a big deal." However, in a year when the Tennessee Supreme Court became just the third high court nationally to enjoy a female majority, and a year when the justices picked a female in Janice Holder to serve as its chief justice, Wade's representation of the court on BusinessTN's annual power list takes at least a temporary hiatus.

Gordon Bonnyman

Agree or disagree with Bonnyman's stances as an advocate and lawyer for the least fortunate among us on issues like TennCare reform, he remains someone who at anytime can become a point person in a power struggle at the highest levels of government and the courts in Tennessee over fair treatment and adequate legal representation. That said, Bonnyman has lost just about every major TennCare-related argument that's been brought before the federal courts in recent years. Recently, he was dealt a major defeat when Judge John Nixon ruled in favor of the state in the "Daniels case," which involves the process of verifying TennCare enrollee eligibility.