Nashville Lifestyles Women in Business 2014

Leslie Fram — Senior Vice President of Music Strategy, Country Music Television (CMT)

In 2011, Leslie Fram made an aggressive career move: After more than 20 years working in rock radio, she switched to television—and took a turn toward country music. But an introduction to the world of country wasn’t necessary: She had already established herself as one of the first radio programmers in New York to incorporate country music into an alternative radio format, and she was the first female to receive the T.J. Martell Foundation award for outstanding performance in the music industry.

At CMT, Fram leads the music strategy division, meaning she oversees all music integration within the CMT brand and continues to break new artists (a task she regularly accomplished in radio). She’s also spearheading CMT’s Next Women of Country initiative to support female artists. “We want to continue to be the filter for country music fans for all things country, x93 she says. That includes the latest news, videos, and content from country superstars but also music discovery through the channel’s CMT Artists App, CMT Edge, and various digital franchises.

Three years into this new territory, Fram says she couldn’t have made a better decision. “I love the creativity and culture at CMT, which starts with [Philips], x93 she says. “I am blessed to work with a music and talent team who are so passionate about what they do on a daily basis. x93

Connie McGee — CEO and Co-founder, Evolve Women; Healthcare Consultant, Pershing, Yoakley, and Associates (PYA)

Connie McGee has faced obstacles in her career from the very beginning, she says, which is why co-founding Evolve Women, a community resource that develops, educates, and innovates businesswomen, was an endeavor that hit close to home. “In 1986, I graduated with my BS in business administration, with my eight-month-old son by my side, x93 she says. “Determined to finish my degree, this experience taught me perseverance: I realized could do anything I set my mind to do. x93

Evolve’s primary goal, says McGee, is to help remove barriers so women can pursue their dreams. Aside from working with Evolve, she greatly enjoys serving as a consultant with the PYA team—and especially appreciates PYA’s support of Evolve Women. “My passion to start Evolve was built around my personal experiences and how I could provide resources to help others avoid some of the same challenges, x93 she says. One of the perks, McGee says, is being able to work across all facets of Nashville’s growing community, which exposes her to a group of diverse individuals on a daily basis.

CeCe McCormick Moore — Co-founder, Sweet CeCe’s Frozen Yogurt & Treats

Five years after getting Franklin frozen yogurt shop Sweet CeCe’s off the ground, CeCe McCormick Moore has turned a two-store operation into a 33-location franchise. She first envisioned the whimsical treat shop after moving to Nashville from California, where she was born and raised, with the notion that she could create a happy escape for families—that also happened to serve healthy treats. The shop immediately drew interest from out-of-towners, and requests for franchises came pouring in. “Duplicating that experience, that happy, whimsical environment, is a challenge, x93 she admits. “But so is finding the right location and staying abreast of industry trends. x93

Today, the company has a research and development department and Moore oversees the growing number of locations (now in 10 states) by working directly with the owner-operators. Despite the travel and hectic schedule, Moore, a mother of four, says being a stay-at-home mom was a much more demanding gig. “Nothing has ever been that hard, x93 she says, but it did turn her into an expert multi-tasker.

Her new mission is focused on anti-bullying: In addition to speaking at area schools, she’s published a children’s book, The Sweet Adventures of CeCe and Oliver the Giraffe, and gives a portion of proceeds to STARS Nashville, which promotes the prevention, intervention, and treatment of bullying.

Glenda Baskin Glover — President, Tennessee State University

Glenda Baskin Glover has never been one to allow gender or race to hinder her success. In fact, as dean of the College of Business at Jackson State University, she spearheaded the accreditation and implementation of the nation’s only doctorate in business at a historical black college or university. Though she has a string of other valuable skills, including being a certified public accountant and an attorney, Baskin Glover thoroughly enjoys her current role as president of Tennessee State University. “I love the students, the opportunity to impact the future of education, and also ensuring the faculty are developing leaders and training students to challenge emerging issues, x93 she says. “I’m proud to be a part of that. x93

Baskin Glover serves as a mentor and role model for other women and stresses that anyone can become a successful businesswoman. “Don’t define yourself by what others consider limitations, x93 she says. “Work hard to achieve your own individual success, and just keep going. x93

As president, Baskin Glover implements a five-point vision that emphasizes academic progress, fundraising, diversity, shared governance, and community outreach. “As a leader, the first rule is delegation so you aren’t doing everything yourself, x93 she says. “Secondly, you need to have effective time management—carve out family time and time for other aspects of life. x93

Deana Ivey — Chief Marketing Officer, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation

Deana Ivey knows how to tackle a challenge. Within six months of starting her job in tourism marketing with the Nashville CVC in 1997, Opryland announced that it would be shutting down its theme park, eliminating one of the most popular tourism attractions in town. A massive, community-wide strategic plan was put into place, and Ivey worked with people from across all industries to come up with a new brand. “We wrestled around with, ‘What is Nashville? Who are we as a destination? What do we want to promote?’ x93 By now, everyone is aware of the final decision: Music City has become a well-established trademark as well as a clear-cut promotional tool for Ivey and her entire team.

Ivey is surrounded by other women in her office and says she often stresses to them the importance of working hard, being confident, and proving one’s self. “Be willing to do absolutely whatever it takes, x93 she says. “Learn everything you can [and] soak it all in—and then decide what track you want to pursue. I could never have planned [my career], but I worked really hard to find my way here. And I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. x93

Joelle Phillips — President, AT&T Tennessee

Joelle Phillips prospers in environments filled with innovation and vibrancy, which for her is AT&T. As president of AT&T Tennessee, Phillips challenges herself to use all of the technology the company delivers to improve her productivity as a leader. “The [equipment] that our work orbits around is special to me, and if I stop and think about how all of it works, it’s really awe-inspiring, x93 she says.

Phillips became the state president in 2013 and has been with AT&T for 12 years, beginning her career in the legal department. Her expertise in telecommunications and leadership has earned her several awards, including recognition in the Nashville Business Journal. With a position that can be highly stressful, Phillips says it is especially important to maintain balance in her life. Health is one of her main priorities, so a favorite hangout is The Bar Method in Nashville. She says the studio’s workouts help her unwind after a long day.

Julie Miller — Chief Operating Officer, Williamson Medical Center

Despite her noteworthy achievements as a businesswoman, Julie Miller insists she owes it all to her supporters—both at work and at home. As the chief operating officer at Williamson Medical Center, she manages several services and faces new challenges every day.

Miller holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Masters of Business Administration from Lipscomb University. Prior to her career at Williamson, she worked in accounting and finance for 10 years. After that, she took on the position of assistant COO at Williamson and, about six years ago, was promoted to COO. “With the whole health care industry changing, those of us in it now are able to somewhat help design what the future is going to look like, x93 she says. “It’s exciting to be a part of that. x93

Though she has a demanding job, Miller consistently strives for balance, making sure to leave work behind when she’s at home with her husband and daughter.“Without my family and my great team here at the hospital, I couldn’t do it, x93 she says. “You have to have a great support group in order to be successful. x93

Kathleen O’Brien — President and CEO, Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC)

Kathleen O’Brien says that what fuels her the most is seeing the impact TPAC has on the lives of others—whether it’s students in the arts education programs or audience members at its shows. “I love knowing that our programs make a positive difference in learning, and I love seeing memories created as families and friends come to TPAC to experience something together, x93 O’Brien says.

Before rising to her current title in 2005, she was the director of public affairs for a liberal arts college in Virginia. It was there that O’Brien says she realized the benefit of combining arts and education, making TPAC a natural transition for her. Regardless of the line of work, O’Brien emphasizes the importance of defining and understanding your own values. “Always take the high road and remember that, no matter how successful you are, there was a long line of others who helped you achieve that success, x93 she says. “Acknowledge this and honor them. x93

Michele Probst — Founder and President, Mënaji Skincare

As Michele Probst pursues her creative streak as a celebrity makeup artist and grooming expert, what sets her apart as a businesswoman is her extreme go-getter personality. An impressive level of persistence has earned her opportunities to work with significant names, including President Barack Obama, Kid Rock, and Stevie Nicks.

After studying makeup in Chicago, Probst returned home to Nashville, where she started doing celebrity makeup for film and print. In 1998, she created Mënaji Skincare, a line of men’s grooming products, after realizing there was nothing else like it on the market. Based on Probst’s own approach to skin care, Mënaji is easy, natural, and undetectable—which is why men are so attracted to the line. It’s now available worldwide, including locally at Nordstrom, and Probst has since racked up 25 years of experience in celebrity styling.

Over the years, she has won numerous awards—often recognized thanks to Mënaji being a breakthrough concept—and has become an active public speaker. “I love to nurture and support other women at every level—in business and in life, x93 she says.

Sherry Stewart Deutschmann — Founder and CEO, LetterLogic

To say that Sherry Stewart Deutschmann cares deeply about her 53 employees might be an understatement. When she founded LetterLogic in her basement in 2002, one of her primary goals was to create an environment where the employees came before the customers.

“I’d worked for a company in the same industry as VP of sales and really didn’t like the way I was treated or the customers were treated. We were adding one account and losing two others because our service was so poor, x93 she says. Despite having just a high school education, she set off on her own, selling her belongings and cashing in a 401(k) to open LetterLogic. After two years, she was looking at $2 million in annual revenue but needed funding to keep growing. When a bank denied her the money, she approached venture capitalist Lucius Burch of Burch Investment Group. “He listened to me for 30 minutes and said, ‘OK.’ I think he liked my grit, x93 she says.

Deutschmann is particularly sensitive when it comes to fostering success within her female employees. Sixty percent of her leadership team is female, including the CFO and president. “I give every woman [starting here] a copy of the book Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide. It’s my way of saying, ‘I want you to be one of the top people in this company,’ x93 she says. But she adds that one of her top pieces of advice to other women is not to look at themselves as “female x93 employees. “Don’t create a barrier for yourself. I consider myself an entrepreneur, not a female entrepreneur, x93 she explains. “That invisible ceiling doesn’t exist because I haven’t put it there. x93