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2018 Salute to Excellence Finalists Announced

Nonprofit Leadership

June 29, 2018

The Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2018 Salute to Excellence nonprofit awards. This year’s event on October 9, 2018 at the Omni Nashville Hotel will feature awards in 13 categories of nonprofit excellence. Winning organizations will receive awards in amounts that total $250,000 as well as recognition for their accomplishments serving the Middle Tennessee community.

“I am thrilled to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our Salute to Excellence finalists for 2018,” said CNM President and CEO Tari Hughes. “The work that these organizations do to serve our community is unmatched, and CNM is proud to partner with them to amplify their impact in Middle Tennessee and beyond. I would also like to thank the community review panels for their hard work in selecting finalists from a pool of many worthy applicants.”

The finalists for the 13 awards categories are:

SunTrust Bank CFO of the Year Award

  • Robert Adams-Ghee, Soles4Souls
  • Leslie McGilberry, Siloam Health
  • Louis Orman, Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee

The Memorial Foundation Leadership Award

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee
  • Dismas House
  • Tennessee Justice Center

Piedmont Natural Gas Sustainable Practices Award

  • Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
  • The Nashville Food Project
  • Urban Green Lab

The Frist Foundation Innovation in Action Award

  • Crossroads Campus
  • Men of Valor
  • Nations Ministry Center

The Healing Trust Catalyst for Change Award

  • Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Oasis Center
  • Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee

Diversified Trust New Generations Award

  • NASBA Center for Public Trust
  • Nashville in Harmony
  • United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties

Skanska Educational Enhancement Award

  • Communities in Schools of Tennessee
  • Moves & Grooves, Inc.
  • Southern Word

Kraft CPAs Board Member of the Year Award

  • Lisa Campbell, Sexual Assault Center
  • Lucia Folk, Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville
  • Harriet Karro, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee

Erie Chapman Foundation Servant’s Heart Award

  • Kawema, Communities in Schools of Tennessee
  • Jane Beasley, Tennessee Justice Center
  • Michael Desjardins, Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center

The Frist Foundation Team Building Award

  • Council on Aging of Middle Tennessee (and the Senior Transportation Leadership Coalition)
  • Pet Community Center (and Metro Animal Care and Control)
  • YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee (Lethality Assessment Program)

The Frist Foundation Revenue Development Award

  • Crossroads Pets
  • NASBA Center for Public Trust
  • Pet Community Center

The Healing Trust Compassionate Care Award

  • Alive Hospice
  • Medical Foundation of Nashville
  • The Nashville Food Project

Bank of America CEO of the Year Award

  • Jaynee K. Day, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
  • Heather Higgins, First Steps, Inc.
  • Tallu Schuyler Quinn, The Nashville Food Project

About CNM: CNM is a membership service organization that serves the Middle Tennessee nonprofit community and its partners. CNM builds nonprofit capacity through consulting services, educational workshops and trainings, collective impact programming, networking opportunities, special events, member resources and more. CNM’s mission is to amplify the impact of nonprofits and their partners in order to create a connected community equipped to realize our greatest opportunities.

About Salute to Excellence: A key part of the CNM’s mission is celebrating nonprofit organizations for their service to the community. For the past 25 years, CNM has hosted Salute to Excellence, an annual awards ceremony honoring CNM member nonprofit organizations for their hard work in Middle Tennessee. Salute to Excellence brings together more than 1,100 local business, community and nonprofit leaders as they honor organizations in 13 distinct categories of service. Finalists in each category receive recognition for their ongoing hard work in the community, and winning organizations take home cash prizes totaling approximately $250,000.

2018 marks the 26th year of recognizing the outstanding Middle Tennessee nonprofits and their leaders by applauding their hard work and commitment to make our community a better place to live and work. Over the years CNM has honored more than 500 nonprofit award finalists and awarded more than $3 million to excellent nonprofits.