Steve Groom Named General Counsel and Executive Vice President
CCA President and CEO, Damon Hininger, announced today that Deputy General Counsel, Steve Groom, has been promoted to General Counsel and Executive Vice President. In his new role as General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Steve will direct our legal, risk management and quality assurance team at the FSC and oversee our external legal relationships.
"Selecting Steve was an easy decision for us, because he is a man of honesty and integrity," says Hininger. "I personally have spent a great deal of time with Steve and trust him fully to help us make the best decisions for CCA."
Steve joined CCA in March 2001. With more than 30 years of professional business and legal experience, Steve brings to his new position a keen understanding of the opportunities and challenges that CCA faces.
"I believe strongly in advocating for my colleagues and making sure they know how much I respect and appreciate them," explains Groom. "I'm inspired to come to work every day because I know that I am working with a great group of people. I've come to appreciate the work our employees do every day. And it's an honor and privilege to work with them."
Before joining CCA, Steve was a partner in the law firm of Stites & Harbison. He previously served as General Counsel of SunTrust Bank in Nashville. He earned his law degree from the University of Memphis, where he was a member of the Law Review, and bachelor's degree from Lipscomb University in Nashville.
He has served as Chair of the CCAssist Fund and is on the adjunct faculty of Lipscomb University's MBA program, teaching Corporate Governance and The Legal & Regulatory Environment of Business. Steve has received additional education and training at the Harvard Program on Negotiation and the Executive Education programs at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He also serves on the Board of Visitors of Lipscomb University’s College of Business and the Board of Advisors of the Institute for Conflict Management.
"What gives me continued pride in our company is that we have such a strong group of leaders throughout our organization, which enables us to continue to promote from within at all ranks," explains Hininger.
Former General Counsel, Gus Puryear, is leaving CCA to pursue an opportunity at another Nashville, Tennessee company.
"I have known Gus for 18 years and worked with him for nine," says Groom. "I will miss the day to day interaction with him. He's great lawyer and a great, personal friend. He has assembled an exceptional legal department and I look forward to working with this group to continue to serve the company."
"On behalf of the CCA Board of Directors and Executive Management team, I want to thank Gus for his tenure at CCA," says Hininger. "He joined CCA in January 2001 when the company was undergoing a great amount of change and new growth, and he helped steer us on our right course. I wish him great success in this new chapter of his impressive career."
Sound Out
Brigham Sloan at Bent:
Lawyers! How many times have we joined in Lawyer bashing? Of course when you have had Gus, Steve, or one of the other professionals in legal fight for you, the lawyer paradigm changes a bit. Thanks. Good luck Gus. Keep watching out for us Steve!