Who is the Advisory Board?

Men of Valor is also supported by an Advisory Board, made up of successful community leaders who give generously of their time and talents.

They are:

John B. Avery III
Married to Sarah Hendrix Avery, they are members of Covenant Presbyterian Church, Nashville. Born in Union City, TN, he received his B.A. and MBA from Memphis State University. President of Millennium Medical Trust, manager of small rural hospitals in Middle Tennessee. MOV mentor for over 8 years.

Larry Baker, Chair of the Advisory Board
Insurance Broker with the ASA Group. Born and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee. Received Officer Commission in the United States Army Reserves. Has been a Men of Valor mentor for 6 years. He is married to Vickie, and they're members of Bellevue Community Church.

Jerry Breast
Rear Admiral, United States Navy, retired. Graduate of Vanderbilt University, 1958, with a commission in the Navy and a degree in Physics. He is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, the School of Naval Justice, the Naval War College, and the Naval Test Pilot School. He received a Master's degree in Political Science from the Catholic University. He has been active in Scouting and in Christian Education. He became an elder in the Presbyterian Church in 1971. He is married to Elizabeth, and they have four children. He is a member of First Presbyterian church in Nashville.

Louie Buntin
Chief Executive Officer of the Louie M. and Betty M. Phillips foundation. Graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Currently serving on the Board of Trustees at Belmont University and Harpeth Hall School. Serving also on the Advisory Boards of Cheekwood, Family & Children's Services, and the Senior Citizen's Foundation. Has been married to Laurel Stevenson Buntin since 1983, and they have three children. They are members of Immanuel Baptist Church.

Runcie Clements IV
Runcie is the Vice President of Cumberland Trust and Investment Company. He also works in real estate development. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting at Baylor University and his J.D. at Vanderbilt University School of Law. He is married to Donna and has three children. He and his family attend Grace Chapel in Leipers Fork.

Jim Denton
Works in both insurance and real estate with Fridrich and Associates. Formerly in commercial banking and insurance for 30 years. Member of First Presbyterian Church, Nashville. Graduate of Vanderbilt University. Married to Bernice for 46 years; they have four children and ten grandchildren.

 

J.D. Elliott
President of the Memorial Foundation since its inception in 1994. President of Nashville Memorial Hospital from 1968-1994. J.D. is a native of Cedar Hill, Tennessee, earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Austin Peay University and a Masters Degree in Hospital Administration from Northwestern University. J.D. serves on many boards including the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, World Christian Broadcasting, Lipscomb University, where he serves as Vice Chairman, the Nashville Sports Authority, Rotary Club of Nashville, among many others.  He is also a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives. J.D. is married to Anita, and they have three grown children, two daughters and a son, six grandchildren, and one great granddaughter. He has been an Elder at Madison Church of Christ for 25 years, where he also teaches adult Bible school.

Adam Hicks
Adam Hicks has been Vice President of Marketing and Communications for CARE USA since 2000. In that capacity, he led CARE's first ever global re-branding initiative, course corrected declines in the size of CARE's donor base, and co-created strategies that have grown CARE's private revenues by an annual average of 18% over the last five years. Prior to joining CARE, Mr. Hicks spent 12 years in customer, channel and consumer marketing at The Coca-Cola Company. In his last four years there, Mr. Hicks was Director of the Global Education Market Development and in that capacity, spearheaded efforts in over 60 countries around the world. Mr. Hicks began his career with the NCR Corporation. Mr. Hicks, a graduate of The University of Tennessee, was also Chairman of the Board for Nashville's YMCA Community Action Project between 1989 and 1992. He is the father of three boys (Noah, Tanner and Ian) and is happily married to the former Gillian King.

John (Jack) M. Hooper II
Graduate of George Peabody College and owner of Tennessee Wine and Spirits Company. He has served two terms as Chairman of the Board for the Martha O’Bryan Center. He has served for over 6 years on the Board of the Alcohol and Drug council. He developed a student counseling program in public schools. He has served on the Board of the Parthenon and has been a Board Member of the Cumberland River Compact. Married to Lisle since 1961, they have two children and four grandchildren. He is a member of Nashville’s Christ Church.

Bill Lee
President of Lee Company. Raised in Franklin, Tennessee, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University. Married to the late Carol Ann Lee for 16 years, he has four children. He and his family are members of Abounding Grace Church, where he serves as an Elder.

Tom Smith
Cofounder and managing partner of the employment benefit firm, BeneSync, LLC. Native of East Tennessee, and a 1987 graduate of the University of Georgia. He is married to Tracy. They have three children, and are members of Fellowship Bible Church, Nashville.

William Turner
Graduate of Vanderbilt University. Served in the United States Navy, 6th Fleet, LTJG, 1954-1957. Married to Cathy for more than 46 years, they have two children and two grandchildren. Member of Belmont United Methodist Church for over 68 years, where he has taught the Senior High Sunday School class for 43 years. He has worked for Merrill Lynch for 46 years, currently serving as First Vice President.

Board of Directors

Advisory Board

Carl Carlson (Founder/Director)

Men of Valor Staff