Howard Gentry serves the Metropolitan Government of Nashville as the Criminal Court Clerk of Davidson County in the Twentieth Judicial District. In this capacity, his office is responsible for performing the clerical duties (hard copy and electronic forms) for the operation of the General Sessions and State Trial Criminal Courts.
A Nashville native, Gentry was elected three times to countywide public office. He was a Metro Council member-at-large before being elected Metro Nashville-Davidson County’s first African American vice mayor. He was reelected in 2003. In 2007, Gentry was a candidate for Mayor and narrowly missed the run-off by less than 300 votes and ran again in 2015.
Mark Janbakhsh was born in Tehran, Iran, and came to the United States before the age of one. His family immigrated to Orange County, California, where he grew to appreciate diversity and culture on a grand scale.
After moving to Nashville in 1985, the Janbakhsh family embarked on their Tennesseean entrepreneurial journey, paving the way for Mark and his brother to follow in their footsteps of being business owners and visionaries. Mark graduated from David Lipscomb University with a Political Science degree and immediately dove into the Nashville marketplace. Mark, after having owned various businesses, branched out into Radio when he purchased TBLC Media. In 2010, Mark and his wife, Diane, began the work of the Hispanic family foundation. They saw the needs of the growing Hispanic community in Nashville and the surrounding areas and decided that they could make a difference by giving back and creating outreach opportunities. For more information visit Mark Janbankhsh’s page at the Hispanic Family Foundation.
Thomas J. McSweeney was born one of 7 children to the McSweeney family, in San Francisco. He graduated from the University of San Francisco in Political Science and consequently began his career in radio. He was promoted to Sales Manager and took a new position as Sales Manager in Chicago radio. Two years later Thomas entered Spanish Radio. After 20 yrs with Univision, he stepped into the position of VP/Gm of the Los Angeles radio group Univision. He became a champion of St Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Spanish Radio partnership. Founder& CEO of HMC Honored to be selected as a board member of HFF.
Carolina Sanchez was born in Cali, Colombia, and has called Nashville home since moving to the United States in 2002, following a brief six-month stay in Miami. She graduated as a Paramedic in Colombia but transitioned to a career in radio in 2013, starting as a Traffic Manager. After a few years, she became the Business Manager for the top Hispanic radio station in Middle Tennessee. Throughout her radio career, Carolina has helped raise over $2 million for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Currently, she continues her radio career and also serves as the Entertainment Director at Plaza Mariachi Music City, where she organizes festivals, community events, and entertainment.
