About Us
The BAO administers Metro’s Small Business Program and the Procurement Non-discrimination Program which are designed to increase small and disadvantaged business participation in Metro procurements. The BAO consists of a talented team of professionals with several years of experience, dedicated to both assisting small and disadvantaged businesses in becoming ready to do business with the City of Nashville as well as monitoring overall contract performance including small business utilization. The growth and development of small and disadvantaged businesses is important to Nashville regional economy. The BAO works to support that growth and development through the provision of business development and contract compliance services.
BAO Staff
Michelle A. Lane
Program Director
Michelle Lane started her career at Metro in August of 2001 where she has managed Metro’s Division of Grants Coordination and Metro’s Division of Minority and Small Business Assistance and Contract Compliance. As Program Director for Metro’s Small Business program, Michelle worked to bring innovation and accountability to Metro’s existing small business program and spearheaded efforts to create Contract Compliance initiatives in the Small Business Program as well as increased Business Development and Outreach initiatives.
In October of 2007, Michelle was appointed as Special Assistant to Mayor Karl Dean for small and minority business development. In October of 2008, Michelle began her role as Director of the Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance and began work to implement the Procurement Non-discrimination Program. Prior to her time in Metro, Michelle lent her talents to the State of Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration under the Sundquist Administration as a Management Consultant responsible for developing a process and system designed to enhance the inclusion of disadvantaged service providers in the State’s professional services procurements.
Michelle holds a B.A. from Fisk University in Nashville, TN and an M.S. in Public Service Management from Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN. Additionally, Michelle is a Certified Professional Public Buyer, a Certified Compliance Administrator, and Certified Grant Professional. She holds memberships in the American Contract Compliance Association, the National Contract Management Association and the National Institute of Government Purchasing. Michelle has called Nashville home since 1993 and hails from Palm Springs, California.
John Irvin
Small and Minority Business Liaison
John Irvin has been with the Metropolitan Government of Nashville since 2008. Prior to this, John managed and developed the Supplier Diversity Program of Vanderbilt University. In this role, John implemented several successful programs that significantly impacted the small business community of the Nashville Metropolitan Area. Including the Construction Diversity Council (CDC) at Vanderbilt.
John has been working in the purchasing arena for the past twenty plus years. He began his career in the automotive industry as a quality analyst with the General Motors Corporation. He was promoted to Quality Assurance Supervisor and worked in various supervisory capacities until he pursued a buyer’s position in the Powertrain Division of GM. After working as a buyer for a couple of years, he was promoted to Lead Senior Buyer, and managed the divisional purchases of a specific commodity.
John holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.and a M.A. from the University of Detroit. John relocated his family to Nashville in 1993.
Deborah Robinson
Business Development & Outreach Specialist
Deborah Robinson has been with Metro since 2006, serves as a Business Development and Outreach Specialist in the BAO and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her position. Deborah has 17 years of grant experience with the State of Tennessee working with the Tennessee Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Division as a Grants Analyst, Grants Program Monitor and as a Grants Program Manager, managing grants at the federal, state and local level. She traveled statewide monitoring the Job Training Partnership (JTPA) grant programs for Adults and Youth and conducted on-site auditing and analyses of grant recipients programs. She also managed the Planning and Evaluations Unit and assisted with the presentation of training workshops for the Job Training Coordinating Council and Community-based organizations. Deborah also worked with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Block Grant Program, which administered grants to small cities for community livability, fire protection, water and wastewater infrastructure projects and housing and neighborhood revitalization projects.
Deborah Robinson holds a B.S. from TSU and M.S. from T.SU. Deborah is a native Nashvillian.
JoeAnn Carr
Contract Compliance Specialist
Ms. Carr has more than two years contract compliance monitoring experience in her role as a contract compliance specialist in Metro Government’s BOA Division. She joined Metro’s Department of Finance in September 2003 in the Purchasing Division. Previously she worked for Nortel Networks North America Purchasing Division. She was also employed by Shoney’s Inc Division of Accounting.
A native of Jackson, TN who attended Madison County, TN schools, Ms. Carr received her Bachelors of Science degree in Business from Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN and is a Certified Compliance Administrator through the American Contract Compliance Association. Ms. Carr enjoys spending time with family and takes special pride in helping others achieve their goals.
Bryan Gleason
Contract Compliance Specialist
Bryan C. Gleason began his work as a Contract Compliance Specialist in April 2008. Bryan’s role as a Contract Compliance Specialist consists of but not limited to assisting monitoring prime contractor’s achievement of committed levels of small and disadvantaged business participation. Bryan has a strong cost accounting and audit background and managed monitoring reviews for the Office of Financial Accountability for three (3) years prior to joining the BAO staff.
Bryan has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Grambling State University and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Strayer University. Prior to coming to Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Bryan gained experience in all sectors of the business industries including the Central Intelligence Agency (Finance Officer), Accenture, LLP. (Financial Analyst/Project Mgmt.), American Management Systems, Inc. (Financial Analyst/Project Mgmt.), and Nissan North America (Financial Analyst). Because of the diversity of experiences Bryan brings from his time in these various business industries, he is equipped with great attention to detail and a strong understanding of financial and contract management having done contract reviews and contract modifications for multimillion dollar contracts and ensured project compliance with existing contractual and federal regulations.
Judy Cantlon
Administrative Services Officer
Judy is a seasoned administrative professional who began her employment with Metro in June of 2003. She is responsible for initial contacts with vendors reaching out to the BAO and is also the first point of contact for small business approvals.
Prior to this Judy worked for the State of Tennessee for 18 years. She was employed in the Department of Human Services and Department of Finance and Administration. During her time with the Department of Finance and Administration, she worked with the Office of Resource Development and Support and the Tennessee Commission on National and Community Service.
Judy has taken many classes including Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher. She also attended Austin Peay State University.