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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Ellen Lehman, Jeremy Lehman, Leslie Ballard
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Hal Cato, Jim Gingrich
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Mayor John Cooper
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Delorse Lewis, Donna Williams, Richard Lewis.
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Carlana Harwell, Dr. Jeffrey Eskind, Annette Eskind
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Tommy Frist Jr., Aubrey Harwell, Ellen Lehman, Richard Eskind
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Bret Wolcott, Erica Wollam Nichols, Peter Collins, Tamara Saviano, Stacy Widelitz
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Aubrey and Carlana Harwell, Lisa and Lyle Beasley
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Benja Hutchens, Pat and Ed Cole
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Jamie Eskind, Doni Lehman, Annette Eskind.
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The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
In her remarks to the crowd and surrounded by CFMT staffers, Ellen Lehman welcomes her successor, new CFMT Executive Director Hal Cato.
To honor Ellen Lehman's service of more than thirty-one years as president and a founder of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, friends, family, and present and past colleagues threw her a retirement party.
Just prior to her official retirement on December 31, guests gathered together on December 29 at the Noah Liff Opera Center. Catering was provided by Michael Dinwiddie and live music was provided by brothers Matt and Topher Walberg, plus Joe Andrews. Lehman's successor, longtime Nashville nonprofit leader Hal Cato, began work at CFMT in November and was among many of the well-wishers at the soiree.
Among her remarks Jerry Williams, CFMT Board of Trustees member and also a former board chair, announced the creation of The Community Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Lehman’s honor. The annual award, with $15,000 going to the winner, recognizes an outstanding social entrepreneur who is successfully implementing visionary solutions to community problems.
From the organization’s austere beginnings in her garage office in 1991, Lehman shepherded the growth of CFMT into the largest nonprofit in Middle Tennessee.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper also attended the retirement party and read a proclamation that heralded The Foundation’s contributions of more than $1.2 billion to area nonprofits through Lehman’s time leading the organization.