Background Check

Jim Kelley | Bart Pickett

Growing up in the northeastern Ohio, Jim Kelley found himself as far away from Tennessee in Ohio that you could be. He grew up as the only child in a typical, blue collar family. Jim spent time during the summers with his maternal grandmother who lived in Dover, Tennessee. It was no surprise when it came time for college, his mother pushed for what she thought was the best choice, Vanderbilt University.

When Jim arrived in Nashville in 1966, he found it to be a “small town” and quite inward looking, particularly when compared to present-day Nashville. He majored in math and graduated in 1970. While he loved his time at Vanderbilt, he could not wait to get out of Nashville, and headed north to Cleveland, Ohio. After a couple of winters there, however, he changed his mind—he wanted both warmer weather and a change of jobs. After working two years as a systems analyst for Standard Oil, he decided the corporate world was not for him.

In 1972, Jim moved back down south to Atlanta to attend Emory University Law School. He graduated in 1975 and started working as an associate at a local firm while also enrolling in the LLM in Taxation night program at Emory. As he finished up his Masters in Tax, the Nashville firm of Dearborn and Ewing reached out to him, as they just happened to be looking for a tax attorney. He met with the firm and accepted a job that proved to be life-changing, staying there from 1977 to 1990.

In 1990, Jim joined Neal and Harwell—where he still practices today— in business and finance matters with a particular emphasis on representing banks. Most of his work these days is transactional, although his work sometimes includes litigation when bankruptcy is involved.

Jim and his first wife, Lisa, enjoyed a wonderful marriage of 32 years before her unfortunate passing due to cancer in 2016. They have one daughter, Kathleen, who lives in DC and works for an audio/visual company focusing on corporate events. Jim gleefully tells about his 4.5 month old granddaughter, his first. As soon as he was two weeks post-vaccination, he headed to DC to see the baby. Jim still lives in the house on Richland Avenue that he bought in 1987 and converted from an apartment house back to single family.

In a fortunate series of events, some friends convinced Jim to go on a two-week cruise around the Iberian Peninsula in 2017 with a big group of people. Unbeknownst to him, Dr. Anne O’Duffy also signed up for the trip. Although the two had known each other for about 20 years, they had not really hung out before then. They hit it off and have been travelling through life since their marriage in June 2018.

The couple’s passion for travel has made the pandemic that much harder, as Jim describes them as very serious travelers. Jim himself has visited more than 80 countries in his lifetime. He always keeps a trip on the books to look forward to, and if it gets cancelled, he schedules the next. Their trip to the Netherlands to see the tulips in April has been moved twice, but he remains hopeful for 2022. Even before then, the couple have a trip to the south of France set for September.

When he’s not circumventing the globe, Jim also dedicates time to the local non-profit world. He’s served as Board President for Nashville Cares, Oasis Center, Greenways for Nashville, Family and Children’s Service and the Richland-West End Neighborhood Association. He has also served on the Boards of OZ Arts Nashville, Watkins College of Art, and the American College of Bankruptcy

You can also find the amateur gardener working on his home gardens or playing with his Italian greyhound. His love for the breed has led him to adopt six from rescue programs.

Like most of us, Kelley looks forward to a return to normal. Most importantly, he’s ready to get more stamps on his passport. n

BART PICKETT is an attorney at the Law Offices of Julie Bhattacharya Peak where he represents Liberty Mutual Group, Inc.’s insureds and customers of its affiliated groups in litigation throughout Middle Tennessee. Prior to practicing, Pickett worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Thomas W. Brothers of the Sixth Circuit Court of Davidson County and the Honorable Joseph P. Binkley, Jr. of the Fifth Circuit Court of Davidson County.

to find the manpower and supplies needed to keep everybody safe. In April 2020, Tennessee made the difficult decision to temporarily close state parks. At that time, the financial picture was bleak. State park lodges, restaurants, and gift shops were eerily silent. Concerned neighbors, state legislators, moms from my daughter’s preschool (also closed), and everyone in between showed me once again the deep connection we feel to our beloved state parks. Everyone sought assurance that things would open up again.

Well, you can’t keep a good parks system down. A few short weeks later, Tennessee State Parks reopened. The parks immediately filled with loyal park enthusiasts and guests discovering—or rediscovering—the great outdoors. A year later, as infection rates drop and vaccination rates rise, the parks remain open. Our state parks didn’t just survive, they emerged stronger. At a time when guests needed some “WOW Moments” more than ever, state parks were there. Year-over-year revenues grew 15% and donations more than doubled from last fiscal year’s total even with a quarter of the year still left to go! WOW!

While overcoming 2020’s challenges, state parks not only continued to deliver “WOW Moments,” but did so in new ways—including hosting 92 virtual events. Since tracking began in 2020, Tennessee State Parks have documented 1.1 million “WOW Moments” through customer communications like guest reviews, social media, and surveys.

“WOW Moments” also result from discovering the rich history of the state itself through the parks experience. Tennessee State Parks help preserve the history of Tennessee’s past and interpret it for generations of guests. In April, I hiked to the top of Cardwell Mountain, a significant 500-acre archeological site the state very recently acquired days before. While walking with Tennessee State Archeologist Phil Hodge, I was captivated by his stories of ancient activities at the site, however, concerned by the signs of looting of ancient artifacts. Thanks to TennGreen, The Nature Conservancy, and The Conservation Fund, the state is now able to protect this site with support from the ranger staff at Rock Island State Park—and lots of cameras. TDEC’s Bureau of Parks and Conservation’s next project will conduct important historical, archaeological, and biological research to catalogue the site’s resources.

Though it will be some time before the public can access Cardwell Mountain, Tennessee State Parks have plenty of “WOW Moments” planned. The upcoming events calendar is available now by visiting TNStateParks.com—loaded with 40 to 50 events a month. In June, guests can go spelunking in Bunkum Cave or take an Appalachian broom making class at Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park. You can even head out for night sky storytelling and constellation identification in the astronomy field at Pickett CCC Memorial State Park. July at Montgomery Bell State Park will see “meet the mounted patrol” events, as well as canoe and kayaking trips on Lake Woodhaven.

Another way to enjoy Tennessee State Parks is by subscribing to The Tennessee Conservationist magazine, published six times a year. Get yours today at TNConservationist.org. You’ll enjoy beautiful photography, smart articles, and a preview of upcoming parks events.

I am looking forward to seeing you on the trail, and hearing about your own “WOW Moment” made in any one of our 56 amazing Tennessee State Parks. n

Photo credits: Aerial Innovations Southeast.

JENNY HOWARD serves as general counsel for the TN Department of Environment and Conservation. She previously served as an assistant attorney for the Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County, and also worked in private practice with a large Nashville firm. She currently serves as the NBA’s Environmental Committee co-chair and Class Reunion co-chair for Vanderbilt Law School’s Alumni Association.